There have been plenty of times in my life when I’ve resented being a woman. Like clockwork, once a month, every month, I get fed up, bloated, and irritable. Anytime I get whistled at by some creep downtown, I become annoyed. And hearing the whole “a woman only earns 70 cents for each dollar a man earns” statistic really pisses me off.
In a similar fashion, there are plenty of times when my gender has caused me extreme joy that very few men could ever understand. Let’s just face it: there are some things that society does not allow men to get away with. I’ll be the first to admit that this is a hard thing for me to accept. I tend to believe that because men and women are equal, they should not allow their interests or pursuits be defined by their gender. But even I would be taken aback by a man who lit up at the sight of a shoe store.
The other day I was thinking about a major difference between men and women— women talk to one another. And women don’t just talk, but when we talk, we seek to connect with one another. A couple of friends and I were discussing the cathartic benefits of deep conversation, and one friend remarked, “No wonder it takes guys such a long time to grow up. They never talk to one another and try to figure stuff out.”
What a brilliant observation! I often wonder why it takes males a longer time to grow up. I can only imagine that isolating oneself in the midst of struggles can be quite lonely and difficult. Frequently, especially when I’m in over my head, I have to confide in a trusted friend in order to gain perspective and wisdom. These conversations help me to grow and I am always grateful for the impact my friends have on my life.
Now, my intention is not to make dangerous generalizations about men and women; I fully understand that there are exceptions to every rule. But I can’t help but notice the tendency of women to thrive in healthy, relational situations. I’m sure there are times when I find myself envying the males in my life (though ironically, I currently cannot think of anything specific off the top of my head). In spite of this, when I am deeply conversing with my girlfriends, I can think of nothing that brings me greater joy. I am grateful for what I learn, I am grateful for my remarkable girlfriends, and I am eternally grateful for womanhood.
Posts
7 comments:
I know that my sweetie and I process very differently - he's quite comfortable to mull over everything in his head, working through all the possibilities on his own. I get jumbled up when I try to keep it together in my head and process better by talking and writing - verbal processing. He gets lost in all the words. Funny how we do process so differently but often come to the same conclusion! Men & women are very different, for sure. But I do love being a woman, too!
Thanks for stopping by "Ain't That Sweet"! Visit my regular blog "It's OK to be WEIRD!" - that's where most of the fun happens!
oh i love being a woman too. i like this post ;)
thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
i hope you're having a great week.
Made me think of all the fun, lessons, and joys that I've experienced with my BFF. And lots of good times to come. Anyhowser, I'd say the only thing I envy about men is that they can stand up to pee. They can do it anywhere at a moments notice. I still wouldn't give up being a woman for that ability! :D
The only thing I envy about men is the easy commraderie they have with each other.
But other than that I love being a woman and love being in the company of women. My husband thinks we're more interesting than men.
Hi - Thank you for visiting my blog and for your very profound comments. It's always awesome to read these....Take care
You make me feel like a natural woman.
Thanks for posting this, I really like it! It reminds me to always appreciate being a woman. I've always love being one really, because i personally think that a woman is like the most precious gift in the world, nothing could be better than being one...
A woman can experience so many things more than a man can -childbirth, deep heart connections and those little and natural instincts that perhaps no scientist can ever explains how and why.
Have a nice day!
Post a Comment