Sisterhood is More Powerful Than a Pandemic
Women's History Month ends and although it’s been overshadowed by news and protocols surrounding the Pandemic, I still can’t help but to recognize the powerful force of having a strong sisterhood. Long before a world pandemic, women have been battling and surviving plights of astronomical sizes with the love and support from their sister-circles. Whether you share a sisterhood between yourself and one other sister-friend, or you are fortunate enough to have a larger group of sister-friends, you cannot deny the necessity of their love and support when your world starts to move, shake, and sometimes crumble. Also, in the moments when you have experienced wins of extreme magnitude, it’s likely that your sister-friends were right there to support and celebrate you. Both times, the powerful support from your sisterhood can’t be denied.
After watching “Self Made:Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker” on Netflix, I was reminded that throughout history women have tapped into the power of their sisterhood to support, elevate, and collaborate with each other to move all of us forward. Even if there wasn’t an initial, purposeful outreach to them, in the end, it seems to boil down to a group of women working together as the catalyst for major change(s). We should learn from this and realize that within our own circles, we have the power to create opportunities that make history too!
I can acknowledge that a strong sisterhood doesn’t grow without friction, tension, etc., but that does not diminish the beauty and strength that can grow from it. It is important to constantly assess the makeup of your sister-circle(s) and make the tough decisions to add and remove as needed. Afterall, if your sisterhood is a source of power and strength, why would you want to hold onto negativity?
As I reflect, I’m so glad I never took my relationships for granted and stretched far beyond simply thinking about my own needs to create memories that bring about so much collective joy.
Invitation to “Virtual” Brunch from Pink Girls Run The World
A few posts back I shared about my trip to Dubai with, what was then, a new up-and-coming travel group I joined; Pink Girls Run The World. Founder and friend, Tashieka Brewer, includes a fabulous group dinner into every itinerary where we all take turns sharing positive sentiments to a friend or family member followed by handing out carefully curated gift bags. This has set the tone on each trip to begin building the foundation for a sisterhood among us Pink Girls! With one stamp on a passport, we have built relationships and formed friendships as grown women, dispelling the myth of “no new friends”. You might wonder if a newfound sisterhood can sustain itself through quarantine, lockdown, and social distancing. The answer is, yes! On our virtual Pink Girls Run The World Zoom Brunch, we learned that sisterhood is more powerful than a pandemic. The camaraderie, laughter, and positive vibes that we shared proved that sisterhood has healing powers. In that moment, our tables set for one were immediately filled with laughter, healing, and love.
This particular virtual meetup was used for a positive, happy reason, but my advice would be to keep the same energy of staying connected under not-so-happy circumstances too. Everyday the news reports on the copious amount of deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID19, and as time goes on the feelings of loss, grief, and overwhelmingness could impact all of us at some point. No matter what, sisterhood is more powerful than a pandemic.
A small sampling of my sister-circle in New Orleans to celebrate my 40th Birthday
Embedded in a strong sisterhood are all the key components needed for survival and living: love, friendship, connection, faith, communication, honesty, safey, good cheer, happiness, sound reasoning, courage and so much more.
Let’s be honest, although we are home for more hours than usual, it does not change the fact that we all have things to do! Likewise, some of our closest sister-friends might be exhausted from doing the hard work of keeping all of us safe on the frontlines. However, I challenge you to make time for retreating into the arms of a sisterhood that you have spent so much time building and nurturing long before the days of social distancing.
When this is all said and done, let’s craft and share the stories of how powerful sisterhood-bonds helped to change history!
I have never experienced a time in my life when I didn’t need my sister-friends and a Pandemic doesn’t change that.
Do you have any creative ways that you and your sister-friends have been supporting each other during the lockdown/shelter in place/quarantine?