Now before I begin typing anything in this post, I want to preface it by saying that I'm not trying to push any kind of agenda here or change the way that things are currently. That said, lets begin our journey to a place where I may possibly offend any and all of my female readers.
Yesterday I heard two contrasting stories. The first was in Sunday School where we were reading the story of Rebekah and how Abraham's servant found her and knew she was the girl that Isaac was to marry. Essentially, the servant went to the well with his 10 camels and asked if someone there would draw water for him and his camels. Some of the comments were about how that must have been a whole lot of water and how Rebekah clearly was a special woman to be willing to draw water for all of them, and clearly she would make an excellent wife for Isaac.
Fast forward to later in the day at an evening ward activity...a girl is there telling some story about how when she was in high school choir how this one time they girls in the choir were carrying all these flowers and they were soooo heavy and how none of the guys offered to help them carry them, and how lame those guys were.
Discuss.
I'm not saying that guys shouldn't help girls. I'm just saying that somewhere in between then and now, this whole "princess" mentality cropped up and some girls feel as though everything should be done for them, and the fact that a guy would let them do something without offering to help makes them pretty much the scum of the earth.
I realize that by just showing this contrast I'm going to imply that I am that kind of guy. I don't think that I am, but on occasion you either just don't realize that a girl needs help (heaven forbid she ask for it), or you assume that given the nature of the task they can handle it on their own. In this era of women's lib mixed with princess syndrome you pretty much can't win. In fact a lot of times, girls want you to ask if they need help, but then act offended that you would even suggest they couldn't handle it on their own.
I suggested to the girl that perhaps by carrying the flowers herself, someone was picking her out as a potential wife. She didn't think that was too funny.
1 comment:
Hmmmm. How to begin? Let's start....here.
First, I have to say that had I been sitting in your sunday school class, I would not have agreed with your class' assessment of Rebekah. While I find the Old Testament amazing in many ways, I still find women's position in it very problematic. As a woman, I'm not offended by your post because I agree that your two stories conflict.
I also agree that women often want it both ways because women are as confused as you are. Half the time, we also don't know what we like better. "Do I want him to open the door for me? Do I really care? Wouldn't I just rather get it myself?" We are being sent conflicting messages about what is expected of us and you (those who love us) are the beneficiaries of our confusion.
Overall, I think it depends on the woman, how well she knows herself, and the type of woman you prefer to be with. All I know is I would have thought the "potential wife" comment funny. In fact, I did laugh.
Post a Comment