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I was walking through Washington, DC this morning and heard the pounding of drums as I approached Dupont Circle. The rhythmic pull drew me in from blocks away. As I entered the park I saw an all-womens drum line. People were gathering around as they played.
The women were fierce. There were probably close to forty women, ranging from their twenties to about their sixties and they exuded such energy, power and joy as they played. There was a primal thrust to their drumming as they swayed together and pounded their instruments, occasionally letting out a yell.
Their expressions varied, some beamed as they played and others were serious and focused, transfixed by the rhythm and the energy surrounding them. Each possessed their own style within the whole; some performed with a flourish and others were more contained and reserved. I stood, watched and listened, taking in the sights and sounds all around me. The crowd gathered around, some dancing, some swaying slightly, others standing still, watching intently.
After a few minutes I filled with emotion as I watched these women banging their drums, swaying en masse and shouting to the heavens. I experienced it as an offering of praise and gratitude to women; their beauty, their power, their strength. I thought of my mother and my sisters. I thought of life and childbirth and how it all emanates from a woman. I also thought about my own soulmate and offered that up to the heavens along with the hopes, dreams and passions of everyone else gathered in the park on a beautiful spring day, swaying to the sound of the drums.
5:02 PM
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