SPOILER ALERT: this post is going to be about women and how amazing we are, so if that isn’t your jam, sorry, you must have hot tub time-machined here from 200 years ago and you probably want to head back now.
About a week ago, I was reminded that March is Women’s History Month (when Googling something entirely unrelated - this is why I go to check the weather on my phone and end up looking at everything but the weather). When I saw this, it made me think… in all my free time, I read about compost, crop traits, growing best practices and methods, and so on, but did I really know anything about the people, specifically the women, who contributed to our agricultural practices of today? I’m not afraid to admit I know nothing about the history of ag, even though farming has been around for 5,000 years. This lack of knowledge led to a 4-night binge of bedtime internet reading where I discovered amazing women and their contributions to agriculture and animal husbandry. That is my kind of history! And I should note, my husband has never been more proud of me (he is a History teacher).
But of course, the historical contributions of women go way beyond agriculture. Women have kept this world running since the beginning, which is why it always blows my mind that women are ever under-appreciated and worse yet, women around the world, still today, experience oppression. What? That just doesn’t compute. I mean, we have babies… no one else can do that! And that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the brilliant minds and bodies of women. Don’t worry, I’m not going to start burning bras, but I am going to take a deep breath.
So… you are starting to wonder, where is she going with this? But that’s the beauty of it, I don’t have to go anywhere. I can sit right here and look at the faces of women who have changed this world for centuries. I can think about women I know right now too - women who are currently changing the world. Think about that! And I don’t mean that there has to be a Wikipedia page about you someday. Creating positive history to me means that you are trying to better the world you live in, and that can be by simply loving your kids and your spouse, treating your co-workers with respect, or standing up for something that doesn’t seem right. All of those everyday actions can change the path of history.
It may seem a little strange now to mention men, but I need to. History from long ago and still in places today, has not been kind to women. The advances in equality weren’t easy on any of the women that chose to push forward. But let’s also give a shout out to the men who see women as their equal, and encourage us to be our society-contributing selves every day. I am married to a man that knew exactly what he was getting into when he married me and I know it isn’t a joy ride 24/7. We have encountered many people over our 16+ years together that find our 50/50 take on things to be strange or unnatural and they don’t hesitate to let us know. And it doesn’t even phase him – now that’s a man. And he isn’t alone – I know a lot of men that do the same for the women in their lives and they all deserve an extra hug today.
Whether you are a woman or man reading this, take a moment and look up a woman that made history related to something you’re passionate about. Read her story, say her name out loud, and thank God for her. Then get up, and go make some history.
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