Ms Green Dreams

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned; how has it been 9 months since my last post?  And yet the topic of that last entry remains current: how do we face our problems as a town, a country, a planet, and keep up the motivation to heal the world when it's all so overwhelming and easier to just pull the blanket over your head?  While the good news is Ebola is amazingly back under control, other things seem worse - with Palmyra falling brutally, and more uncivil civil conflicts in our own home towns. 

And, just when you want to tune out, give up, and just tune in to Mad Men, THAT outlet pulls the plug.  But not without giving us a little reminder of social progress made since that era, especially as pertains to the ERA, in one of the last episodes. This won't blow the finale for those that are delaying gratification by storing it in their DVR, and even if you've never watched it, at least watch the segment from one of the last episodes when Joan tries to go head to head with her boss over sexual discrimination. Spoiler alert: she loses.

Joan's argument and poise is perfect, her character's bravery buoyed by Betty Friedan. While she at least walks away with some dignity and some of her owed dollars, the battle is what is important for women today to watch and understand.  It really was not very long ago that women like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem helped us finally WIN some of those battles.

We still have a ways to go, and equal pay issues can be added to my laundry list of misery-making headlines.  But we cannot take the progress for granted.  Organizations like Makers are showcasing the stories of women who have - and do - make America.  Younger women can't afford to not tune in and understand the sacrifices made by the Joans before them.

I've made my own progress in the past few months. I'm channeling my anxiety about the news into a resource for women who want to find purpose-based ways to help turn thing more things around.  It's called Golden Girl Dreams, and its aim is to be a curated guide to ways to give back. It's my sideline so it's slow going, but the illustrious followers I've gained on Twitter and the enthusiastic response I've gotten to the concept inspires me, and keep me moving forward.

It's all we can really do, after all.