In praise of strong and wise women

[riverwalker]

There is a absolutely fascinating post over at DailyKos about Barack Obama's mother and sister. His mother (named Stanley Anne because her father wanted a son, she went by Stannie) was a strong, intelligent, gifted, beautiful and wise woman, a free spirit who felt at home all over the world. She trekked the Silk Road in China, earned a Ph.D. in anthropology, and "had more empathy for others than anyone I've ever known" according to her daughter Maya. She would wake up her children to look at the moon if it was particularly lovely that night. She worked with NGO's to provide micro financing for women street vendors. She taught her children that the world and it's people were like a garden of different flowers. Maybe I am too romantic, but In my mind, I can see her rousing a sleepy little boy out of bed to look up at the moon, and taught him to reach for the stars. ;)

Daily Kos story and video of sister Maya speaking about their mother:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/17/16849/9112/20/458649

More about Stanley Anne here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/campaign08/story/417074.html

[EFerrari]

1. I used to wake up my kids to show them raccoons eating dog food.

No wonder neither of them is running for office! :)

[supernova]

2. What a unique and lovely woman

:-)

[wellstone dem]

3. I woke up once and couldn't find my daughter,

she was outside watching a meteor shower. After the near heart attack, I did feel motherly love.