Food for the Journey – 1/21/2021

Contrary to the song “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,”  I’ve never liked diamonds.  My mom knew I liked pearls instead so she gave me her pearls and my sister her diamond ring.

Yesterday I put on my mom’s pearl necklace and bracelet and I have them on again today. Maybe I’ll wear them every day for a while to celebrate the historic moment of a woman serving as the vice president of our country.   In case you missed it—pearls are Kamala Harris’ signature neckwear.

Back in November on the Saturday when the election was called, Kamala Harris walked out in an all-white pantsuit with a pussy-bow.  It was a nod to women who had come before most notably the suffragists who had worked for women’s (albeit white women’s) right to vote in the early 1900’s and also wore white.  As she walked out and greeted the nation, tears rolled down my face.  Sometimes we don’t know how deeply we long for something until it is there in front of us.

Between that day and yesterday, it’s as if we have been denied the opportunity to rejoice and celebrate.  We had the denial of the election results; the seeking to overturn the election results; the mob attacking the Capitol attempting to overturn democracy.  In the midst of so much heartache, fear of what’s next, and anger, the moments to celebrate seemed erased.

There is the realization that not everyone is happy with the election results nor Harris as VP and I try very hard to always stand in someone else’s shoes.  BUT there is a smart, powerful and btw, beautiful woman, black and South Asian to boot, elected as the second in leadership in this country.   

I’m goin’ wear my pearls proudly.  A barrier, long overdue, has been broken in this country.  One more to go.

God who knows how to make a way out of no way, we give thanks for the opening of possibilities for little girls, for girls of brown skin, for girls of immigrant families to have bigger dreams, to imagine for themselves and the world endless possibilities.  Amen.