Perspective

PERSPECTIVE

The Notorious RBG is being laid to rest today. Regardless of politics, her spirit was/is luminous. She said her legacy was “to make life a little better for people less fortunate” than she.

What she did for my generation of women and future generations of us all was monumental. About 10 years ago, I was in the Delta sky club at Kennedy International airport, tired and looking forward to going home, I had found a distant and quiet place from the crowd to sit alone. I noticed several secret service-type people coming to my corner looking around and I thought “somebody important is going to show up soon”. Then, this tiny woman slowly walks in as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and stands by the window with 2-3 other younger women. 

I recognized Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg right away and was star struck. Throwing caution to the wind, I got the nerve to ask one of the women if I could speak with her, and to my surprise and delight, she said yes. Cautiously walking up to Justice Ginsberg I looked down into her eyes and swallowed hard and thanked her for her work on behalf of those without a voice and for being a role model for me and so many. She smiled and shook my hand and nodded without a word.

This was before the selfie craze, so I have nothing but my memory to prove it. To have been in the presence even for a few moments alone with such a towering Spirit was a great honor.

My prayer is to have the courage to be as open as RBG to hearing all sides of an argument and honoring our commonalities while standing in my truth. She said, “Focus on what you can control and try not to waste energy on what you can’t”. My prayer is the same for you.

In remembrance of Justice Ginsberg, please enjoy this poem by Maya Angelo When Great Trees Fall

Love and Light