Happy Galentine’s Day! To The Women I Love
Feeling lots of love today for the women in my life, so I decided to write a short letter.
I’ve always had a lot of close girlfriends whom I could tell anything. Today — the day of love! — I am feeling especially grateful for them.
I’ve always been emotional. I am embarrassed to admit it, but sometimes I still find myself breaking down in client meetings with other women, not able to breathe as I walk home at night after a short jog, and just generally wanting to spend copious amounts of time alone reading but not reading the news. (You feel me?)
Then I realize, it’s not just me.
In a recent meeting, the conversation shifted from work to real talk. The lady-boss said to me, “I checked my credit card bill from the last few months, and the $$ I spend on sweets has gone up so much. I don’t even have a sweet tooth, I think I am legitimately overwhelmed and depressed, and no one in my family wants to listen.”
Girl, you and me both —the first two foods I ate post-election were ice cream & 6 donuts.
The thing is, many of us don’t talk about post-election depression anymore to our boyfriends, our brothers, or even our moms, because they tell us we are being too “emotional” or “dramatic” and can’t we all just “move on already”. Hello, total isolation.
We can’t just move on. For starters, many of us are still squarely in the “fertile” portion of life’s journey. The floating news about potentially losing access to things like birth control, safe abortion and other basic rights we thought we wouldn’t have to fight for again are too relevant to ignore. Also, we work pretty damn hard, and we want to know there’s a future for us that doesn’t involve being overly sexualized or disrespected in the workplace. Talking to you, pussy-grabbers.
For the first time many of us are learning how to stick together, speak up and to actively fight against what is wrong for future generations, and it has been incredibly bonding and inspiring.
Whether it’s sharing fundraising tips, boosting each others’ confidence to start a company or ask for that promotion, or feeding each other hummus and cucumbers in bed on “just-saw-my-ex-boyfriend” Sunday, today I want to say that I’m so lucky to be able to provide for you and in return, to have your ongoing support and unconditional love.
May our female (and all!) friendships continue to flourish and provide each of us with soul-quenching love and purpose.
Happy Galentine’s!
Today and forever.
Aneri
