Sorry for my long absence. I finally have something to say and enough time to write it.
So! Feminism. I have a lot to say on this subject, but I'll focus on one aspect of it.
Feminists say to women that they really ought to go out and use their talents in the world and not be "chained up" at home or whatever. This is what I think in response to that.
I grew up in a wonderful home with a wonderful mother who taught me nearly everything I know (I am homeschooled :). I kind of took her for granted growing up, but now that I've gotten a bit older, I begin see how really remarkable she is. She could have done a million things with her life, as awesome as she is, but she saw something that I'm beginning to discover for myself.
When I honestly evaluate the things that I'm good at and the things that I like to do, there is only one place I can think of where I can effectively utilize all of them.
If I were to go work as a professional photographer, I would devote all my time to photography. I would work on that and mainly that to the exclusion of other things.
If I were to be a professional writer, the same thing would apply.
If I decided to go into government, that would still go.
But if I were a stay-at-home mom? ...don't give me that look. Disregard your prior feelings about that title for just a minute. Suspend your disbelief.
I want one thing out of life. Whatever else I do in life, I want to be able to say on my deathbed that I have accomplished this one thing:
I want to make a difference.
By that, I don't mean making a difference by being some big famous person, where everyone knows my face or my name is known everywhere (in fact, I think that would be quite bothersome...). Instead, I want to have made a significant difference in somebody's life.
I have had many, many great mentors and just plain inspiring people who have changed and shaped me: helped me to see the world from a new perspective, or inspired me to reach for greater heights. Sometimes they would actively teach me things, other times it was just the way they lived: they set such a wonderful example that I wanted to emulate them, and tried to the best of my abilities. I can think of nothing that I want more than to make that kind of difference in somebody else's life. What better way than to "train up a child in the way he should go"? To teach a child nearly everything he or she knows?
Not only this, but it would allow me to use every one of my talents. If I have a talent for photography, I can use that both to beautify my home and to document my family's life. if I have a talent for government, I can use it to more effectively run my household. If I have a talent for writing, I can use it to record details about my life and my kids' lives. Where, if I went into a career based on any one of these talents, I would neglect the rest, being a mom, I could develop them all at once. To be able to develop and use all my talents and abilities, and to be challenged in every area every day of my life, sounds to me much more appealing than to just go into one professional area and neglect everything else.
Some people look down on motherhood because it's a pretty thankless job. It's true--usually you don't get very much thanks, if any at all. It's not like you get thanks in the form of a paycheck like you would if you worked at a job; but in the end, you get more important results. And really, some things are important to do even though you may not get thanked for them. You get the satisfaction of seeing your kids grow up and knowing you taught them to be the wonderful people they are. I can't imagine anything cooler than that feeling.
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." (Proverbs 31.)
P.S., don't get me wrong: some women do go into the professional world, and are great in their chosen field. Some women feel called to go be a professional in one field or another. That's absolutely fine. I am simply explaining why I, for my part, want to be a mom, and maybe trying to convince you that being a mom is not a horribly unappealing job. ;)
So! Feminism. I have a lot to say on this subject, but I'll focus on one aspect of it.
Feminists say to women that they really ought to go out and use their talents in the world and not be "chained up" at home or whatever. This is what I think in response to that.
I grew up in a wonderful home with a wonderful mother who taught me nearly everything I know (I am homeschooled :). I kind of took her for granted growing up, but now that I've gotten a bit older, I begin see how really remarkable she is. She could have done a million things with her life, as awesome as she is, but she saw something that I'm beginning to discover for myself.
When I honestly evaluate the things that I'm good at and the things that I like to do, there is only one place I can think of where I can effectively utilize all of them.
If I were to go work as a professional photographer, I would devote all my time to photography. I would work on that and mainly that to the exclusion of other things.
If I were to be a professional writer, the same thing would apply.
If I decided to go into government, that would still go.
But if I were a stay-at-home mom? ...don't give me that look. Disregard your prior feelings about that title for just a minute. Suspend your disbelief.
I want one thing out of life. Whatever else I do in life, I want to be able to say on my deathbed that I have accomplished this one thing:
I want to make a difference.
By that, I don't mean making a difference by being some big famous person, where everyone knows my face or my name is known everywhere (in fact, I think that would be quite bothersome...). Instead, I want to have made a significant difference in somebody's life.
I have had many, many great mentors and just plain inspiring people who have changed and shaped me: helped me to see the world from a new perspective, or inspired me to reach for greater heights. Sometimes they would actively teach me things, other times it was just the way they lived: they set such a wonderful example that I wanted to emulate them, and tried to the best of my abilities. I can think of nothing that I want more than to make that kind of difference in somebody else's life. What better way than to "train up a child in the way he should go"? To teach a child nearly everything he or she knows?
Not only this, but it would allow me to use every one of my talents. If I have a talent for photography, I can use that both to beautify my home and to document my family's life. if I have a talent for government, I can use it to more effectively run my household. If I have a talent for writing, I can use it to record details about my life and my kids' lives. Where, if I went into a career based on any one of these talents, I would neglect the rest, being a mom, I could develop them all at once. To be able to develop and use all my talents and abilities, and to be challenged in every area every day of my life, sounds to me much more appealing than to just go into one professional area and neglect everything else.
Some people look down on motherhood because it's a pretty thankless job. It's true--usually you don't get very much thanks, if any at all. It's not like you get thanks in the form of a paycheck like you would if you worked at a job; but in the end, you get more important results. And really, some things are important to do even though you may not get thanked for them. You get the satisfaction of seeing your kids grow up and knowing you taught them to be the wonderful people they are. I can't imagine anything cooler than that feeling.
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." (Proverbs 31.)
P.S., don't get me wrong: some women do go into the professional world, and are great in their chosen field. Some women feel called to go be a professional in one field or another. That's absolutely fine. I am simply explaining why I, for my part, want to be a mom, and maybe trying to convince you that being a mom is not a horribly unappealing job. ;)
I LOVE you!!! This is exactly the conclusion I came to in all my college "find out what you want to be" classes. It's awesome, huh? :D
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