Demand A Better Future
This past week I fell in love all over again.
Sports have always been at the center of my universe. My first broken bone came from a miscalculated bunt attempt. My first picture in the hometown newspaper captured a series of 9th inning defensive plays to win the Bobby Sox All-Star Championship. And my first trophy proudly boasted "Outstanding 6th Grade Athlete".
I played Softball first, Basketball second and Soccer never. Too much running and my instinct is to catch the ball not use my head as a bat to knock it away. And yet there I was, for the first time ever, clearing my calendar to sit down, bite my nails off with nervous energy, scream at the TV and joyfully cheer for the US Women's National Team.
This moment proved to be about so much more than soccer.
The team showed me the grit and swagger it takes to compete at the highest level and win. They showed me the courage it takes to fight for equality and justice, for all. They showed me the grace it takes to stand in your truth while holding gratitude in your heart.
Together, they carved a bigger path forward for the generations to come while honoring all those who walked before them. These women were born for this moment...and so was I...and so were you.
They reminded me that I have a responsibility to create and a right to demand a better future.
A future when we don't need a pending lawsuit for corporations and federations to create inclusive cultures and pay equally for equal play.
A future when "she's not the right fit" or "she's not ready" or "she doesn't have what it takes" are statements that are challenged and thrown out as the narrow-sighted bullshit they are.
A future when "me too" is not the norm.
A future when white people own their privilege without getting defensive, acknowledge that racism still exists and use their power to do something about it.
A future when the only reminder we have of Mitch McConnell is the discounted turkey-neck bobblehead doll at the local thrift shop.
A future when the acceptance of loving who we love penetrates the collective hearts of humanity.
A future when our fierce feminine energy is celebrated and respected as a much needed balance to our healthy masculine energy.
A future when we direct our precious energy and unlimited creativity toward healing our planet instead of taking each other down.
That path to a better future begins with my next step.
No longer can I live my life from the sidelines, waiting for the perfect moment and the perfect vision and the perfect invitation to show up and lead. Instead, I'm choosing faith. Faith that my wings will grow once I leap. And faith that when I do inevitably take a header into the dirt, my sisters will be there to stand me up, dust me off, love on me a bit and support me as I take another leap.
That said, be on the lookout for the launch of Dirty Bird Diaries. A space to be seen and heard. A pathway to heal our hearts through courageous truth-telling and tender witnessing. A normalizing of our humanity. That's all I've really got for now, but I'm leaping anyway by putting this out there before I have it all figured out.
And so it is.
Big Love,
Robin
