by Darlene Gudrie Butts | Mar 8, 2019
Happy International Women’s Day!
For me, I could not be the woman I am without all of the amazing, strong and determined women who came before me, including my grandmother and my mother. I am strong and determined, I can vote, get any education I want and be whomever I please because of them.
In my life today, I am constantly inspired by the “Gudrie girls” who, whether they were married into the family or born into it, epitomize what it means to be loving, caring, and independent women. My daughters, Kalina and Livi, make me proud every day because of their strong beliefs in justice and equality for all and their consistent action to ensure it happens. And, I am surrounded by the best group of friends a woman could ask for who constantly raise the bar on what it means to be a kind, generous, and kick-ass woman.
I also would not be who I am and where I am without two very special men. My father raised his six daughters to believe they could do anything and his insistence on post-secondary education was a gift for us all. And my husband, Ron, epitomizes this years slogan, #BalanceforBetter as he supports me in every way possible to go after my dream while taking over most of the “traditionally female” (I hope that phrase one day has no meaning) roles in our household. There has always been equality in our relationship and I am grateful for him every day!
Balance can be reached in every aspect of our society if we work together, respect each other, value each other and, most importantly, value ourselves. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, part-time employee, CEO of a company or head of a country, we all have an important role in making the world a better place for everyone!
Take a moment today and celebrate the woman in your life who have loved, supported, and celebrated you and helped you become the person you are today!
by Darlene Gudrie Butts | Mar 8, 2018
It is International Women’s Day today! I want to celebrate all of the women who came before me and paved the way so that I can choose any career I want, that I have every right that a man does, including voting, owning property, and being able to wear pants, and that I have dignity and respect for who I am, not based on what chromosomes I am born with.
I also want to honour all of the women who have impacted me directly. All of my great, great grandmothers who moved to a foreign place called Canada, often with children in tow, with nothing but what they could carry, to allow me to be born in this great country.
I want to thank my Grandma Gudrie for being such a strong and stubborn women in a 4′ 11″ body that was such an example for me of not being afraid to voice her opinion or choose the life she wanted.
My Mom had seven children…seven…with six of us being girls!!! And, when we ranged in age from 5 to 18, my father passed away. This woman, who battled horrible rheumatoid arthritis since her thirties and had a grade three education did not fall apart because she was left alone. No, this woman kept it together and raised seven children that are strong, successful, educated, kind, caring, compassionate, and loving and who still all love to hang out with each other. Now THAT is heroic.
And my sisters. I think of my sister Deb and her strength and faith she displayed with her battle with cancer. Cancer took her body but her spirit remains and continues to inspire anyone who knew her. And my four other sisters exemplify what a great woman is. Each chose their own path and have been such a positive impact on their families and communities. Being second youngest, I learned so much of what it means to be a great woman from my sisters and sister-in-law.
Then there are all of my soul sisters out there, who are too many to name but you know who you are, who are just kicking ass in their world, as well as supporting their community, and being great moms, sisters, aunts, daughters, and friends. I see all of you and am inspired to do better each and every day. because of you.
I also want to mention the two men in my life who made me a better woman. My father believed in education, whether you were male or female, and in a time when a high school education was enough to get a pretty good job and there was pressure for women to just find a husband as soon as possible and start having children, he pushed us girls to go to post secondary school and be more. His expectation that there was more in me turned into my own.
And, my husband is my greatest source of support and encouragement. His, “you do what you got to do and I will be right behind you” attitude has been the wind beneath my wings for over 35 years. I’m a better woman because of him.
And last, but not least, I want you all to know that the next generation of women coming up has got this covered! My daughters make me proud to be their mom and proud to be a woman. They are both strong, talented, beautiful, heart-centred people and I know the world is already a better place because they are in it. And my nieces, who I have watched grow from children into independent, smart, and amazing women, makes me honoured to be their Auntie.
We have been given one day to celebrate all of the women in our life and in this world. What if we do it every day? What if we start stretching out our hand to women in need? What if we collaborate instead of compete with other women? What if we support rather than judge? What if we stand up for women who are being marginalized rather than worry it might affect us negatively so we shrink away? I would like to start a new movement, a #wegotthistogether movement that spurs us on to help one woman every day get a little bit further on her journey.
Don’t let midnight be the end of this celebration!
Every single one of you have the ability to change the life of a woman, let’s do it!
#Internationalwomensday2018
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