Being an Encourager on World Pulse

I love to send a note back to a sister telling her how deeply grateful I am to be able to know her news, her latest call for action, how she is, to be able to congratulate her on the work she has done, defying and overcoming all the odds. Overcoming the ongoing resistance we each meet, constantly. I love to send a note back to my sister to congratulate her on whatever it is that she's surviving, and whatever it is that she's doing, and to reinforce how wonderful it is that we can be in touch this way and to be planning together this world we continue to work for - this world with no violence.

I became a Member and an Encourager on the same day. We were called Listeners then. I loved that so strongly and immediately when joining we had the possibility of actually becoming involved within this wonderful system, to write directly in response to each other's stories, to say thank you for that information, I’m going to hold it in my heart, is it not so wonderful that we're able to be in touch this way, with always the opening of the possibility of conversation, through the joy of welcoming new members, and through encouraging and congratulating each other on what we have just written and managed to accomplish in this world of governments so determined to hold us back, as women in particular.

I loved that Listener became Encourager, because we have this amazing chance to be in direct contact with each other on a continuing basis across this world, working together and sending each other love, deepening the discussions and celebrating that we have this now.

Whether it is catching up on the news from a sister we've known for some time, or reading from and welcoming a member writing for the first time, or greeting a brother who understands the importance of working for women and girls to be free, to be learning so much about each other and finding ways to interweave the work we're doing while celebrating every day that we have this system, to be in touch with each other, to lift each other up, to celebrate together, to find ways to collaborate with each other, to create paths forward together from everywhere on our planet, to send our precious and deep love to each other.

This is what I love about Encouraging. These loving messages, this way of holding in our hearts the collective plan of all we are working on to create change together, our determination that we end all of the violence, and that this is our reason for living, our great gift that we have found others working for this too. It is reading the work of determined Changemakers, with the chance to be able to send her huge congratulations. It is this chance to build our interconnections with each other, building pathways to deepen our work together. 

To be able to be in touch ongoing with sisters in Afghanistan. To be able to celebrate from Princess Rose in Kenya a call to not give up on our dreams. To be able to welcomer Bintu in Nigeria who calls out so strongly and is so glad to find us, and the joy I feel that she has found us. To be holding these connections so dearly as we continue on. To feel the healing and joy when we are able for a moment to celebrate that we have this together, to be meeting and interweaving our work in all of its beautiful forms.

We learn how to transform our fury at the ongoing violence into such powerful action, through the gift that we have each other 

It is the way we can send our love, our deep respect and share our plans, our news and ideas directly with each other. It is being in the room together for a beautiful and lasting moment. It is so wonderful to celebrate what we have, and that we have the fortune to have found each other. It allows us to find so many ways to be working together, weaving this tapestry of love and commitment. Encouraging has made it possible for me to work together globally with such a deeply loving and inspiring community. You all give me such hope. This is why I love Encouraging.