photo credit: Stephanie Harvey via Unsplash
It’s time for women to run the world for a change.
Men had their chance and look where wer are. Watching a number of old, entitled (white) men act like they’re the center of the universe, treat other people with cruelty and disdain (and with complete impunity), and frequently disrespect women has left my faith in the good of their humanity shattered. I mean, I know there are plenty of decent men out there, but my question is: how do the worst of the worst always make it to the top? I truly feel it’s time to give women the chance to correct course. If you haven’t come to the same conclusion, then I don’t know what needs to happen to make it any more clear.
Life is short.
With the holidays coming up, I’ve been thinking about my best friend a lot. My friend who passed away in July and was much too young. I know holidays (and birthdays) are always the hardest for people who have lost loved ones. I can’t imagine what this first Christmas without her will feel like for her parents. Christmas last year was really the last time we were together when she was still able to communicate. I didn’t know that it would be the last time we’d speak in person. I’ve been also thinking about my mother-in-law. Last year around this time she visited us here in our new home. We didn’t know it would be the only and last time she’d come to visit. Both passings have reminded me starkly that life is short. Maybe this is also why I strongly felt that…
Time is precious.
I’ve been noticing this year that I’ve been soaking up the time that I got to spend with family and friends more consciously and more appreciatively than ever. Not that I wasn’t aware of it before, but I was even more accutely tuned into this feeling this year.
You can’t change people, only how you react to them.
As much as I would like for people to behave differently sometime, it’s become clear that more often than not, you can’t change people, only the way you react to them. It’s a learning process and I am working on it.
A good sweat is like therapy.
If you ever wondered what has been keeping me (reasonably) sane through this year, it’s a good sweat session. A run or a power zone ride will fix almost everything for me. (Ok, maybe not fix it, but clear my head and grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.)
What did you know that got reconfirmed?
I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2025
Links to the Participants List. Happy Writing!
J
November 20, 2025 at 6:18 pmTime is precious indeed, and taking good care of ourselves may or may not give us more. My father was very fit and died hiking the Dolomites. But you know what, taking good care of himself meant (for him) that he died hiking the Dolomites, not after a long slow decline. And some of us cannot avoid the long slow decline either, all we can do is our best. And that best, to me, means trying to enjoy life here and now. So far as I know, we only get one life.
Sweat is certainly a good answer. I hate sweating, but exercise has helped me deal with so much stress.
Handling how I react to people is still something I struggle with, but I feel like it’s really important. Especially with people I love, I need to react with grace when they are in stress and cut them some slack. I am prone to holding grudges and not letting things go, and I want to do better.
I like to think women would do a better job than men, but I feel like power corrupts and we would eventually probably suck just as much. How about we give it a try and find out, though, right?
San
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 pmYou’re so right, Julie. We only get one life and we have to make the best of it and enjoy every second. I like the way you think abour your dad’s death. At least he died doing something that he loved (and was still capable to do).
I am all for letting women have a stab at running the world. I am not saying that women ALWAYS do a better job, but right now the bar is pretty low.
Tierney
November 20, 2025 at 8:28 pmExercise is so important. If you could package all the benefits in a pill, it would be a wonder drug.
The one caveat I have to women in charge is that women should be empowered and able to lead at all times, not just rescue when things are well and truly f”@$ed. Think Jacinda Ardern rather than Liz Truss or Theresa May. I had to look it up but it’s called the Glass Cliff phenomenon. Just let women in, good times and bad! Speaking more on the USA front of course- Angela Merkel was/is a bad ass.
San
November 20, 2025 at 9:11 pmOh, that would be THE wonder drug!
I obviously agree with you. Women should be able to lead at all times, but we’re obviously not there yet (and as Michelle Obama recently said “we’re not ready for a woman president”), but I do believe it’s high time we give women more chances.
Anthea
November 20, 2025 at 9:23 pmI’m sorry about your friend and mother-in-law – life is short. As you say holidays and birthdays are the most difficult after losing a loved one – especially the first of every occasion.
Glad you could enjoy time with your family when they visited you recently – the older I get the more I’m aware of how precious time is.
coco
November 20, 2025 at 11:41 pmthese are all true for me! it’s good to be reminded from time to time.
adding one more: keep curiosity alive and we will live forever young.
Nicole MacPherson
November 21, 2025 at 4:51 amMEN!!!! That’s all I’m going to say.
Time is so precious, and every year more so. I have been thinking about that lately because of some personal circumstances, and every day I am grateful to be here.
Martha
November 21, 2025 at 5:50 amI’m so sorry about your friend and your mother in law. Time with our loved ones is so precious. We should always try be mindful about that. With every loss I’ve had in my life I’ve always wished I could could have gone back and done some of the little things differently on that last day.
Lisa's Yarns
November 21, 2025 at 8:18 amCOSIGNED ON MEN. I mean, I love the men in my life, but there are a lot of jerks out there.
You’ve been especially reminded of how fragile and short life is this year. I hate that you’ve lost several people.
This fall has shown me that I am more loved and cared for than I ever imagined. Going through someone really awful has the silver lining of realizing how many people really care for you. I’ve felt more connected this fall that I have in many years…
Joyce
November 21, 2025 at 12:42 pmI am so sorry for your loss. It is so difficult.
I will say that exercise really makes a difference in my life and I didn’t really know it until I was in a period where I could not exercise. I was a bit crabby, if I do say so myself.
Women would absolutely be a better choice running this country.
Ernie
November 21, 2025 at 2:08 pmThese are all great points and the reminder is very appreciated. I’d say the only other one that I sometimes gloss over is how great it is to be healthy enough to workout- no injuries, etc.
Suzanne
November 21, 2025 at 2:29 pmThese are such bittersweet lessons to have learned, San. Grief is such a strange creature, because it hurts so very much but it also allows other things to shine so much more brightly. I hope you and your family, and your friend’s family, make it through this holiday season as quickly as possible.
Allison McCaskill
November 21, 2025 at 8:12 pmWilling to co-sign all of these. So sorry about the loss of your best friend and your mother in law, and the way that will impact this holiday season.
I hate sweating in regular life – school libraries are often kept too hot, and I either have to underdress which feels awkward, or dress normally and feel uncomfortable and irritated all day. But that feeling of exercising enough to sweat and then showering and feeling clean and in touch with my body is amazing.
Noemi
November 21, 2025 at 10:54 pmAmen to all of this. All of it. Especially the first and the last one.
Jenny
November 22, 2025 at 4:27 amYes to all of these. First of all we could have had Kamala Harris for president (WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE.) And… the older I get, the more I appreciate that our time really is precious. This life will end for all of us, and we have to be grateful for and cherish every day that we have.
Yes, holidays are hard when you’ve recently lost a loved one. Sending hugs <3
Sarah
November 22, 2025 at 6:02 amTime is so precious, and I think about this every single day as I near 50. I want every day to be a day I am proud of.
Stephany
November 22, 2025 at 7:09 pmHave you ever read The Power? It’s basically about a matriarchal society, and it was FASCINATING. Power corrupts us all, but I’d still like to think women would have done a much better job than the men running this world.
Time is so precious. I think about this all the time.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 23, 2025 at 12:43 pmThe thought of women running the world has crept into my mind more often this year too. I am so done with all the entitled arrogant males running this world. I also keep thinking back on The Power and wonder if woman would also fall for the dark site of power.
Life is precious indeed. I should cherish family and friends more.
Daria
November 27, 2025 at 4:01 amThis is amazing. All of it.
For me, much of the same. Time is speeding up, life is short, being present is essential, take care of myself, do your best, ask for help.
Anne
December 13, 2025 at 11:58 amTHIS. ALL OF THIS. (but especially number one, for the love of all that is holy, and I’m not religious)
Life is so very precious. And it’s important to remember that. I’m just sorry that you’re remembering because of so much loss this year. <3