Valentine’s Day
By Janet Morrissey

“Emotionally, we have to depend on love.
Love in the sense of genuine compassion, makes the ‘soul’ porous and allows a kind of saturation to occur.
Love allows the ego to soften and find this connection with soul.
When we are confronted with our limited self, we can bring an emotion of love to the points where we feel our limitations.
We have to learn to rub up against reality with love.”
—Paramananda

Sometimes I cry easily, usually when I read or hear something that touches that sweet spot in me.  While reading the LA Times “The Envelope” which discusses the movies presented for Academy Awards, Viola Davis and Denzel Washington talked about their roles in “Fences”.   She was talking about her character, sharing a critical scene when she learns her husband has been unfaithful.  Viola says, “There’s not one woman who hasn’t sacrificed a hell of a lot for her marriage.  We’re the sacrificers.”  That’s when the tears began to cascade slowly.

Then I turned the page and began reading an article written by the screenwriters of “Hidden Figures”, Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi.  Schroeder was determined that this story needed to be told and put in history books so all our little girls would know about these women: Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan. These three Black women worked at NASA during the sixties and were responsible for the engineering and math of the space shuttle.  Katherine Johnson is 98 now and had one request: that the script not just be about her, but all of them. “We were always a team effort.”  Tears flowed again.

Both these stories show the strength of women and the idea of not giving up.  We saw an abundance of our strength in the recent “Women’s Marches” throughout our country and the world.   This was an outstanding turnout of women, showing their love and solidarity for something they believed in.  However, as we keep claiming our voices, we have to not give up when we are dismissed and reduced to an embarrassment as Elizabeth Warren was on the Senate floor, trying to read Coretta Scott King’s message about our rights.  We must continue to move forward with love, strength and courage.

These stories bring us to the season of love which is embedded in these stories. Love is found all around us, but we must take time to look and feel.  In all our relationships we are called to be open and loving and that includes ourselves.  So on this Valentine’s Day treat yourselves to something special.  The Mother Board wishes you sweet treats and happy dreams.

In Appreciation
By Janet Morrissey

She stood up toward the back of the room at our Denver Gathering.  I didn’t see her but I heard her voice, clear and understandable.  The message was simple and the timing exact.

I had been trying for years to locate the local crone circles, so we’d have a record of them.  First, I inquired to the Mother Board.  They knew they were out there, but not sure about how many or exactly where to find them.  I tried to talk individually to women at the Gathering, but not much happened.  Then at Mt Shasta, I got a table and made a large poster inviting women to sign up their circles.  Again, I talked with several women who were interested in starting a circle and I took their names, but it didn’t lead anywhere.

This unnamed woman stood up and stated, “Why don’t you use the white board behind you to invite anyone who is in a local circle and would agree to be a contact listing their name, location, and email?”  BAM!   I couldn’t believe how simple that was.  It worked.  By the end of the Gathering, we had 13 contacts listed.  I was thrilled.  I don’t know your name, but I thank you abundantly for your suggestion and making this happen.

The list is now on the website. We have 15 circles registered.  If your area is not represented, please contact me or Suzanne giving the Counsel permission to use you as a contact.  Many Wisdom Circles already exist but don’t call themselves Crone Circles, but if you will accept aging women and promote the Counsel, we could list your circle, helping us all to grow.   The local circles are an important ingredient to the success of Crones Counsel. View a list of Crone Circles that meet around the country.