The 70's Are Over!

A few hours ago, some of us Andalasians were talking about how we enjoy being sappy and sentimental... but we've been very conflicted throughout our lives about letting that show. And I have the sneaking suspicion that it's not limited to the ladies in this house. I think a lot of women are feeling the same way. We figured it has something to with wanting to appear capable - Proving that our heads aren't always in the clouds, or that our thoughts aren't easily swayed by fleeting emotions. Because that would make us less credible.

We've been raised to believe that we can do anything the boys can do. We hear that we need to get higher degrees, and succeed in competitive careers! Join the army! Become President of the United States! Toughen yourself up, and take it like a man! While you're at it, wear the pants in your relationship, IF you're weak enough to need a man! Heaven forbid you "waste your life" keeping a home, supporting a husband, and raising children!

Darn feminist movement. The 70's are over, people!

Sorry. Tangent.

So basically, culture has been telling us all our lives that we need to shut down the emotional side of our brains in order to be more rational, reasonable, intellectual, and capable, and therefore more competitive and successful. Because it is what we women "must do" these days. It's expected of us.

I've spent most of my life doing a frighteningly good job of internalizing everything I felt. Only in the past several months (my roommates have testified to this) have I really been coming to grips with the idea that trying to hide my emotional side is pretty silly. I don't have to suppress it in order to be an intelligent being. I don't have to be any less "capable" in order to acknowledge my emotions. God gave them to me - they are valuable, and I should embrace them. God himself is an emotional being. Just look - He weeps and rejoices all over the Bible! And He is Love! He cares for the littlest sparrow - you can't even imagine how much more He cares for you, a being made in His image!

And He gave women such an extreme capacity for emotion that was created to complement men! It really is a shame we're compelled to stifle it. Let's stop trying to, shall we, ladies? I can say from experience that life is so much more fulfilling when you take time to fully experience and appreciate the beauty in life. Doing so will not make you any less capable. You don't have to prove anything. :)




On that note, future husband of mine somewhere out there, let it be known that I won't fight you for the sake of proving my capability in most cases... EXCEPT when it comes to hooking up the DVD player to the tv and speakers. I take great joy in connecting audio/visual equipment, and I can do it just fine on my own, thankyouverymuch! he he he...





"If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don't get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room."
- from Luke chapter 11

The Love of a Lifetime

Today, I had to face one very sobering fact.  I am a girl and I am totally and irrevocably, a romatic sap at heart.


You see, my 4'11' mom set an example of not letting the hand your were dealt keep you from accomplishing anything, she taught me that I am capable and strong.  My do-it-yourself dad taught me how to swing a hammer and roof a house.  I like to believe that I am independent and I can take care of myself.  


Tonight I watched Letters to Juliet, a very predictable chick flick, as I had expected, but a story about sweethearts who had fallen in love 50 years before, married other people, had families of their own and after the death of their spouses, 50 years later, they found each other and were married at last.


Now I know that this is a ficitious story, but it got me thinking about love and romance.  My do-it-yourself, stand-on-your-own-two-feet attitude has gotten me through a lot of things in life, and most days it carries me through, the drive and passions that I have are important and part of who I am to the core, but part of me still longs for something more.

I long to be held in the arms of a man who loves me for all my faults, all my failures, all my strengths and all my joys.  I still wait for the day when I will be standing in front of my closest friends and family, staring into the eyes of my best friend.  And most of all, I look forward to the day when across from me I see a wrinkled old man, he has walked with me through many seasons of life, he has been there in the hard times and in the best times and he is still anxious to take me by the hand and face the next stage with the woman he loves.