#alasf2015 Meeting your hero is pretty awesome

I didn’t actually meet Gloria Steinmen, but I heard her speak to a packed audience this morning starting at 8:30am.

Gloria has been my hero throughout my life. I’ve admired her passion and commitment advocating for women to be seen as equal citizens and our right to control our bodies. Her message of being aware and opening your mind to seeing things with a different perspective was a reason I became a children’s librarian.

Gloria said many amazing things as she spoke, but I found it admirable when she would admit that there were moments in her life when she connected the dots. Though she may have been talking about equality of the sexes, not realizing a female rock band could elicit as much screaming from fans as their male counterparts until she witnessed the explosion of emotions while at a Heart concert.

That realizing your state legislators were more important than those in Washington, D.C.

Her wisdom, candor, and wit has left me feeling as if I am riding on a cloud.

I only wish I had asked her these two questions.

If being an activist means you must be angry enough (and passionate) about something, and believe in every fiber of your being that fighting for it is the single most important focus of your life, how do you find the balance between anger and happiness?

Did you ever worry that you would be content with just okay?

Gloria closed with a recommendation for a library sign: No talking. Only laughter.