Celebrating National Women's Day

My husband and I just finished a movie, "Women Talking" and it reminded me of a short story I had published in an anthology many, many years ago.  I thought it was relevant for the day.  Here it is for your reading.  

 

Learning to Fly 

Opal wore long stockings and long sleeves with her long dress.  A scarf covered her head.  All the other girls and the women wore the same wrappings.  All the women changed their clothes in a small dark room that was in each house.  Everyone always changed alone. No one smiled or laughed unless you were not a girl or woman.  Opal’s memories were of silence since no one was allowed to talk with another unless you were not a girl or a woman.

            One day, something wonderful happen to Opal.  A small white feather floated down from the sky and landed on the back of her hand.  It tickled and Opal felt a stirring in her heart.  A shudder ran up from her hand to her body.  The corner of her lips started to turn upwards in a smile.  A small laugh came out; it sang like chimes in the wind.  Opal looked around.  No one had seen the feather or heard her laughter.  The girl gently covered the feather with her hand and wondered.

            One day when the men and the boys left the town to do whatever they did, Opal did a brave thing.  She took the feather and walked down to the river.  She removed her shoes and stockings and touched her feet and legs

with the feather.  It tickled.  Her lips smiled and the small laugh returned, tinkling like bells hung on a string Opal removed her scarf and a little breeze played on her hair.  Another laugh struggled out.  Her long dress followed her scarf and remained on the ground.  Opal held the feather in one hand and stretched her arms up to the sky.  She felt different.

            The girl noticed for the first time the soft hair on her arms and legs.  The wind felt delicious as it blew across her body.

            Opal was smiling and laughing.  She was unaware of the girls and women that were huddled in a group near her.  Their eyes were full of awe and confusion.  They came closer.  The soft “ohs” coming from their throats began to grow into a long note of joy as they began to remove their wrappings.  The air was filled with flowing hair and singing laughter.  The girls and women surrounded Opal in a large circle and joined hands.  They felt different.

            They were unaware of the men and boys who were beginning to stand around them.  Their faces were full of dismay and anger.  They wanted to stop the women. They shouted.  Opal and the girls and the women began to sway and to dance in their circle.  They could not see the men’s and boys’

anger or hear their shouting.  The songs of joy were so loud that the men and boys put their hands over their ears to keep from hearing the songs.

            Opal grew brighter and taller, the girls and women grew brighter and taller.  The men and the boys covered their eyes to keep from seeing the girls and women grow brighter.  Opal and the girls and the women grew brighter.  They were different.  They marveled that they could feel so light and felt themselves slowly drift upward into the sky.  The men and the boys cried for them to return but Opal and the girls and the women drifted higher into the sky, for they were different and learning to fly.

As I shared this I am filled with gratitude I have been loved and cherished for all of my life by both men and women in my immediate family and treated with kindness by other men who came briefly into my life.  I am a miracle.  I am strong.  I am complete and I am enough.