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Sad And Blessed
I started my day sleeping in til 8:30. My children, mainly Claire joined Skip and I in bed. I rose from my laziness and made some blender pancakes. I asked Skip to change Claire's pull-up, and get her dressed, which he did. After I cleaned the kitchen I had my boys clean the bathrooms. I sat with Sam while he practiced the piano and gave him instruction. I then laid in bed and read for an hour, while listening to Jack practice the piano. I made lunch for the kids, whole wheat grill cheese and a green smoothie. Skip took Claire and read to her and put her down for a nap. While I took a shower. I talked to a good friend on the phone. Then we watched "Star Wars, A New Hope", ate popcorn and dark chocolate chips. I then got into the car by myself and went grocery shopping . I walked into a store abundantly full of anything you could want. I spoke to the produce guy about avocados, joked with a guy in line about something I don't remember what. Then a teenage boy walked me to my car, loaded my groceries, and told me to have a good one. I drove home singing at the top of my lungs to Alanis Morrissette. We ate Mahi Mahi, Spinach salad and strawberries for dinner. The boys set and cleared the table. I talked to my sister in Utah and we figured out how to share pictures online. As I talked to her The boys watched the end of a show about jelly fish with Skip and then we clicked around the channels and caught a little of "The Sound of Music" The part at the party where they dance and sing GOOD NIGHT! { Skip's favorite part} Now I am typing this BLOG and watching the US Open with my husband. We are talking and commenting to each other about this sport.
Today I read an article on line about Five Women in Pakistan that were killed brutally because they wanted to marry whom they chose and the men that killed them were defending their actions, and didn't want anyone to make a fuss over it or dispute their right to exercise their beliefs. Heart broken doesn't begin to describe how I felt. Today I realized that not only does Satan demoralise women through the sensationalism of their bodies and by getting society to feel okay with the flaunting of women's body's, but then he takes it to the other extreme and hurts women through extremist views on a women's right to make any choices.
Millions of women are not allowed to sleep in, read, be read to, have their husbands change a diaper, work on a computer or even have access to a computer, have their sons clean the bathrooms, drive by themselves, talk to a strange man in a market, listen to pop music and sing in public at the top of their lungs, eat good food with their husband, BLOG, watch the programs they choose, talk with a member of their family on the phone or in person, or enjoy a sport with a man talking on the same level about the sport. All of these actions and choices I made today could lead to terrible injury and even death for many women in other parts of the world if a man in her family thought in some small way these actions brought dishonor on their family as he sees it.
I am sad, angry, and desperate to help. I am blessed, loved, and feeling extremely free. How fortunate I am. I am so grateful to have been born here in this country at this time. I am searching for away to make a difference. I am praying for all women every where to have a voice in their life.
5 comments:
Sadly, crimes against women are pretty common in many parts of the world. You can read extensively about honor killings in various places in the world, as well as practices such as female genital mutilation.
You talked about how society exploits women through their bodies. I suppose this is true, but in the vast majority of these cases in western culture, the choice to "flaunt" is one that is an extreme (but intellectually consistent) extension of the freedoms that you extolled in your blog post.
While, as the father of two daughters, I am concerned about the exploitation of women in our culture, I would take our overly-permissive culture in a heartbeat over those cultures where a vast array of crimes are perpetrated on women in the name of religion, family honor, or protecting "womenhood" itself (as if that were something that required that sort of protection).
Reading stories like this, and your concern over them, is a good reminder to all of us to examine what we do our children (and others) and what our motives are for these actions. And, most importantly, it should be a reminder to us to examine what the effect of OUR actions are on others, regardless of how good our motives might be. This is something I think about a lot as a parent and as a person. You want to pass along your values to your children, but find a way to do it that leaves them feeling happy and whole.
If you want to learn more about these kinds of issues and what you can do to help, you can visit human rights websites (Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, etc.). There is always good information about these things.
Thank you Shane, I have checked into several of these websites and others to see how I can best help. I am still mulling it over in my mind.
I appreciate your comment on what to teach our children so that they are whole and happy. This is my goal.
I came from a family that while highly conservative taught me to accept differences , love all, and champion the underdog. I hope I can instill this into my children.
Laurene, Maybe it's hard to figure out where to start because the world is one big huge place!! Maybe you not take on the world but start local in Richmond? I found this volunteer opportunity at the Ronald McDonald House that your boys could help you with. Making dinner for parents with kids in the hospital http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp157394.jsp
I think that is how mom and dad taught us to help others. Locally helping those who needed it. I think it is so awesome that you feel a passion to help others but don't forget that they are right there around you.
PS...did you get the 5 cups of Tea book yet? You must read it!!
Cristy..do you mean 3 cups of tea...we did it for book club. It waa great. Loved this post to remind me to be more grateful today for all that I have and can be. I would not have done well in a country like that. I saw a lady at the park yesterday all wraped up from head to toe in a burka ( sp?) while her husbnad was in shorts and a t shirt...it made me mad. maybe she was ok with it but i wasn't. Too tired roght now to keep soap boxing....but I ak with you in spirit. You go girl.
Suzie, Yes, I was so worn out...3 cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen.
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