This post is to celebrate the beauty of “the period”. In all its forms, it is a beginning for the young, and an opportunity for the not so young, like myself to view a new freedom, and maybe even to politically to revisit some old ideas.
As I head into my 50th birthday, my hot flashes have become more regular than my monthly visitor. The flashes visit me daily, while she ceases to make an appearance, but every few months, and she no longer stays with the regularity and fluidity that she used to as a well known, and often misunderstood guest. But as she is nearing the end of her stay with me, I miss her greatly. I miss the youthfulness that symbolizes, and the urgency that she creates.
What do I wear…
What do I do if I have an accident?
Can anyone tell?
Why are my breasts so painful and swollen? Then I realized that they were also swollen and beautiful. I miss those days. I feel so damn old.
Where is that glorious feeling of unencumbered sex that I have read about. No worries about birth control… just enjoy the supposed peak of sexuality that women my age supposedly experience.
My daughter is just ripe and ready for her friend to come. She is turning 12 this summer, and has break outs and tiny little bras that hang by my own. Occasionally, I will see her when she gets out of the shower, and catch a glimpse of her body, and she is so beautiul and young.Some days I feel as though she is gathering up all the beauty that I can feel myself losing day to day.
I want to teach her to appreciate all the beauty that her body is about to go through… the monthly shedding that will one day, hopefully lead her to children of her own… children as beautiful as she and her brothers are.
I want to teach her to expect others to treat her with kindness and most importantly, respect, because all too often, relationships come at a price, and respect is lost along the way. I want her to know that it should not be that way… and from the time that she is old enough to use her first tampon, she is old enough to understand and demand better than I experienced in my own life.
I hope for changes in the world that will bring gender equality far beyond that which I have ever knows. We are so far past burning the bra; women today seek work play pay equality for the fairer sex. No more discrimination because we menstruate. We demand performance based pay. I hope that exists by the time my beautiul girl is ready to enter the work force.
I know that I have been pretty angry this week… annoyed by the news, and the creation of news that really isn’t news, stressed over life in general. I scan all my sources daily to see what is going on out there. Today, I found this: More discrimination against women…. women who already live in poverty…. a large number of whom are probably divorced…. seeking the aid of public assistance, only to find that not only is there not enough money, but that they federal funding cannot be used to by tampons or sanitary napkins. Clear Gender based discrimination.
One of my goals in life has been to help women with this oh so basic of needs. I have wondered many times about how women who struggle with money pay for such items that I have always taken for granted. I have always bought in bulk…. heaven forbid I run out of my favorite kind…. plastic, no cardboard ( shuddering at the thought ). Cleanliness should not be legislated. Then I come across ths beautiful page. Angels from the heavens, @twobirdspost.
I took this directly from their site. It’s as though we could hear each other’s thoughts. Isn’t a clean tampon the bare minimum that a woman can hope for?
It sets us apart from the one half of the population, yet unifies us to the other, no matter where we are in the world. It is the beginning of adulthood, and the amazing ability to create life. It is the start of the next stage, and the end of another.
Cheers to you my friend… thank you for coming. I appreciate the time we spent together.
OH, one more thing… if you don’t plan on coming back, could you take your friend “hot flash” with you??
Cheers!
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