March 8, 2014 – Late Blooms

What a special day for us ladies! My day was made even more special by a young, handsome, well-dressed man, giving me a rose and saying “Happy International Women’s Day.” This happened in Downtown Toronto this morning. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me. All the images here were taken when I got home.

The first Women’s Day took place in 1911 and we women have come a long way. There is still a long journey ahead though. “International Women’s Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women’s success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed.” Some countries take this day so seriously that it is a public holiday. The United Nations theme for 2014 is: “Equality for women is progress for all.”

While the surprise of receiving a rose was very touching, all of us women know that this day and our lives are about more serious matters. Our personhood as people and our right to be treated with dignity and respect in all spheres of life is really what this day is all about. Here are some interesting quotes to reflect on by people you may know.

1. “Woman is the companion of man, gifted with equal mental capacity.” – Gandhi

2. “God gave women intuition and femininity. Used properly, the combination easily jumbles the brain of any man I’ve ever met.” – Farrah Fawcett

3. “Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of a man at twice its natural size.” – Virginia Woolf

4. “Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the President’s spouse. I wish him well!” — Barbara Bush

5. “Women are leaders everywhere you look — from the CEO who runs a Fortune 500 company to the housewife who raises her children and heads her household. Our country was built by strong women and we will continue to break down walls and defy stereotypes.” — Nancy Pelosi

6. “A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” — Melinda Gates

7. “Whatever glory belongs to the race for a development unprecedented in history for the given length of time, a full share belongs to the womanhood of the race.” — Mary Mcleod Bethune

8. “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” — Eleanor Roosevelt9. “Dream the dreams that have never been dreamt.” — David Bower

10. “The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.” — Charles Malik

11. “Remember the dignity of your womanhood. Do not appeal, do not beg, do not grovel. Take courage, join hands, stand besides us, fight with us.” — Christabel Pankhurst

12. “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” — Margaret Thatcher

13. “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey

14. “When I thought I couldn’t go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck.” — Estee Lauder

15. “If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.” — Coco Chanel.