International Women's Day
March 8th, today, is International Women's Day! Yay! Let's celebrate women!
Just a quick reading of the origins of International Women's Day is somewhat enlightening. This holiday, which I never heard of until this year, is actually more of a social platform to promote women's rights world-wide.
I know this could easily degenerate into a political row about down-trodden women but I would like to use it as a spring board to honor some of the most amazing women I know.
First and foremost is my own mother, because without her I wouldn't be. Like most mothers of her generation, she was a stay-at-home mother whose primary job was to provide for the creature comforts of her family. And she made it look so easy...I was astounded to find out how hard it was to keep up with all the duties of the household plus the husband and kids when I got married and took on those same responsibilities. When I was putting together our family's history book and was interviewing Dad for all his glorious stories, she commented that she really hadn't done anything noteworthy in her life. I beg to differ! There were six of us kids to take care of, plus she cooked three squares a day for 8 people, that's a bunch of cooking. We never lacked for clean clothes or a clean bed, although she had the audacity to expect that we should clean our own rooms! Then, because this didn't seem like enough, she sewed for us girls. I never had a store-bought prom dress, or for that matter any dress, because she created beautiful dresses for me which I was always proud to wear. She also sewed the wedding dresses for me and my sisters. I remember the few days in my entire school career that I came home and Mom wasn't there. It just felt lonely to come home to an empty house. I liked telling her about my day and sharing all my joys and sorrows with her. Without a doubt the most important thing she did was pray for the salvation of her children, and this is the thing I appreciate most.
Another amazing woman who defied all the odds and made her life a success was Mike's grandmother, Blanche McCoy. Born in 1913, before women even had the right to vote, she grew up in a world of hard work and tough times. She survived two world wars, the Great Depression of the 1930's and single parenthood back in the days before our welfare system created a safety net for single mothers. She worked like a woman and she worked like a man all at the same time. She learned to be frugal and resourceful. She set the bar high for successful woman even though she never donned a pair of high heels to go to work or sat at the corporate table. I didn't know this amazing woman until the year before we were married, and was honored to call her "Grandma" for 43 years. I had the privilege of living in the same yard as she did for a number of years, and she taught me so very many things. Some of them were very practical like how to make mincemeat and delicious homemade bread or how to garden successfully. Others were life lessons about hard work and getting along with others. She always said nothing was more important than family...and she proved it each day. It was a sad day when she passed away at nearly 101 years of age.
We have three daughters and one daughter-in-law who are all very remarkable women. They all have different personalities, talents and goals in life, but they have one thing in common...they are all examples of womanhood at its best. Collectively they have or are raising 14 of the most awesome children that I know. (I know you all think that's just Grandma talking, but it's the honest truth!) They are all doing double duty combining careers with child-rearing responsibilities...and doing awesome jobs of both. I don't envy them trying to raise children in today's world. Even with all the time and labor saving conveniences available today, they all still work darned hard to cover all the bases. Without exception, they are the women I wish I had been when I was their age and raising my family.
I am so thankful to be a woman today. I have rights and privileges that haven't always been guaranteed to women. In fact, in some societies they still are not. I can choose a career, I can follow my dreams. I am free to wear jeans and slacks (I know, small blessing but a blessing just the same). I have the right to vote. (I have to wonder about this: before women had the right to vote, did they have the right to hold elected office? I'm guessing it might not matter whether or not they could because without women's votes they probably wouldn't have been elected anyway.) I can live without fear knowing my safety is a protected right. It's a wonderful time to be a woman.
In my exuberance to honor women, I don't mean to overlook or trivialize the plight of women in oppressed societies. I know there are women who are persecuted and treated as little more than property. They suffer abuse at the hands of those they should be able to trust the most. Hopefully International Women's Day can bring awareness to this situation, and their lives can become safer, happier and filled with freedom from persecution.
Happy International Women's Day to all you awesome women out there!
Just a quick reading of the origins of International Women's Day is somewhat enlightening. This holiday, which I never heard of until this year, is actually more of a social platform to promote women's rights world-wide.
I know this could easily degenerate into a political row about down-trodden women but I would like to use it as a spring board to honor some of the most amazing women I know.
First and foremost is my own mother, because without her I wouldn't be. Like most mothers of her generation, she was a stay-at-home mother whose primary job was to provide for the creature comforts of her family. And she made it look so easy...I was astounded to find out how hard it was to keep up with all the duties of the household plus the husband and kids when I got married and took on those same responsibilities. When I was putting together our family's history book and was interviewing Dad for all his glorious stories, she commented that she really hadn't done anything noteworthy in her life. I beg to differ! There were six of us kids to take care of, plus she cooked three squares a day for 8 people, that's a bunch of cooking. We never lacked for clean clothes or a clean bed, although she had the audacity to expect that we should clean our own rooms! Then, because this didn't seem like enough, she sewed for us girls. I never had a store-bought prom dress, or for that matter any dress, because she created beautiful dresses for me which I was always proud to wear. She also sewed the wedding dresses for me and my sisters. I remember the few days in my entire school career that I came home and Mom wasn't there. It just felt lonely to come home to an empty house. I liked telling her about my day and sharing all my joys and sorrows with her. Without a doubt the most important thing she did was pray for the salvation of her children, and this is the thing I appreciate most.
Another amazing woman who defied all the odds and made her life a success was Mike's grandmother, Blanche McCoy. Born in 1913, before women even had the right to vote, she grew up in a world of hard work and tough times. She survived two world wars, the Great Depression of the 1930's and single parenthood back in the days before our welfare system created a safety net for single mothers. She worked like a woman and she worked like a man all at the same time. She learned to be frugal and resourceful. She set the bar high for successful woman even though she never donned a pair of high heels to go to work or sat at the corporate table. I didn't know this amazing woman until the year before we were married, and was honored to call her "Grandma" for 43 years. I had the privilege of living in the same yard as she did for a number of years, and she taught me so very many things. Some of them were very practical like how to make mincemeat and delicious homemade bread or how to garden successfully. Others were life lessons about hard work and getting along with others. She always said nothing was more important than family...and she proved it each day. It was a sad day when she passed away at nearly 101 years of age.
We have three daughters and one daughter-in-law who are all very remarkable women. They all have different personalities, talents and goals in life, but they have one thing in common...they are all examples of womanhood at its best. Collectively they have or are raising 14 of the most awesome children that I know. (I know you all think that's just Grandma talking, but it's the honest truth!) They are all doing double duty combining careers with child-rearing responsibilities...and doing awesome jobs of both. I don't envy them trying to raise children in today's world. Even with all the time and labor saving conveniences available today, they all still work darned hard to cover all the bases. Without exception, they are the women I wish I had been when I was their age and raising my family.
I am so thankful to be a woman today. I have rights and privileges that haven't always been guaranteed to women. In fact, in some societies they still are not. I can choose a career, I can follow my dreams. I am free to wear jeans and slacks (I know, small blessing but a blessing just the same). I have the right to vote. (I have to wonder about this: before women had the right to vote, did they have the right to hold elected office? I'm guessing it might not matter whether or not they could because without women's votes they probably wouldn't have been elected anyway.) I can live without fear knowing my safety is a protected right. It's a wonderful time to be a woman.
In my exuberance to honor women, I don't mean to overlook or trivialize the plight of women in oppressed societies. I know there are women who are persecuted and treated as little more than property. They suffer abuse at the hands of those they should be able to trust the most. Hopefully International Women's Day can bring awareness to this situation, and their lives can become safer, happier and filled with freedom from persecution.
Happy International Women's Day to all you awesome women out there!
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