| femininity

In my opinion, womanhood in modern times can be a little challenging to navigate.  We want to be beautiful...but not objectified.  We want to be wives...but not “housewives.”  We desire children...but also careers.  We want elegance...but also strength. 

Of course there is no magical formula for genuine femininity.  What makes one woman shimmer will make another wilt.  However, there are a few common elements related to being a woman that I like to talk about on a regular basis.  Elements that I hope will frame our discussion and make the navigation of womanhood easier.  They are:

:: beauty.  Beneath all of the conflicts about body image, size and style, femininity craves beauty.  Whether it is outward or inward, as a woman I want to be among nature’s best attractions.  Furthermore, I want to express beauty in the work I do, and experience it in the world around me.

:: creativity.  I truly feel that as women we were designed to create.  The practice of sharing our talents, our skills, our empathy, our knowledge, etc. through the creative process is one of the most fulfilling things about femininity.  Beyond just crafts and hobbies, and into the realms of ideas and relationships and problem solving, creating nurtures a woman’s soul.

:: purpose.  Genuine femininity seeks to change the world.  Whether it is through the sacrifice and reward of motherhood, the pursuit of compassion and charity, or the accolades of career, women love to be important.  We want to matter, be it in big or small ways, throughout the days of our lives. 

I realize, of course, that this short list is insufficient to...say...help us balance career and parenting, or to figure out how to leave a dead-end job in search of a more fulfilling lifestyle.  But that is where our collective stories are needed to fill in the blanks.  What makes us feel beautiful, or inspires us to create, or pushes us toward our purpose will differ from woman to woman.  But the core of being a lady often remains the same.