*Cue Beyoncé's 'Run the World (Girls)'*
Flashback to a few weeks ago, thousands were coming together to celebrate International Woman’s Day. A day where we women come together and build one another up in love and kindness. We stand united, without judgment of one another. We try to spend the day thinking about women who have inspired us throughout our lives and taught us to be “women.” We try to love.
I celebrated. I’m a conservative, and not particularly defined as a “feminist.” I more or less spent the day thinking about something that’s been on my mind a lot, which is learning your own worth. We all have insecurities and struggles, but may we as women never forget that we are beautiful, intelligent, special. Which is why I think men play a LARGE role in making us women the way we are today. An even bigger role than just being a man. Which I think perhaps should also get a large round of applause for their role in each of us.
So today and every day, I vote we honor the men who make us the women we are today. Because let’s face it, we are nothing — yes nothing without God’s clear intention for male and female. If you happen to be a Christian, you know Adam was created first then women out of ribs of Adam. I think Jesus knew that we couldn’t just be women alone; we would need someone to support and love us in order to survive. Wow. Jesus took everything in to play and realized that without a man, there is no woman.
Intrigued? I am! I mean come on, HOW COOL?!
So Jesus blesses us. He blessed us the instant we each were born and came into a world surrounded by men. For everyone, it might be different, but I had my father. You may have had someone else. Or maybe men didn’t play a role in your life until much later on. However, the men we have met have supported us and believed in us. Jesus knew I could not make it alone, so He placed certain men in my life at certain times to teach me, test me, and to show my integrity as I get through life. How cool?
Every situation is different, but somewhere along the line, I believe we each meet people who change us. I grew up in a household with a father and two brothers, and again your situation might be different, but I would not be whom I am today without them.
Was it a teacher?
A stepfather?
A boyfriend?
A coworker?
Who influenced you, and why?
I thought about this topic for hours and how without my group of men, trust me, I would be different. Which is why I believe they should be celebrated too.
So thank you, to the men who encourage, hold us, and love us. Thank you to the men for challenging and pushing us further to play equal roles. Thank you for building our faith and spirits up. Thank you for the little and the big things you do. Thank you for never for one second doubting us as female. Most importantly, thank you for loving each and every one of us women along the way. Especially the difficult times, because hey girls, we aren’t the easiest to deal with!
Men, thank you. You have played a crucial role in each of our lives and hearts. You have taught us to never give up and shown us a type of equality like never before. Take a chance and reach out to those who built us up and never tore us down. May we continue to be strong, but may we also continue to be able to love the men who help make us strong.
Now if that Beyoncé song isn’t stuck in your head, lucky you!