A Day in the life of women supporting their men…

An American viewpoint
'Yes, he was wrong, but I forgive him.' Women standing by their men—what’s your opinion is it cultural, financial or spiritual norm? What do you think? In an article by Emily Friedman entitled, “Why Women Stand by Their Men Wives Often Feel Pressured to Show Support, Experts Say” If [the couple] has children and they've had a relationship for a long time, then how do you walk away from it if you really care about the person?" said Puglisi. "A lot of women criticized Hillary when she didn't say something, but in the long haul these women feel that it's what's best for the family and them and the husband in the relationship."
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4428736&page=1
An African viewpoint
In Africa, Kenyan women hit men with sex ban—the wives of the Kenyan president and PM have been asked to join in. Women's activist groups in Kenya have slapped their partners with a week-long sex ban in protest over the infighting plaguing the national unity government. The Women's Development Organization coalition said they would also pay prostitutes to join their strike. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8025457.stm?lsf
A Chinese viewpoint
Traditionally the family has been the most important unit of society, and this is still true. The family is also an important economic unit. In rural areas, where about 74 percent of China’s people live, the traditional family consisted of the head of the household, his sons, and their wives and children, often living under one roof. Same surname within their clan or village. In china the main form of wealth is land.
In a piece aired on 60 Minutes, “China: Too Many Men Lesley Stahl Reports On The Country's Unique Population Problem revealed, “The one-child policy is 25 years old, so the first generation is just now reaching marriage age, and for China that’s a big problem because it is estimated that as many as 40 million of its young men could spend their lives as bachelors.” Divorce in China may not be as high yet as in America but the numbers of divorced couples keep climbing. In China Beijing is No. 1 with the Divorce Rate of 39%.
With globalization, of course, the ‘backward’ countries are catching up. Women, especially, with access to higher education and higher salaries, are less willing to put up with traditional roles and expectations. Social and cultural moralists are having a field day, predicting, like always, dire consequences for the ‘social fabric’. According to the New York Times, “Chinese law, he says, recognizes seven grounds for the divorce of a wife -- childlessness, wanton conduct, neglect of husband's parents, loquacity, thievishness, jealousy, and malignant disease. Chinese law, he says, recognizes seven grounds for the divorce of a wife -- childlessness, wanton conduct, neglect of husband's parents, loquacity, thievishness, jealousy, and malignant disease.”
How will the new goals of reform the transformation of women… Join the conversation and add your comment at: http://eagles-thinkingwomen.blogspot.com/

Mind & Soul: The Transformational Power of Change by Elaine Yoshikawa

New beginnings are new blessings--although on the surface they may not appear like blessings, especially if they are not of our choosing. Transitions can be fraught with difficult new experiences, and so it often gives rise to anxiety, frustration, and sadness. It can be painful and confusing to suddenly find yourself in difficult and awkward circumstances. Partly, the confusion arises from loss of identity. Transitions can be experienced as a temporary diminishment or loss of the self. We are no longer the person we were. This realization can be unsettling. Thus, transitional states not only affect what is external to us, it also transforms our internal life.
While difficult times of transition can be painful and stressful, nonetheless these are the kinds of experiences that mold and prepare us for the next chapter of our lives. New beginnings are rife with opportunities—opportunities for growth, learning, and achievement. They are opportunities for demonstrating and embodying trust. We trust that we have the strength to persevere and to make the necessary changes. We trust that each new path will be filled with enriching experiences that increase our fortitude, strengthen our resolve, and enhance our humanity.
Jean-Pierre de Caussade, a Jesuit priest, likens the turmoil and frustration of a life in transition to a stone that is being shaped by a mason. The stone suffers repeated blows in order to shape and mold it for its ultimate function. The stone doesn’t understand why it is made to suffer, and yet it trusts both the mason and its own purpose: “I know neither what he is doing nor why, I only know that he is doing what is best and most perfect, and I suffer each cut of the chisel as though it were the best thing for me, even though, to tell the truth, each one is my idea of ruin, destruction and defacement. But, ignoring all this, I rest contented with the present moment” (The Sacrament of the Present Moment, p. 56).
Although this poor stone is traumatized, it trusts the mason, trusts that being carved into something new is part of its ultimate purpose, and therefore contentedly waits for the unknown outcome. New beginnings require unwavering faith and inner courage. We don’t know what the future holds; all we know is that we are no longer the way we used to be. However, just like the mason’s stone, we can control our attitude. We can accept, trust, prepare, and grow into our ‘new’ future. We can be content with the understanding that we are being forged into something new for a reason.
Without the mason, the stone would be just an ordinary stone. Instead, it may perhaps be an integral part of a magnificent edifice. Without these transitional moments we would never know what we might ultimately become. Life blesses us with challenges and directs us (willingly or unwillingly) to the actualization of our hidden potential. We may find that we are grander than we could have ever envisioned, all for a new beginning.

A Night with the Lion King by Paige Eagles

Go see it for an evening of magic. Go see it for an night of fantasy. For whatever reason, I urge you to see The Lion King at Arizona State University’s Gammage Auditorium. Imagine the timeless Disney cartoon that you experienced with your own child or watched as a child mixed with phenomenal music from Grammy and Tony Award winners Time Rice and Elton John - now multiply that to the tenth degree. This show is filled with beautiful dancing, powerful singing, and the most creative and spectacular set, costume and production design by Julie Taymor. Ms. Taymor directed, designed and conceived last year’s hit film, Across the Universe, featuring the songs of the Beatles. Her visual artistry is evident everywhere in the Lion King. Photo from Washington Post By Joan Marcus
Overall, the cast does an excellent job of making you feel part of the story. You become emotionally connected with the performance. If only for a night, you feel a part of the “Circle of Life”. I wondered how could the African Pride land be portrayed on a stage? The performance is not limited to the floors of the stage. The cast utilizes the entire theatre as birds soar through the air, elephants tramp down the aisles and giraffes stretch across the stage. This performance is not limited to a person‘s imagination as it exceeds reality and allows magic to be real.
The Lion King embodied all things African - the scenery, variety of exotic animals, the tribal music and dialect and of course, the unforgettable orange sun. It is refreshing to see a work pay homage to such a continent.
Another great aspect of The Lion King is the two child stars, playing the roles of young Simba and Nala. The duo truly held their own weight and added to the wonder of show.
One of my favorite characters is the sage baboon, Rafiki, played by Phindile Mkhize. This woman stole the show with her powerful voice and natural African spirit, as she is native to South Africa. For Ms. Mkhize, this is her debut in this role for The Lion King’s National Tour. She is a tremendous performer, as she has been in Sarafina 2, Mamma, Maria Maria, and WozaMyFohloza prior to joining this cast. Being an African American woman myself, it is a pleasure to see such a proud performance from a woman like Ms. Mkhize. This is not to take away from the excellence of the rest of the cast, as they were more than superb.
All in all this musical is more than great dancing and soulful singing. It is an experience. If you want to see a show that is a countless times better than a night out at the movie theater, go see The Lion King. If you want to be dazzled and treated to a night of wonder, go see this show. Whatever your reason go, go, go! Contact http://www.asugammage.com for tickets and show times. The Lion King runs from Jan. 2 – Feb. 8, 2009.

Would you like to write for Global Thinking Women?

Would you like to write for Global Thinking Women?

Do you have expertise to share with other women?

February’s Issue will cover the theme:

Epiphany: How Sudden Insight Leads to the Revitalization of the Human Spirit

Submit articles, article ideas, or ideas for themes for upcoming issues to shavawnberry@cox.net

Articles are due on 5th of each month for each monthly issue.

My New Year’s Resolution: Leave The Past Behind by Wendy Brunner

I pack my bags, gently laying the breakables on the bottom, surrounding them with softness and comfort, folding with care what is fragile as I gather together the errant pieces of my life. I lay the bundle at my feet.
I look at all that I have been through. I already miss my former life. I don’t want to let it go but I must.
We both know this is how it must be. We can’t move forward together; I cannot move forward with you. The pain is the worst I have ever known. But I know I will be ok. It’s how it must be for my growth. Holding on never gets me anywhere.
You don’t cry, you only look puzzled, like a child. Still, I m beginning to think you understand.
I think you know you’ve had control of me long enough, and, yet secretly you would like to go back to your room. In the past, you kicked and screamed and created quite a stir, unwillingly to let me leave, crying in pain that you wouldn’t be able to survive without me, holding on, desperate. But this time you remain silent, only watching. This is how I know it is the right thing to do.
“Now it is time” I say. All these hours and days— a lifetime talking is done. It has all been said. It has all been examined, from the beginning right up to this moment. This is the crossroads.
So, I step over the bag containing my past, turn, and simply walk away. I’ll travel lighter now, leaving behind the parts of me that have kept me small and contained.
This past year life has persisted in its insistence that the ideas in my head — ideas I have carried around for decades— are just that, ideas. Reality can no longer be denied or pushed aside. And though it has seemed abstract when I have heard this from others, the part of me that has been fighting back, resisting this natural course of events has finally given up. I am through grasping at people and places to make my “old life” feel like a good fit for me. Suddenly this new me, this fresh identity actually seems tangible.
So I say goodbye, leaving my bag of heartache and losses. I leave the old version of me at the curb.
It’s time for a whole new beginning.

Planning that “Trip of a Lifetime” by Marcela Marenco

Happy New Year, GTW!
As the New Year begins, I’ll tell you my secret to make the leap from the dream vacation or get-away ”wish”, to a concrete event. The key is simple: A calendar!
I found out that my travel ideas stayed as such if I kept “wishing” or “wanting” to go…. And they became a reality as soon as I started “plotting” every trip in my calendar. So, how do I do it?
First, write down all the important events you need to attend (e.g. family gatherings, birthdays, kids’ activities, work events, etc.) for the coming year. In this way, you can completely focus on your trip without having to switch dates back and forth. Plus, if something else comes up, you know it is probably not extremely important, so you can keep your focus on making your trip a reality.
Find a time of year that is suitable depending on your destination. If you are going to hike the Grand Canyon, maybe you want to choose the cooler weather, but not freezing weather! If you are going to Egypt, probably the summer months will be too hot to enjoy the bazaar or the pyramids. Think about what you want to do and plan accordingly. If time is not an issue, check hotel rates and airfares (if needed) to see if there is a big difference between seasons. Sometimes one week might have a great price in a particular month. Who doesn’t want to save (to shop later) if given the opportunity? To make your dream trip even more real, make your reservations as soon as you have set the date! This has some advantages. One, you can make your financial plans with real numbers (not what you think it might cost); also, you can start saving or paying in advance, so when the time comes you are better prepared. Plus, airline tickets offer great deals if you buy in advance –if your plan requires them. In addition, pay attention to cancellation policies just in case some real obstacle interferes with your trip. Don’t purchase tickets that you cannot change!
By writing down your destination and the reservation numbers on your calendar, you will already feel that your trip “wish” has moved to a more tangible level. This will give you a sense of accomplishment that is hard to beat. So, if you have always wanted to see the sunflowers in Provence or the White Cliffs of Dover, set it up. Make it real! And while you’re there, send us a postcard! Bon Voyage!! Marcela

Introducing Global Thinking Women’s Spring Interns—2009

Maggie Flanagan is a senior at Arizona State University. She is currently working on her Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature and will graduate in May 2009. She hopes to one day work as a writer and publish her own novels. She loves to travel and has been to several countries in Europe and the Middle East and would like to travel to more of Africa and the Far East. In her spare time, she enjoys blogging and writing. She works at Coach in Scottsdale Fashion Square on the weekends, and loves to shop!

Sarah M. Bramlett is currently a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences working toward her Bachelor’s in English Literature at Arizona State University. She is originally from Southern California where she intends to return after graduation to pursue a career in writing and editing. She eventually aspires to be a free-lance writer, primarily focusing on nonfiction, novels and poetry. She will complete her Associate Degrees in both Anthropology and Criminology in the San Diego area, before beginning her Master’s in English Literature at San Diego State University.

Sarah Maschoff is an honors senior at ASU pursuing a degree in English Literature with a minor in Women’s Studies, as well as a Writing Certificate. Interested in a broad range of writing, she plans to pursue careers in both fiction and screenwriting. In the Spring of 2008 she had a recurring opinions column in ASU’s campus newspaper, The State Press, and just finished her first screenplay for production in the summer of 2009. She is currently working on her first novel and hopes to find a job working for the BBC in London after graduation