How does one reconcile something from 1970? Perhaps it wasn’t a favorite memory or rather it was a good one to forget. Then a thing happens that starts to change the world related to a past social mores or expectation. Do you dredge that thing or moment back from the grave?

I have one of those Pasts. For years I thought little of it.  Gave it no credit or merit to how life unfolded. We were good girls in the 60s. We wanted to satisfy that expectation of being silent and not really making a bother. One kept your chin up and moved along.

My path led me to the Pike Place Market and a booth where I was selling belts, purses and bathing suits. All were made by my 17 year old crocheting hands. It was Flower Power on Flower Row prospering. I was a shy not too girly girl. Now I was blossoming into adulthood as a PNW Outdoor Hippie girl. I had my first job and it was my own little business. I was part of the counter-culture that brewed out of protesting against the Vietnam War and what society told us we were supposed to be. We saw peace, love and a new way on the horizon

Was the World Fair Then? Ha!  Not much more than it is today. Dreams of youth become much more measured.

So here I was in the midst of my time in 1970. Along came a Pied Piper who drew me to a place that to me was freedom.  I followed – a young naive virgin. He lured me with how he could make my menstrual cramps better. Then he took that virgin thing before I even knew it had happened.

Now how do you reconcile that? Guess for years it was just that creepy thing that I sort of caused. Why tell others of something I even didn’t know was more than it was. He had disappeared not to be seen again. Plus I was ashamed that I was hoodwinked.

Looking back now 50 years later, I see it was the power of certain men, not me who caused this. Guess that little moment did change me but for the better. I became stronger and more of a rebel to change the world. Women are smart and can be what we want to be.  Moving on he was a blip on my radar. He was buried in the graveyard of the forgotten where he deserved to be.

Now a time has come where opportunities for women to clear that residue of what remains of that social mores of men with power over women. One has to dredge up that body from the grave, How could that memory stay rested?  Confront our nemesis!  Be brave and stare them down. Times they are a changing!

Past Reconciled!!