Are you soft or strong when it comes to life and your family? I’ve found that I’ve had to pick my moments when I am soft and when I am strong. I prefer to be easy-going, laid back, and comfortable with my family. My husband and kids have much higher levels of stress in their lives than I do, so with them I am soft as much as possible. (I wonder if Chris would beg to disagree with me on that?)
In fact, it’s my preference to be soft with everyone. I used to love to argue as a young woman, but I’ve discovered that being a peacemaker and finding common ground among others has made life easier, simpler, and more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, this world has a tilted playing field – for me, as a woman, and for my daughters as children with disabilities. When someone prefers to give me or my children a disadvantage because it’s too “hard” or “inconvenient” to treat us properly, I become unbreakably strong.
I will stand up time and time again to the forces that diminish opportunities, chances, and a fair shot at life – not only for myself and my children, but for others as well. I believe in equal rights for women – that would we be paid the same as men for the same job, not 23 cents an hour less. I believe that disabled people deserve easy and affordable access to quality health and medical care, and should not be diagnosed out of conditions to save money for their state. I believe that parents are the only people who should make medical decisions for their children. I believe that bullies need to be both punished and rehabilitated, and that everyone deserves the right to a good life, a good education, and a chance for a great future – and those with special needs should never be left behind.
I will use the power of my pen, and lean on the strength of my faith to help support the causes that defend me and my family, and those hurting whose voices have been subjugated, silenced, and scorned.
Come November 6th, I will cast my ballot to show my strength as an American with a voice to support those who support my beliefs and a better, more united country. And no matter who wins the election, I will continue to be strong to fight for any abuses of power that the winner has done or will do, by signing petitions, calling my Congress people, and blogging about injustice – all the while keeping myself as the safe, soft place my children can fall to when they are troubled. In fact, I may have just figured out my calling on Mom-Blog.
To get YOU pumped up for voting this year, Charmin is running a campaign that allows you to vote for what vote for your favorite Charmin: Ultra Soft or Ultra Strong. This is one election where no loses! Join the discussion on Facebook with that all-important topic of how you “enjoy the go” – something us biomedical moms think about A LOT! (This is probably why I’m a fan of “soft.”)
I was compensated for this blog post as part of the SocialMoms and Charmin blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. For more blog posts on this topic, click here.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
