The love of life, at any and every level of development, is the religious impulse

15. Wise Women: Over Two Thousand Years of Spiritual Writing by Women by Susan Cahill

This was an evocative collection of writings, the majority of which were written by women but also included pieces about women written by men (e.g., Ruth and Naomi in the Old Testament, the Greek play Antigone) and even court transcripts from trials of women who stepped out of their "traditional" roles (e.g., Joan of Arc). The writings are so diverse, each amazing in its own way. I could probably write a research paper, but I'll limit myself to a few of my favorites.


First, a surprise to me -- a song I can remember singing in elementary school. I had no idea of its origins.

'Tis the gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be.
When we find ourselves in the place that's right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
-- Shaker hymn


Passion, intellect, moral activity -- these three have never been satisfied in a woman.
-- Florence Nightingale in Cassandra

At the time this was written, this statement was so true. Very few women had the opportunity to persue a higher education, to realize their passions much less act upon them, to chase their dreams. Sadly, there are women even today who still perceive limits on themselves.


The prophetic and practical wisdom of women -- that the gift of life that comes with the responsibility to love and protect it wherever we find it, regardless of our particular identifications within borders of race, religion, gender and class -- has never waned (p. 160).

I know many might read Cahill's statement and think of the raising of children, but I feel that myself and several of my female friends live this in a broader sense in that we love and protect our extended families, our communities, our ecosystems and fellow living beings. This statement very much meshes with an observation made by a fellow graduate student -- that our conservation biology biology program is made up primarily of women because women are more nurturing.

The writings of Annie Besant and Florida Scott-Maxwell are particularly poignant for me, the latter especially because she writes about approaching the end of life. Her musings are thought-provoking for anyone with a disease or disorder that impacts her/his lifespan, but I read her words on the day that some of my brother's writing was returned to me.

Ten years ago . . .

I got up and went to my "second" job at the university Writing Center, and my brother and Brian (also tutors) had the TV on. That is a big no-no, so I figured something major was happening. My brother told me about the two planes, but at that point only the first tower had collapsed. I started doing some data entry, and suddenly my stomach rolled and I felt like I was going to vomit. At that exact same moment, I heard the news anchor say the second tower had just gone down. I was supposed to give an exam to my biology class that evening, but needless to say, I not only postponed the exam but also canceled class. When I heard about the attempt on the Pentagon, I was scared for my friend who works directly across the river as a physicist at the Naval Research Labs. Thankfully, everyone there was OK. I spent the entire day in a stunned fog.

It's hard to believe that it's been ten years.