11 Women (& Men) Across The Country On Why They Marched

I marched because I had to. This country gave me everything I have. It gave me a platform to shine, an opportunity to realize a potential I didn’t even know I had. I have been cradled by the female spirit in professional circles, in countless friendships, through family bonds and even by total strangers. I have sought comfort from and shared joys with this divine female spirit in my fitness classes, at my coffee shops, over wine, on countless text memes, in dinners and sometimes in PJs holding crying babies.

I have had opportunities few could even dream up outside of this nation. And, sadly, I am beginning to realize I took it all for granted. I have always stayed on the sidelines. I reaped the benefits and marched on my merry way, stopping to tip my hat at the passionate I met along the way who knew we always had to keep a careful eye on the liberties people take for granted. I read the papers and watched the news of the election cycle with humor - I was told we had nothing to worry about. When HE won his party’s nomination I felt a speck of worry growing within me but nothing more than a speck. So, I basically carried on my merry way....

November 8th. Evening.

I will never forget this night for the rest of my life. The take out food, the wine, the phone calls, the group texts. The night I realized I had taken it all for granted. And. The night I vowed I would never do so again. I have never been labeled the “liberal” friend. Is this really about party lines? Might there be another cause to this profound nauseous feeling so many of us feel right now? Might it be that we all felt guilty, even many Republicans? The “my god, what did we just allow to happen?” feeling.

Of course Saturday wasn’t just a women’s march. Of course it was a direct protest against our new president. Of course women had to be the ones to structure the message. Women care the most. Women care for all people, and even mother earth. They have to - it is written in their divine female spirit code.

I marched because I had to. I marched for all of those who suffered for my rights. I marched because I took it all for granted once and I’m not about to do it again, and, I marched because it was truly the only thing left to do.

Yesterday was the first time I have ever marched for, well, embarrassingly, anything. And, I'm not about to stop now.

[Photo via @rachellehruska]