I'm with her, her, her, her, her, her her...

My decision to vote for Hillary Clinton was not because she's a woman. I voted for Hillary because out of all the candidates there was no one better qualified than her. Given the amount of time she has spent in and around the White House, her understanding of our political system, foreign affairs, etc. I couldn't think of someone who would be able to approach the job with a better understanding of what it entails. I'm with her because she has the domestic and international experience and cool as a cucumber demeanor to navigate the intricacies of our government and the governments of other nations. I'm with her because she has worked her entire career for this opportunity, sacrificing in ways I will never know. Even though I am with her, I am not against him.

I'm not a huge President Trump fan given the character he has presented. I don't necessarily agree with him on much either. But I can be grateful that he has brought to light some of this country's deep rooted issues forcing people to engage in dialogue around issues that we have bandaged and re-bandaged for so long. I'm equally appreciative of him for bringing to light just how undercutting women can be to one another. We may walk different walks, we may talk different talks, but in the end we all have a shared connection. Now don't get me wrong, I may not always be the most positive or understanding when it comes to decisions made by my sisters but i'm a work in progress. It is my hope and my intention to be more supportive, more understanding, more loving to my sisters no matter their walk in life because I have learned that a win for one is a win for all.

Gratitude

I decided to make a weekly blog post as part of my 2017 and beyond goals. Wish me luck...haha

I was talking to one of my Peace Corps sisters a couple weeks ago about a reunion trip to Malawi. During the conversation, she reminded me of the wonderful bus system- AXA-fast, friendly, reliable, of which I have decided based on my experience, it could only be one of those at a time. We had took an AXA bus from our lakeshore homes to the southern region of the country-Blantyre- to celebrate my 24th birthday. While on this overnight bus that would allow us the wonderful opportunity of standing for about 8 of the 9 hour ride, we noticed a woman sitting on the floor in the back of the bus with a baby. Now you don't pay much attention to things like that because it was a norm, but the murmurs shared that the lady was heading to the better hospital in the south because the hospital in the north was not equipped to assist her sick child. She sat quietly in the back of the bus holding her child. The paper (published later that weekend) shared something we had no clue about while on the bus. That woman, holding the sick child, was actually holding a dead child for a good portion of the trip. When I think of pivotal Peace Corps, actually life, experiences that is at the top of the list. It's a reality check that in some places in the world women are holding on to dying children because they lack access to resources that can mitigate illness and/or death. That moment was pivotal because every time I think about complaining about something as trivial as traffic, I'm reminded that I am alive and that If needed, I can access medical care, nutritious food, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and the list can go on. This experience always reminds me to be grateful. Grateful for what I have, even when others may feel like it is not adequate, grateful that I have been blessed with opportunities and experiences that many do not have, grateful to be in my right mind, to live life on my terms, grateful for my breath and waking up everyday.

As I look around, I find myself looking at people that strive to have more but fail to recognize the blessings in what they have. I have little patience for complainers and those that are unable to recognize their blessings even if the blessing may not necessarily be the one they want. I guess after 10+ years of working with those that have been dealt some of the most unfair hands, I have learned to be grateful for the hand I was dealt even on the days I want a different hand.