I got this magnet many years ago. It says:
I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world.
I do want a cape and a nice tiara. I actually already have several lovely tiaras!! And I do have a Wonder Woman dress with a cape attached but I’m not sure if it still fits me…
Here’s me in my favorite purple tiara!
We think of tiaras as associated with royalty and wealth, and being fancy. I don’t admire or aspire to any of those things. However what also comes with those is a feeling of power and strength. Quite often those are enacted as power and strength over others. That is not at all what I am aspiring to. To me, the tiara allows me to access and embody the power and strength I have within myself to be my best self.
The cape obviously represents superheroes. I definitely love the archetype represented by superheroes. Aspiring to greatness and working hard to make the world a better and safer place. Those are qualities I definitely want to embody in myself. And the cape represents not an elevation of myself from normal human to a superhuman but simply a reminder that I have all those qualities within me already and the cape is simply a means through which I can access those. And just like with the tiara, it is a physical object that helps me to embody and connect with what I already have within me.
I believe that we all have those qualities within ourselves, or if we don’t yet have them, we can nurture them. I believe we all have the tiny spark within us that can be grown to be an energizing warming force within us, that can allow us to have power over our own lives and the strength and the ability to help both ourselves and others, and make the world a kinder, more caring and safer place for all.
Yes I know the idea of “saving” the world is problematic, and has connotations of white saviors, or people of financial means “saving” others. So that term doesn’t sit exactly right with me.
Instead, I will say:
I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could change the world.
PS:
Me on 10/31/2015 with my Wonder Woman cape!! I’m at a Blues dance, standing in front of a large fan. I mean yes, of course when you put on a cape the wind immediately starts to billow about you. I’m sure that’s happened to all of you, right?! 😊
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