Being like Geneviève

Spokers, 

Eight days ago I supported a class of primarily adult women who were learning to ride a bike.

And I supported one woman, Geneviève, who I asked why she was learning to ride. 

Geneviève smiled and replied it was for her 14 year old daughter, for whom loved to bike, but she could never go on rides with. She was planning to surprise her daughter by being able to go on a bike ride in the future with her.

Geneviève over the course of the class became more confident balancing and gliding, but didn’t get to pedaling and riding off into the sunset. 

And yet, I am fully confident in the near future that Geneviève will get to her goal of being able to ride a bike with her daughter.

Why?

She was rooted in love and connection. It’s scary to learn something new, particularly something that requires faith that without your feet on the ground, you’ll be safe. 

I don’t, we don’t, have a playbook for what’s to come here in America. And that is scary. 

I can’t fully guarantee that you and we will be safe, as women and non-binary folks, particularly if you are transgender, a person of color, an undocumented immigrant… and the list goes on. 

And I am holding onto in this unknown reality the importance of hope, thinking about the incredibly brave Geneviève’s of the world. 

The women, like you and I, who show up not for herself, but for the love of her daughter, her nibblings*, the future generations for whom we shall never know, carrying hope and possibility through her actions, in the midst of the fear, that in fact brave, badass women have the possibility to build a more connected, loving world.

May we embrace Geneviève’s spirit courageously rooted in love and connection. 

Wheels up, 

Ellen

PS- *Nibbling is gender neutral for niece of nephew. A great word to use if you have many nieces and nephews… just call them nibblings. And I think the word is filled with such tender love!