georgia was here first

This a continuation on a theme and I know it, but it’s one of those that keeps popping up in my life here as part of the flot sam jet sam of the great new mexico river that runs through us all. “We’re all independent people,” my friend victoria said, just after I told her she was one of those strong willed women who populate santa fe, and just after she told me there wasn't enough mud on my red truck. It must be the zeitgiest of santa fe, a spirit that permeates the mud city, floating like a halo over the moutains, you can't really define or capture what this mystery is and of course you're not supposed to but i see it tangibly in front of my face daily. all i have to do get is get in the red truck and go somewhere and there they are, I meet these women , and i won’t mention their names because they might think I’m doing a research project , but I’m not, rather I’m paying them my deep respects. new mexico is filled with beautiful strong willed, feisty, powerful, artistic, talented, business owners, house painters, trades women, tile setter women, writers, dancers, mothers, photographers, hikers, builders, sailors, chefs, visionaries, gallery owners, and I’m rubbing shoulders with these women daily, they’re all over santa fe, making it happen , and a lot of them going it alone without a man. Alone in a man’s world. That’s a saying. Maybe it’s always been like that here but it’s not what I’m used to seeing in the world I came from, the states, over the adobe curtain, the men were out in front, at least that’s all I ever saw, the wives were the supporters, and this is generalizing, most of the single women I met were looking for a man to do something for them, they would deny this of course, but that ‘s my experience. Not here, these new mexican women seem to love themselves. look I’m not saying they don’t have men or don’t want one, but they don’t seem to be dying for the lack of one, they’ll go on with the wind in their face, georgia o’keefe lived alone in a mud house in the desert in abiqui at ghost ranch and had to be dragged to town. maybe it’s a tradition in new mexico that if you're a woman and you're here, you're a pioneer, a risk taker, one of the women run their own galleries, paint, take photos, remodel houses, and for someone who has gone it alone much of his life and knows how hard that is and having run my own business it’s well, simply amazing . as one of them said to me, I prefer it that way. What a statement, I’ve never heard it said with such absolute conviction. Most men would run from it, but I found it very sexy. why these women could be my equal, no surpass me, be better men in the field, tougher, captains of their own industry and apologetic to no one, what a novel and fresh idea. goddess warriors standing their own ground, independent and competent, a good woman in the field. God, better than most men I’ve known . I really want to say all their names right now you , you, you , you , you , and you, it’s with the deepest respect I bow and say glad to know you. So what’s the point of knowing this? Am I making some statement about women and men, or about myself? Well it doesn’t take anything away from me, I’m still who I am, it simply adds to the richness of life’s experience, and I’ve discovered something new and amazing, there’s women out here who can do all the things I’ve come to expect out of myself and they can do just as well. Damn, now that’s a discovery. it gives me a great sense of freedom, I can look at myself through their eyes and find camaraderie. i'll keep you posted on their doings. Jgk