Toward The Light
On this International Women’s Day, I am thinking of the great women who came before us, the stalwart ones we look up to today, and the amazing young women who are our future.
The lotus flower is regarded in many different cultures as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration, and rebirth. Its ability to rise from roots embedded in the dirtiest of waters and morph into a thing of purity and clean beauty is a perfect analogy to what we honor and admire in so many of these women today.
It’s interesting how paintings come together for me. Some of my paintings are inspired by things I see, some by things that are on my mind, and some by a message I wish to convey. And, sometimes I am amazingly drawn in a totally new direction. The latter is what happened with this painting. I envisioned a path that incorporated stories of strong women. There are so many! So, I started reading about these women, got lost in their stories, and ended up with this lotus.
In my readings, I learned that the parents of Kamala Harris were both immigrants. Her mother was from India and her father is from Jamaica. Kamala’s mother emigrated to the U.S. as a young scientist working in the area of cancer research. Both Kamala’s parents were active in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s. Kamala was born during this time. The word “Kamala” means lotus flower in Sanskrit, the early language preceding Tamil, the language spoken by Kamala’s Indian mother. Shyamala Gopalan Harris was an amazing woman. I cannot imagine leaving my home and the only family and culture I knew to live in a country on the other side of the world. I was reminded of stories my mother told about her parents, especially her mother, my grandmother, Ellen Agnes Hogan Hughes. I wish I knew more about her, what her life was like, and how she managed. I wish I had just one more day with my Mom. I have so many questions.
On this International Women’s Day 2021, as we go about our day, living in and showing gratitude for the present, my hope is that we could all take a moment to wonder about the part of our past that defines us. And, we should all take a moment to acknowledge the amazing young women who are our future. We need to hold them up so they can see their own reflection in the light of our shared futures. As the saying goes, “Here’s to good women …. May we be them, may we know them, may we raise them.”
Good luck, Madame Vice President! Here’s to you and to all good women who have risen and will continue to rise from the waters to turn into these awe-inspiring lotus flowers as we reach for the light.