A Time for Renewal

A Shared message from the 2nd Vice President

By Tracy Crow

WMA 2nd Vice President

As a writer, I have a tendency toward viewing life as a series of unfolding metaphors. Nothing happens by coincidence, and the magic and beauty of synchronicity leave me breathless at least once a day. Most of these synchronistic moments surface from the natural world, so it’s little wonder the indigenous ones turned toward nature for answers.

Autumn, for example, reminds us of the impermanence of the world. Autumn signals a letting go, a shedding of what will no longer serve us in the coming days. Transformation calls for change—sometimes an inward, reflective look at the parts of ourselves that no longer suit who we have become, or who we wish or need to become.

I’m not sure how conscious I was of autumn on a cool, recent Friday evening as I sat outside on my back porch under the harvest moon, the last harvest moon by the way until 2024, and answered a slew of emails related to WMA business. But for some reason, I did become conscious of the rising cicada song all around me.

I set down my smartphone to listen and marvel at the synchronicity of the metaphor. You see, cicadas never sing alone. Cicadas sing in harmony with one another. Cicadas represent teamwork. Cicadas represent patience. Cicadas are the only insect in the insect kingdom that choose their exact moment of birth. Cicadas willingly live underground, attuned to the internal pressures from the outside world, adapting until they sense the perfect synchronistic conditions for their birth—one that will usher forth a renewal for coming generations

And just like that the future of WMA became clear to me. We have been working underground, so to speak, for generations, supporting one another, waiting on the perfect moment for a birth that will provide a renewal for generations. From the outside, we’re sensing pressures to adapt, to become something other than what we are.

But a cicada doesn’t try to become a grasshopper.

The cicada merely waits for the perfect moment of birth to become a useful cicada—a teamplayer in the harmonic song that leads to the renewal of another generation.

I believe WMA’s perfect moment of birth/renewal is now. As the Corps seeks ways to effectively integrate women in new roles our Corps needs us now more than ever. Our young active duty women need us now more than ever. Our youngest women veterans who struggle with reintegration after experiencing combat or other traumas need us now more than ever.

And as your new 2VP, I look forward to working harmonically with you in ways that will honor the wisdom we collectively bring forth in this new era, and the uplifting we will be called upon to offer in the years ahead.

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Tracy can be reached at 2VP@womenmarines.org