Inspiration: A woman's work

A few days ago I watched the Simpsons episode where Bart and Lisa take aptitude tests that tell them what their future careers should be. Lisa is told that she is best suited to be a homemaker. She exclaims, "A homemaker! I might as well be dead!" I'll admit I laughed long and hard at that statement because I've felt that way at times. I mean how can I feel like I am impacting the world when I don't even know what is going on in the world.

However, I also know that I am important and that the things I do for my family will have lasting impact. Here is a quote that reminds me how important I am. This is from the novel Caddie Woodlawn about a young girl growing up during the Civil war. Her father gives her this advise towards the end of the book.

"It's a strange thing but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys. It is the sisters and wives and mothers who keep the world sweet and beautiful. What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way! A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness. And it is a big task, too-- harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers. It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness. A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's. But no man could ever do it so well.

I don't want you to be the silly, affected person with fine clothes and manners whom folks sometimes call a lady. No that is not what I want for you, my little girl. I want you to be a woman with a wise and understanding heart, healthy in body and honest in mind. Do you think you would like to be growing up into that woman now?"

Caddie Woodlawn Page 216

So even though I still have some self esteem issues do to the fact that my title has changed from Internal Auditor/Billing Manager to Homemaker - I know that what I do as a mother will last much longer than what I did as an auditor.

Here is a link to a review of Caddie Woodlawn.