By Jennifer Bews
You know what I missed during the pandemic? Women. Gatherings of women. I’ve always found something magical –almost spiritual about the gathering of women. There’s this unspoken togetherness when women congregate. Like snow that has gracefully fallen and then formed into an ethereal ice sculpture. We tend to mold together in support of one another, in an “I see you” kind of way.
Over the years the way women gather has changed. We once came together with children to wash our clothes in the rivers and make meals for our communities, however, with the creation of the nuclear family and new technologies such as the washer and dryer, most domestic activities are done alone in the home. Thus, the gathering of women is more important now than ever. Whether its two or 200, there’s a special bond that is created and the magic of belonging surfaces.
I felt it last weekend at spin class alongside five women – pushing ourselves beyond the threshold to increase the health of our brain and body.
I notice it when women continue with the art of dance and create a space for the ones who may have left it behind in their teens only to come back years later looking to find themselves again.
I catch sight of it in discussions with the nurses in our community who help their peers make wise health decisions not only from a medical view but also as a fellow nurturing female, mother, or daughter.
I sense it in the wellness spas and salons, where women gather to share stories and are rejuvenated by fruit flavoured water—when they’ve likely forgotten to take a sip all day. Where we get to put our cracked feet up after the countless home-making duties that are often invisible and undervalued.
I’m so grateful for the spaces where women can gather to heal and to be seen. So, here’s to all the healers and the spiritual caretakers who show up in their everyday lives with their creative and nurturing talents. We see you. We thank you