Thursday, February 15, 2007

Knowing that March is women in History month, I decided it was the perfect time to read FOUNDING MOTHERS by Cokie Roberts. The excerpts from the letters of Deborah Franklin, Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Martha Washington and others I'd never known of caused me to think deeply about the difficulties those women faced. Not only did they raise families, bury children who didn't live, run businesses and maintain households alone while their husbands built a country, they did it when they had no right to own anything of their own nor have a voice in major decisions.
Reading the stories of the remarkable women of that time and place, my respect grew with my knowledge. They made major contributions to the formation of this country, to their families and to our future. They grew and thrived in spite of restricted lives and what was dished up on their plates.