My darling girl

Today is International Women’s Day. It is a day of focus on women’s rights. Issues faced by women around the world are openly discussed – no matter how difficult those conversations are. It is a day of celebrating the incredible, strong women who came before us. Each generation who fought for equality, for the right to vote, for the right to work outside the home, for us and for the freedoms we have today. Women who didn’t have social media, they didn’t have phones, they didn’t have a blog to post a letter to. But that didn’t stop them joining together and pushing forward.

We are incredibly blessed to be surrounded by wonderful women. Women who are strong. Women who have our backs. Our village. They will always have your back, just as they have mine. Women who are mummas, who have chosen not to be mummas, who are CEOs, who are writers, who are artists, business women, creative women, stay at home women, doctors and scientists. They are all amazing individuals and they are all wonderful role models.

They will show you that the world is an incredible place and that you can do and be anything your heart desires. They treat each other with respect, with dignity and with love. They support one another when times are tough. And they will be. They celebrate each other and the small wins. They celebrate the big wins too. And they are there to hold us when we cry.

Every day you and I offer each other affirmations. Days when I forget, you remind me. It is in those moments of you looking up to me with your beautiful open face, starting with ‘mumma, you need to say these things after me: I am beautiful; I am strong; I am generous; I am brave; I am grateful; I am giving; I am love; I am loved’ that make my heart happy in the knowledge that I am raising an incredible girl.

You are all those things and more. I know you will raise up your fellow women. I know you already do raise up your girls. You are supportive, loved and loving. You are kind, generous and funny. You bring sunshine to the days of those who are lucky enough to know you.

Your grandma {an amazingly strong woman} and I have seen both a documentary and a Hollywood film in the past 6 months about the life of the glorious Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I will talk with you about RBG as you grow. RBG said “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception. Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Sadly, despite it being 2019 we still have a lot left to fight for … gender equality, the pay gap, the right to safety. One could imagine that as we live in a progressive western society these issues would not be issues Australian women need to worry about. The disappointing fact is: we do.  But today, more than ever before, we have a very loud voice, and we’re using it. The world is a mess, there are wars, there are countries where women have barely any rights. The human race is ruining the planet with over-consumption, factory farming and taking from a planet that barely has more to give. But we are fighting to turn that around. For us, for you, and for your future.

You, my darling girl, have the right to a bright future. You tell me you’d like to be an artist and a vet, and that you’d also like to build homes for homeless people and their pets. You can do and be any of those things. Or you can change course along the way. No matter what you decide, you know that I love you, I support you, I believe in you and your dreams.

And I will fight for you for always.

Infinity infinity
Your incredibly lucky mumma
{who is grateful every day that you chose me!}

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