Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Kinship with 51% of the world: guaranteed

In one of my classes we read Eva Luna by the venerable Isabel Allende. I have been in love with this woman's writing style for decades now, and it was a wonderful treat to discuss it in class.
At the conclusion of class, Professors Freeman and Fairchild showed a Ted video of Allende:

Whether or not you believe the truth of her statement ("women do 2/3 of the world's labor yet possess only 1% of the world's wealth"), I know that there is a certain bond that we all share as women. It is ingrained after 30,000 years of evolution. It has become the pillar of our societies. It is handed down through generations of mothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters.
After class my mind held the image of our universal truth as women...
Say I am in a strange country. I do not speak the language. I have no money. I don't know where I am. I walk down a road and see a woman working in a field. She is digging in the earth with a tool she probably made herself.
I do not need to understand her language to approach her. I simply walk up to her with a smile. She nods and returns to her work. I begin to mimic her motions. I work at her side. Together we dig row upon row of rich earth. Our fingernails are dirty. Mine have all broken off.
As the sun goes down, she smiles at me. She has broken teeth but they are all white. She nods to me as she picks up her basket of tools, motioning for me to follow.
She leads me down a worn path through the forest. We come to a clearing teeming with people. Some stop to stare at me. She continues to lead me, and I follow her into her family's compound. She motions for me to come inside her hut. We work together silently to prepare dinner for her husband and children.
After her husband finishes his meal, she and I eat in silence. I hold her youngest child and stroke his hair.
That night I sleep on her floor, covered with a thin wool blanket.
My sleep is peaceful and I wake up feeling lighter.
Today I will try to understand these people more. I will also try to find a way to go home. But I know I will be safe. We share the ability to work and care for our communities. We never forget our responsibility. There is a sacred bond in that, and I trust that she will honor it.

2 comments:

Zoetwodots said...

thanks for sharing Isabel Allende's passion with us. I am moved to read some of her books.

samantha said...

Thanks for posting that video. Got me thinking I need to pick up some books.