Accidental Activist - feb 12
I have made this entry part of the Valentines Blog. If it does not say LOVE, nothing does.
Realizing I’d been “busy” , I thought to put the list here, for my own reference and to share for the good talk with friends.
Believing my life to be neat and lively and nice, and happy-medium ordinary, at midlife, I had many awakenings:
Nearly all the items in my list of things done, were considered activist by some, and some even carried real risk in those days; half of them were pioneer projects.
And except for the redcross work, NONE of it was entirely my choice, but there to do and I could do it easily and the world where we were would be better for it, and I could afford the low pay in most of it, due to my late husband’s fine career. Half of it backfired on me, even tragically, later, but being a May-born American Girl, I merely stood on a chair , and banged a wooden spoon on a pan-bottom and promised a visit by federal agents if there was not some sort of RESPECTFUL response ASAP. Easy.
At no time in my girlhood, not for a moment, did I dream such a day could ever come. And I am still not nicely enough compensated for my injuries. And not thankful enough for the privilege of participation.
Neither may ever get there.
We all grew up loving our town and our Country and would help as we could, but NO ONE would want to get into activism - so wild and too much! NO. Then adult life showed us good ways to help and if there was some activist behavior in it……welll…..so be it. And so, this IS a Valentine to my country, my town and my neighborhood.
"Peace is not made at the Council Tables, or by Treaties, but in the Hearts of Men" - Herbert Hoover
Mother would have said she never did any activism. The projects and activities that helped were just part of being a good American as she was taught, being alert to any act that would serve in perfecting the American Experience. NEVER once was it about disrupting the status-quo, - even when it did, as it must. I am proud of both sister and brother, but "I may be the most activist", as both insist, as well, in all modesty and laughter. I loved patriotism and Nancy Drew - artist and mystery lover and "redcrosslady" very young.
I just planned to "go to town in a gown" and make a nice life, and yet this list - yes - 'there's a story there" for each. If there is interest, I will do them up. Ask me.
First poem read in public at age ten was a compassionate healing effort at an unusually sad family funeral.
WANTING and winning a certain school for me
Paying for Gas for my Hillman , Gwendolyn with riders -Teen drivers win.
Pioneer understudy girl on an all-male campus while in High School did it again.
Army Fort Knox Red Cross with Medivac work
Army Fort Knox - Smoke show installation demonstration to improve relations between civilians and military
Connecticut’s Saint Vincent Hospital Birthing Room with our Daughter
Corporate in North Carolina RTP/Greenville- Pioneer crew with a thing called DayCare
Back to campus - pioneer married corporate move at the time - honors.
“The Greenville Daily Reflector” - first “yankee” Miss Circulation and friend of writers.
“Over the Back Fence” - my neighborhood newspaper
Communications for our Area School Redistricting Project, to achieve balance in social , economic and racial demographic
Children’s Summer Olympics in our Neighborhood - team project
NCAA Children's Swim meet timer
Children’s Tennis lessons and Boy and Girl Scouts.
First Garden Club, first Bridge Club, first Couples Bridge Club. First Batman Birthday and Holly Hobby weekend.
First Building Permit
First Latchkey Project - second banana and loving it under the first Director of the original daycare
Title III Reading Tutorials for Disabled Students to win thru to Literacy for Special Students
Grief recovery classes for our children - a new idea and routine today
Back in the Metropolitan area, roots, life in general was pioneering for a bit but not activist.
People were on the sidewalk for the first time since 1929, Nanny rescue at a celebrity agency
ARC response work during the recession and ODS - Fort Sam Houston Texas
Community Garden Fairfield
Shelter work
Y2K study materials collation and study updates with Red Cross.
My own disability ended on-site activism with risk to me
Art events parts of “Rockville Renaissance”
Founding fan and participant of RGH hospital gallery- painting prizewinner
Breast Cancer Awareness Traveling Arts Exhibitfor more than one year
Today I am thrilled to be agedup - and Ioffer my“Art With Heart” and enjoy success in manipulating my art to raise funds for “the kids behind me” in the good work.
- all are part of our normal way today, but when we stood up and walked out to do it, it was called Activist. Soon my amazing husband and siblings and now children found time to help, as well, doing parallel acts. …and today there are still two or three small things I want to do , still, or help get done …but that’s another story.
