Yoga Etc. (RBG)
my friend Maud once said,
‘there are times when we must speak,
not because you are going to change the other person,
but because if you don’t speak, they have changed you.silence doesn’t change the world. it changes us.
it takes our stories and feelings away from us and buries them alive.unearth what is buried within you.
free yourself in this way.- Cleo Wade
On Friday, a very bright star died. My phone was filled with messages and posts of despair as I woke up to the news on Saturday morning. I walked upstairs and hugged my mom silently. We each let out a few sobs before wiping away tears.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death is a painful pill to swallow. It comes after months of pandemic turmoil and in the 11th hour of one of the most contentious presidential elections of our time (American friends — vote). RBG was an icon. She embodied authenticity, determination, and strength in a time when we are starved for empowered role models. Her death is an impossible reality to come to terms with.
We believed she was eternal. She fervently advocated for equality of the sexes. She dedicated her life to dismantling stereotypes about men and women — the assumptions of how we exist in society and the roles we play. We live in a world where widowers can benefit from social security benefits, and women can take out loans without their father co-signing. To think that half a century ago that would not have been possible is something we should never take for granted.
RBG helped the United States take many necessary steps towards gender parity. But beyond this, she embodied a unique type of leadership that was both strong and soft. She didn’t judge others for having a different opinion and aimed to educate her opponents rather than coerce them. She chose her words carefully and used her voice deliberately. She was patient and purposeful in her actions, and she knew how to galvanize people.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you,” she said.
RBG knew that there is magic in adversity — a concept that might seem inconceivable right now. But resilience can only manifest through hardship.
We owe it to ourselves to build the future we want to live in, and that might look different for each of us. Whether it’s voting or advocating for causes that we care about, leaving a job that depletes us, going back to school, volunteering at or donating to a local organization, having those tough conversations, or lending a hand.
We can only come into our power when we are challenged. The only way out of this is through it — I don’t know what the rest of the year will bring or what 2021 will look like, but together, one day, we’ll find the magic.
Weekly writing prompt
- list 3 things about you that are ‘imperfect’ then write about why each of these imperfections is actually wonderful or unique (5 minutes each)
Other musings
- Goodbye and thank you RBG
- Helpful advice on preparing for winter during the pandemic
- Get lost in the ocean of books
- Maya Gabeira surfed a 73.5-foot wave and why you didn’t hear about it
- On early bedtime + success
- When does a model own her own image?
- Flames inside trees burned like a heart fighting its last battle
- On repeat: Four Tet x Tame Impala
This is the yoga etc., a weekly newsletter exploring mindful movement and mindful personal development in a busy world, written by me, Laura B. Childs, writer, teacher, and friend. You can subscribe to yoga etc. here.
