On Facebook, the following post has been making the rounds:<\/p>\n
Yeah, right.<\/p>\n
My house is not as clean nor organized as I would like, the laundry basket(s) are seldom empty, I’m not always well-dressed, and my hair often looks like I flew in on a Harley with no helmet.\u00c2\u00a0 I can’t promise that I never swear, am quite sure that I’m awkward in some situations, and run short on patience on occasion.\u00c2\u00a0 Sometimes I scowl, and not all of my words are kind.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 That grouping is not what I aspire to, but it is what it is.<\/p>\n
Yet, I’m quite certain I’m not a man.\u00c2\u00a0 I’ve given birth without drugs, and gotten out of bed the next morning to care for an infant and three children ages six and under.\u00c2\u00a0 I can pick things from my backyard garden and make supper of it, with all the nutritional value needed for my family.\u00c2\u00a0 Three of those four children — all girls, by the way — are in college or graduate school.\u00c2\u00a0 All are mastering fields traditionally not thought of as women’s work: math, physics, and materials science engineering.<\/p>\n
And they can all cook, to varying degrees.\u00c2\u00a0 Alpha can sew, and Beta is learning.\u00c2\u00a0 Delta can take apart just about any electronic gadget, re-solder the loose connections, and put it back together in working order.\u00c2\u00a0 Gamma is very gifted with young children, especially teaching them to swim.\u00c2\u00a0 I bet none have empty laundry baskets, but they manage to wear clean clothes every day.<\/p>\n
Yet, any one of us can comfort a child, or an animal in need.\u00c2\u00a0 Any one of us can prepare nourishment — for one, or many.<\/p>\n
A “real” woman?\u00c2\u00a0 That would be one who puts her family first, whether that means excelling in the domestic arts or bringing home the check that pays the mortgage.\u00c2\u00a0 I guess the same would be true for a “real” man — one who puts family first, whether that is in the role of provider or caregiver.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Or some combination of both, as is more common today.<\/p>\n
Come to think of it, I have some more caregiving duties to attend before the sun rises tomorrow.\u00c2\u00a0 Take care, and be real — whatever that is.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
On Facebook, the following post has been making the rounds: A real woman always keeps her house clean & organized, the laundry basket is always empty. She’s always well dressed, hair done. She never swears, behaves gracefully in all situations … Continue reading