Imagine… hearts bound together by love and caring
“Easy On Me“: Akina Adderley sings of a relationship and how it can become . . . easier. Enjoy.
Thank you, Akina. Here I offer my memory of my mother, Mildred Ardis, who dearly loved people whose hearts were caring of all people: “Bless your heart!” was her frequent expression of love for others. Thus, I share — in her honor — my revised Declaration of InTERdependence. — Bill Ardis
Declaration of InTERdependence: Revised April 20, 2020
We continue to hold certain truths to be self-evident, that women and men are created equal, endowed by unalienable rights, among these being Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, the People should move to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on principles most likely to support their Safety and Happiness. Prudence dictates that Governments long established should not be changed for transient causes. Accordingly, all experience shows that humanity is disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, until they move to abolish the forms to which they became accustomed. But when a train of abuses and usurpations persist, it is their right and duty to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such was the sufferance of the original Colonies which moved Humanity to alter their Systems of Government.
Thus does human history move to alter its present and to create its future anew.
We, therefore, the Women and Men of the United States of America, by Authority of the people of these United States, do declare the United States to be Free and Independent States. As such these United States have the Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and perform all Acts which independent nations may by right perform.
For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence and with an obligation to reflect on our storied history, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives and our Fortunes.
There are moments in human history that require that we dissolve and better that which separates us, one from another. Thus, we now acknowledge the separate and divisive stations to which our history and its misbegotten notions have lent us. We now herewith relinquish those artificial and hurtful separations and the baseless assumptions embedded in our past.
Going forward, we continue to hold certain truths to be self-evident, that women and men are created equal, endowed by unalienable rights, among these being Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness for all Humans. Governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, the People should move to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on principles designed to support their Safety and Happiness. Prudence dictates that Governments long established should not be changed for transient causes. Accordingly, all experience shows that humanity is disposed to suffer until they move to abolish the forms to which they became accustomed. But when a train of abuses and usurpations persist, it is the people’s right and duty to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such was the sufferance of the original Colonies, which moved Humanity to alter their Systems of Government.
Thus, does human history reflect humanity’s present and create its future anew.
We, therefore, the Women and Men of the United States of America, by Authority of the people of these United States, do declare the United States to be Free and Independent States. As such these United States have the Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and create all Acts which independent nations may by right perform.
For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence and with an obligation to reflect on our storied history, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, sacred Honor and our shared Future.
William R. Ardis — for Mildred Jolora Mathews Ardis
A video / song about the rainbow hues of women — sung by Black women — written by Nina Simone and featuring her daughter, Lisa, with three other women. Simone’s song says it all, about color, race, women and men…and what we want our daughters to become. Strong. Smart. Capable.
WomanUp is an appeal for a renewed earth – nurtured with deepest concern – reconceived and managed primarily by women. Women, after all, are born to create and then continue to manage humanity’s needs, their children, and others as needed. This quality of female effort has been missing since Homo Sapiens began standing on its hind legs. Time for men to stand down and let women take care of business. (Women may occasionally request help from men. Like lifting big boxes, that sort of thing.)
As I’ve written previously here, we need to rely on women to make the earth a healthier place to live. The coronavirus has exacerbated humanity’s problems. Recovering from the virus’s effects is proving to be a long haul. It’s not “just” a flu, easily quenched. This disease is uglier and far more damaging to human culture and to our ability to function as usual.
I intend to leverage “WomanUp” to move the matter closer to global consciousness, a challenge to get above the noise of electronic media. And thanks very much. Emails welcome at bill@ardisinresidence.com.
Updated November 3, 2021.
~ image courtesy First Women’s Designs~