What a momentous time in our country’s history, in women’s history! Former First Lady, Former U.S. Senator, and Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton this week secured enough delegates to make her the Democratic Party’s nominee to be President of the United States. She became the first woman nominated for the nation’s highest office by any major party, at any time, ever. She is exceptionally well-qualified and prepared, and on track (I hope) to become our first woman President. And she accomplished this in our lifetime, a feat none of us in our third third could have imagined six, or even four or five decades ago. Our mothers didn’t tell their daughters, “You, too, could grow up one day to be the President of the United States.” Their mothers had only in their lifetimes won the right to vote.
Hillary stands with women of our generation on the shoulders of the generations of women who came before us fighting for rights and equality and a seat at the table, proving their abilities, once finally given the opportunity, in school, in factories, business, the professions and politics. It has taken so long to reach this epochal moment, however, that we stand not only on their shoulders, but, sadly, on their graves. Hillary noted last night that she would have loved to have her mother at her side now, too. I wept again then (having initially been emotionally overwhelmed by the pure wonder of the moment), wishing I, too, could call my mother to hear what she’d have to say. And then almost immediately I got text messages from my three daughters, one after the other. “I’m bawling my eyes out,” said one. “This is history! So exciting!” said another. “Your girl did it, Mom! Profound!” And then from each: “How are you feeling about it?” The conversation I longed for was actually taking place, except that I am the mother, the older generation, now. How lucky I was to be able to savor my daughters’ excitement and enthusiasm. I love the fact that we are all a part — with my college classmate Hillary — of the momentum that carried us, indeed, carried all women this far this year.
Hillary made history. My daughters and I, we are proud and happy witnesses to it.
