Our current techno focused, materialistic, entertainment driven, homogenous society has brainwashed the masses to buy into everything mass media feeds them.  Even worse current culture has blurred, marginalized and practically destroyed the idea and understanding of what it means to be a man or a woman.  Current culture trends speak about women’s equality and rights, but all these trends do is further enslave and enmesh people into the “one world authority” narrative prevalent today.  It seeks to confuse and blur the purposes of men, women, family and kin.  Children are influenced greatly by their heroes or those that they idolize as they grow up.  For me it was my grandmother, a self-professed heathen who was a formidable woman.  My 60 years on this earth has shown me that she will always be my hero.  I was pushed into the career trap in order to provide for my family (first marriage).  Having a strong foundation of independence, right, honor and justice made it hard for me to succeed in the corporate world even though I was highly skilled.  There were some concessions I would not make and some corporate practices that I refused to accept which kept me from the top.  As a matter of fact, the older I got the less tolerant I became of the greed and corruption and lack of excellence that I experienced in the corporate world.  I also have a daughter that will be with me forever; an absolute, matter of fact joy that reminds me every day of the simplicity of life.  So, I quit.  I left that world and I never looked back.  I found my freedom and equality AFTER I left that world and the examples and training of my grandmother became my life.   

My grandmother never questioned women's rights.  She went to school through the 8th grade and continued to educate herself after that.  She did not marry until she was 24 which was unheard of in the early 1900's because she did not find a man worthy of marriage.  She could grow, sew, build and fix anything, drive wagon teams, harvest trucks and she made delicious meals from simple ingredients.  She knew how to fix a headache, ear ache, back ache, sore muscles, colds and flu with home remedies.  She managed my grandfather's business and the household finances.  She looked out for her neighbors and she let no one bully her or her own.  She had the freedom to do and create whatever was necessary for the good of the family.  She did not answer to a boss; my grandfather would tell you that SHE was the boss.   

No one controls my schedule or my time.  I am free to live by my ideals and the virtues inherent to my beliefs.  My husband (2nd marriage) and I are right hand and left hand, equally important and valued.  We have bought, improved and sold properties until we could afford "home".  I take my husband’s salary and use my skills to make sure we have what we need.  I grow food, make soap, cleaning products, cook from natural ingredients, take care of the animals, decorate and design our home, use natural remedies and run 2 businesses from home as well as care for my daughter.  I have the freedom to create, to manage, to be sensitive to healing arts and practices, and to nurture and grow things.  Because I value and respect him, he can become the strongest and best version of himself. I am a warrior, a shieldmaiden, not because I wield an ax or sword (although I am pretty handy with an ax, hatchet, saw or knife) but because I protect and challenge anything that stands in the way of the health and welfare of my family and kin.  Those traits are inherent in any female in nature.  I have equality because my skills and traits are equally valued and respected in my home and I have the freedom to use and develop them.  I am honored, respected, valued and loved.  I am the Queen of my castle, a shieldmaiden and a heathen woman.  Thanks Grandma, may your virtues live on through the generations!