It would be silly for me to say, I'm ignorantly living in bliss! Especially since it is technically April Fool's Day! I think most of us who live in the Western World are still in denial about what is going on over in Ukraine. I live in a very small, very back woods, state of Mississippi. When the pandemic started, most people didn't wear masks. I work a very odd job where I don't come in contact with very many people. The company I contracted through just streamlined my job recently, and now I have a day off! A lot of people would celebrate this! I am still on the fence about the whole thing! This is one day less of work I'm getting paid for, yet this is also one more day I get to spend with my family even though our schedules are pretty wonky!

To be honest though, I'm scared! I'm scared for my boys to come up. I'm scared to see if this is going to escalate to WWIII! I'm scared of a lot of uncertainties! What if they re-enact the draft? What if America jumps in like we have in the past? My oldest is such a pacifist. My youngest is a fighter! They are night and day, and I know these are just worries, but for what it's worth this is just my "little ole" blog, so I can post whatever I want on it! Oh to be in the 21st century in the USA! 

We are living in a time of so many uncertainties. I have to remind myself daily sometimes multiple times a day. I should not worry about things I have no control over. This is very hard, but it's working right now at the moment. I'm still masking when I go into public indoor spaces. A lot of people are not, not where I live.

When they ended remote learning in our area, we made the decision to keep our child out. He wasn't ready to go back. I don't think he wants to go back. I think he really likes doing his school work at home and having the rest of the day to himself. He did not have any close friends in the school we were enrolled in so I think that made his decision easier. So, like any other normal parent, I have worries about my children and the world they are being brought up in. 

I'm still working on my consulting business even though it is slow. I did not expect it to be this difficult to do both, but I've got to do what I have to do. I'm making goals to begin to teach my oldest what I do. When you're younger, you have more opportunities. I just want him to focus on school and doing the best he can do. My youngest will begin school soon. This is going to bring on a whole other set of challenges, but we'll get through it like we always do. Somehow, we always find a way.

It's amazing how you can have all this worry, but still remain so hopelessly optimistic! So for now, I will stick with my goals, remember to remind myself not to worry about what I have no control over. 

So, I'm going to be completely transparent and honest! I never knew this holiday existed. I've known so many female victims of violence, but never knew there was a holiday to acknowledge this! So, I began to do some research. 

First off, I am so lucky to be born in the United States after the Women's rights were fought for. Susan B. Anthony was a hero of mine growing up. It also helps the fact that we share a birthday!  When I found out her history as a women's rights activist before women even had rights!  At 16, she began collecting petitions against slavery, what a rebel!  She was also part of the Underground Railroad aiding Harriet Tubman help fugitive slaves to Canada. This women is a hero to me!  

But none the less, this holiday does not have anything to do with Susan B. Anthony!  That's for another day! 

I'm going to give you the short version of this!  So, in 1960 in the Dominican Republic 3 sisters, the Mirabal sisters who were political activists were assassinated on this day November 25th, 1960. The assassinations were ordered by the dictator of that time.  I'm not going to give name or give credit to this horrible man!

So, in 1981, the Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentros  marked this day to raise awareness of violence against women. So finally, in 1999 the United Nations finally encouraged other countries and governments to observe this as a national holiday! 

There are staggering statistics of violence towards women every year. I don't want to go into them. I know that sounds messed up, but I don't want these tags on my blog categories. I will be vague and list sexual assault, dowry death, human trafficking, and mutilation. I will leave it at that.

I will not list all the violence that happens every year towards women. Instead, I would like to raise awareness, of this date, and how long it took for it to become an international holiday!  May the Mirabal Sisters rest in peace, and know that they paved the way to slow down the violence against women!