| Germantown, Maryland Gathering
I found out about the Gather the Women organization thru a friend
of mine, who told me about the week's outlined schedule of events.
Since I live in a townhouse attached with 5 others and we have
worlds of cultural diversity in these 6 homes, I decided to
have a gathering here.
I sent out the schedule of events, along with a recent study
I received regarding women and stress and how women bond during
stressful times; then I sent an e-vite, inviting them to my
home on Wednesday evening, March 10.
Five of the six came (one declined, with regret, due to child
care). Represented were 2 Indian women, one raised in Kenya;
the other in North Carolina but with Pakistani roots and family;
one was from Russia; and 2 of us "homegrown". I
explained that we were just going to go around the circle
and tell our story: where we came from, how our attitudes
were formed, how we came to be where we are today. The rest
of us were there to listen, ask questions, and listen.
I can't tell you what a wonderful time we had. Everyone happily
shared those things that nobody really listens to or asks
about anymore; we laughed, we cried, and we had such a bridge
of understanding. We asked questions that we might normally
have felt too prying to ask, except that here the door was
opened. Our understanding of one another as women deepened,
as did our understanding of the diverse cultures. The Russian
woman said she was surprised that I knew of International
Women's' Day, for they celebrate it in Russia, with women
being showered with gifts and flowers.
I am a Certified Holistic Nurse, so some of the concepts
came easily to me; for some of the others it was an awakening.
They loved it.
We will do this again next year, with deepening focus.
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