Tuesday, 10th March 2015 (North Side, Anguilla) — On my way to Marigot, Saint Martin, this past Saturday, I picked up The Women’s Issue, Number 10 of Design Anguilla Magazine in the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal departure lounge. I quickly scanned the gorgeous, tropical coloured blue, white and green cover image – then tucked the magazine away until I boarded the boat.
Once seated, I began reading the feature article. The title “Leading Ladies: Ten Dynamic Women Striving to Make a Difference” really peeked my interest. Instantly, I recognised that I personally know five of the ten women featured. The other half of the group, I am acquainted with at least by name or some sort of association. I was excited to read what was written about each leading lady. In fact, I whizzed through reading this issue much more rapidly than I have ever done with any past editions. That, I suppose, was due to my desire to learn the intimate details of the women’s philosophy of life and their lifestyles that were unveiled in the magazine’s articles.
Honouring our womenfolk
Design Anguilla released its tenth issue to coincide with Anguilla’s Women’s Week 2015. We certainly must thank the designers of this luxurious architecture, interiors, art, fashion, and life quarterly publication — husband and wife architects, Mr Orrett H. Wynter, Editor, and Mrs Deborah G. Ottney Wynter, Interviewer — along with Guest Editor, Dr Ronya D. Foy Connor of the Government’s Gender Affairs Unit. As well, we express gratitude to the entire Design Anguilla Team for producing such a spectacular issue honouring the womenfolk who are a part of our lives throughout the Anguilla community. The women who were selected to exemplify “leading ladies” and “unsung champions of the hospitality sector” are only a miniscule of the numerous dedicated, multi-talented females who work diligently in tourism, events planning, healthcare, politics, and other professions.
As I read the full-page advertisement for Women’s Week in last week’s edition of The Anguillian newspaper, and whilst reading the recently issued Design Anguilla Magazine, I got to thinking about how we as women are often reinventing our lives. The reinventions of ourselves are based on the roles that we serve both in the public and private sectors – they change as we change and as we cross the spectrum of various stages in our lives.
Endless sources of feminine power
We as women are endless sources of creativity and feminine power. It is our female prowess and nurturing ways that help to balance the sometimes aggressive and hostile aspects of the modern world in which we live. We are innately exceptional nurturers and caregivers to the young, middle aged and elderly who reside in our communities and are a part of our families and societies. We thrive on caring for, giving to and nurturing others towards positive growth, development, advancement, improvement and change. We challenge ourselves and others to achieve greater heights in everything that we do.
Sometimes, however, we get in our own way
Yet, at the same time, we sometimes get in our own way. We can be our own worst enemies by tearing down with our words and actions the health and wellness of the ones whom we claim to love and care for. We may on occasion express ourselves in a manner that is detrimental to another person’s wellbeing. We don’t always do it intentionally and, at times, we may think that we mean well in our intentions.
Too often we, as women, spread rumours or gossip amongst our friends, neighbours and colleagues without first seeking to find out what really is the truth. We can be jealous or envious of what others have, say or do. We may even malign other women by speaking ill of them, or we exclude one woman or another in our feminine gatherings and talk about the ones who aren’t there behind their backs. These habits we must work to change within ourselves, and we should not accept from others.
Exploring our wise woman-ness
In our wise woman intuitiveness, we must be cognizant of whatever we say or do so that we don’t negatively bring down others nor dampen their spirits – or cause them undue harm. We must strive towards greatness; lending each other a helping hand whenever and wherever we can, and supporting one another in everything that we do.
How women can change positively
We need to engage in learning to uplift each other, holding the highest standards for ourselves, and encouraging other women to do the same. I encourage all of us womenfolk to bring more attention to the positive aspects of ourselves and to let go of the negative ones, focussing on how we can exhibit our femininity, womanliness and ladylikeness to the fullest potential.
Let us, in the spirit of Women’s Week, uplift every woman and champion ourselves, and all women, to be the best and the greatest in whatever we choose to do and whomever we choose to be. If we support each woman, and not just a few women, then we can empower the feminine gender and greatly enhance the world in which we live. We, women, can all serve as positive, productive role models and bring forth “a bright new future” leadership for the girls and young ladies who will ultimately follow in our footsteps for the next generations to come.
Womanpower (empowering women) is what I promote. It’s beneficial to everyone of us as well as our families, communities, societies, governments, organisations, and all nations across the globe. Won’t you join us during Women’s Week in celebrating our unsung champions not only in the hospitality sector, but as well in all the sectors of our lives?
I’ve written these words to inspire each of us, as women, to attain greater heights and to reinvent whatever we wish to change or improve in ourselves. I speak from personal experience as a firmly grounded woman of strong spiritual values, and conscious awareness, who has reinvented herself from simply being a sister, caregiver, administrator, or executive into a seasoned editorialist, inspired writer, sometimes poet, and Empress Extraordinaire who advocates for equal opportunities, truth, righteousness and justice for all.
Each one of us can be a leading lady and be the instrument of change that we envision ourselves to be, doing whatever we can to move our nation forward. May The Most High’s divine grace continue to bless all of our lives and encourage us to reinvent ourselves as the empowered, wonderful women whom we were created to be!
Spirit inspired the writer, Kay M. Ferguson, to handwrite a draft of these thoughts whilst standing at her writing desk around 11 PM on Sunday night, 8th March 2015. The words just keep floating across her mind like a movie screen and wouldn’t allow her to rest. Kay is passionate about sharing her contemplations on various subjects to raise conscious awareness in the Anguilla community. To link with her, send an email to anguillawriter@gmail.com or “i-nect” via social media at www.facebook.com/kaymferguson.
