So today is International Women’s Day. A day to celebrate the uniqueness of being a woman. We are unique, we are different, we are blessed. We juggle work, homes, families, love, spouses or boyfriends (and hopefully not both ladies). We are nurses, cheerleaders, maids, cooks, chauffeurs. We are a beacon of love and warmth, compassion and caring.
Our bodies are amazing. We carry another human inside of us and give birth. We have our own unique strength that goes with a heart that is tender. We show emotions and vulnerability, we show strength in times of weakness. We are worthy and we are special.
Now this is where I may lose some of you. We are special. But so is our male counterpart. I can readily admit that there are things a man can do that I can’t. That doesn’t make me inferior or weak, that makes me honest. And there are things I can do that a man can’t and that doesn’t make me superior. We get so caught up in I can do anything a man can, and we demasculize the men in our lives. And yes, there are men who demean women and their role in life.
I believe there should be equal pay for doing the same job as a man. I believe there are jobs men do that I couldn’t begin to do. We are built differently. Men typically have more physical strength, their brains can function in a different manner. We women have several tabs open and have a hand in each one. Men can be more focused and single focus. That is a matter of fact and both sexes think differently, communicate differently. Women can be more emotioned base and men more factual bases. Yes men have emotions and can be emotional (don’t get those handy dandy picnic gadgets in an uproar–I acknowledge men have emotions, you just express them differently).In my opinion, that is what makes us each unique. And yes, there can be role reversals where some men are more emotional and some women aren’t. That is what makes each of us unique.
Now here is where some may get upset. In my humble opinion, we have gotten so confused know this world. We have lost some of who we are because we are busy blurring roles in life and women competing in the work world, men not being cherished but demasculanized, women losing femininity and the list goes on. I know I have made some mad with that statement. But just think about it. We live in a world of two working parents, we live in a world where people treat their partners as another child versus a spouse, where we compare our lives especially to others, where traditional roles have changed. I am not saying women should be home barefoot and pregnant and the men become cavemen. But some women are demeaned for being stay at home moms and treated like this isn’t a real job. And other women are shamed for working outside the home and neglecting our children. Men are looked at as a paycheck, a free ride or a child that should be corrected and bossed around. We have lost sight of the unique roles that we have in life and have lost the ability to appreciate ourselves and others.
What happen to cherishing each other for the unique roles we have? Yes I can take out the garbage and cut the grass, but I can dress up (just as much for me as him) I can be feminine, a man can open the door for me and I haven’t lost one bit of power. A man can wash the dishes or fold laundry and not lose his man card. A man can be a stay at home man and the wife work (and that is a challenging relationship so that both parties appreciate the other).
I don’t want to compete with other women, I don’t want to compete with a man. I can’t do some of the jobs a man can do, physically and emotionally I wasn’t made for that. And a man can’t give birth, he can’t do some of what a woman can do. And you know what? We all have survived!
Let’s celebrate women today. But how about we celebrate everyday. That we forgive ourselves for everything we don’t get done on a daily basis. That we revel in our femininity and embrace our strengths. That we acknowledge we are fearlessly and wonderfully made. That we sometimes have to be the leader of our families, that we can be a helpmate to our partners. That we aren’t perfect in our actions, our looks, our demeanor,or how we communicate. That we each have an off day and that we have days that we are spectacular. That we embrace ourselves.
The flip side is that we embrace the men in our lives. That we praise them for the sacrifices they make, the hard work they do. That we communicate with them as a partner and not a child we are mothering. That we realize our emotions run different but to encourage our partners to show the love so to speak. To be thankful for the differences between us and our partners and that we take a day at a time. That we each have different roles in life and that doesn’t make one person or gender superior over the other.
Those moms that are stay at home moms, you have a hard job that is sometimes given a hard time and the credit goes unsaid. You are raising the future, you are a household manager, nurse, chef, and many other roles. Your job is important and you are important. Don’t forget that. But don’t lose who you are to the chores of daily life. Do a few things for yourself as well, keep your identity as well while you are caring and nurturing and teaching your kids
For those women that are working moms, you have a challenge of balance and stress, guilt and joy. You are awesome at your career and feel guilty at times. At home you worry what you didn’t do at work and when you are at work you worry about home. You are doing an amazing job at both and forgive yourself. It is great to have a rewarding career but also sad it takes two incomes to survive sometimes.
For you single moms, this one is close to my heart. Give yourself a break. You are doing several roles at once and you are amazing and please forgive yourself for everything you think you are not. You are enough and more.
Even though it is international woman’s day, let’s not forget the men in our lives. The fathers who worked hard to provide and lived the best way they knew how. For the sons on our lives who captured their mothers hearts from that first snuggle to dirty hands to that sweet hug. To the men in our lives that are our partners, husbands, lovers, providers, thank you for loving your women. Thank you for appreciating their feminity and for being a help mate to them as much as a woman is yours. To all of you amazing women out there, celebrate the uniqueness of being a woman, be kind to yourself in your thoughts and actions, be proud of who you are. Know that you are wonderful in your own way and that you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone in appearance, in your role in life, or to anyone. You are you and that is amazing! And while I am sharing these uplifiting words of praise, I am trying to tell these same things to myself. I hope each of you has an amazing day and celebrate life each and everyday!!