"Give Love," artwork by Rita Loyd (c) 2002

I’m reading Marianne Williamson’s A Return To Love for the first time (and with each word I read, am questioning how my spirit would have allowed me to go so long without this book). I’m sure a gazillion posts are going to be born from my reading of it. However, I’ve just encountered the first moment of truth so intense that it compelled me to put the book down, march inside on this gorgeous day, and write down my thoughts.

Tell me it isn’t true. Rumor on the street has it that TV networks have banned a tampon company for making an ad that uses the word “vagina.” Um, how exactly are we supposed to talk about tampons without using the word vagina? And what’s wrong with that? Vagina vagina vagina! (Okay, did I just sound like a defiant little kid? Good.)

Apparently, after this infamous tampon ad was banned from three networks, they reshot the ad and replaced “vagina” with “down there.” Even with this change, two networks still wouldn’t run the ad. Which means they made a tampon ad without ever once referencing the female genitalia. I mean…duh, people. That’s like making a beer ad without ever referencing the mouth, lips, or tongue. Vaginas are where tampons GO.

Dear Pinkies, please welcome back my Pink Mom Trish Rankin, here with some insight on heroes. Thank you, Mommy, for reminding us all that we are brave and powerful. Take it away ....

Since we've begun a conversation on Owning Pink about the urges to create children and work, it's prompted me to revisit the role of work in my life (which includes children) and ask you Pinkies to share with me how it fits in with yours. Why is there always so much tension between the energy we devote to these most important aspects of life? Where is the balance? What does it look like?