I am a woman

Yesterday, I saw a speaker--Jim Lucas, "Keeper of the Dream." Mr. Lucas came as part of Maryville's MLK Day celebration, and it was through sheer luck that I was even able to see it. He did his rendition of several of Dr. King's speeches, and although he was not as powerful as Dr. King, the renditions were very nicely done.

One excerpt in particular really touched me. He was reciting the speech that Dr. King gave the day before his assassination in Memphis. It was originally given to black sanitation workers who were asking for better working conditions and pay raises and so on. During Mr. Lucas' intro to the speech however, he told us what was written on the signs of the strikers. It was very simple; it was very profound. They wrote only the words, "I am a man."

Sounds almost too simplistic, doesn't it? Yet at the time, they were not treated as men. They were treated no better than animals. Although I wouldn't go that far, it is a remarkably powerful feeling to simply say, "I am a woman." To me that statement simply means that I am a woman--I am intelligent, capable and kind. I can do so much, not only for myself, but for others like me and for those in need. So why don't I?

I don't have an answer to that question. I don't have a reason not to, so I'm going to. I will find a way, and when I do, I'll be able to truly say that I'm a woman--and mean it.