Call me old fashioned, but I am a stalwart believer in the concept that men and women are different. We think differently, talk differently, socialize differently, play with our kids differently, shop differently... the list goes on and on.
I am going to fight against society's huge push to make men and women the same. Not a lot. Just a little. Enough to make a case for the natures of men and women everywhere, across time and space.
In John Stossel's video, "Men, Women, and the Sex Difference," many social scientists and other professionals analyzed the argument that men and women are "the same." Many of these professionals agreed there are not only personality differences between the two sexes but also biological differences. I encourage all who are interested to seek this video and study it out for themselves.
In the video, one of the women says something to the effect "Equality means that men and women have the same opportunities to succeed, not that we are the same."
I find this distinction to be so true. I have five brothers and let me tell you, we are not the same at all. There are definite gender differences. But does this mean we shouldn't have the same opportunities? Absolutely not. We do, however, have different divinely appointed roles, which you can learn more about in The Family: A Proclamation to the World (link below).
Yes, as men and women we were created equal. No, we are not the same. But we are equal. Adam and Eve were partners (Genesis) and we should follow their lead.
http://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation
Little Rock, Arkansas
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Late Mother's Day Tribute
Having been born out of wedlock and my parents seperating shortly before my birth, I was definitely not raised in a nuclear family. My mom raised my older brother and me as a single mother. She worked multiple jobs, attended night classes and supported our little family of three (with the traditional dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and many other pets my brother and I smuggled into the household) on an income of $12,000 per year without government aid.
My brother and I had no idea we were poor. We were able to play sports, attend field trips, eat otter pops and do nearly everything the other kids seemed to do. We were also blissfully unaware that our clothes, vhs tapes, furniture, and many of our possessions were from secondhand stores such as Goodwill or Value Village. We thought everyone only had seven television channels. We had no idea computers existed outside of school. And don't even get me started on cellular phones.
More than anything we were ignorant of the sacrifices made by our mom to give us better lives. She often lived off of four hours of sleep per night due to the fact that I wouldn't sleep through the night until first grade. She would donate plasma as often as she could so as to be able to buy milk, bread, shampoo, and the occasional pop-tart, which was a luxery indeed. She bought a house on her own and paid it off completely within a few years. I have never met a woman, or anyone for that matter, that could stretch a penny as far as my mother can.
Her many years of sacrifice has paid off. Today she is a successful manager at a well-respected bank. She is greatly loved by her family, friends, and coworkers. Very few people know of the sacrifices she had to make in order to get where she is today, to get my brother and I where we are today.
Because of our mother's example and teachings, my brother and I will both be graduating college within the next few years. From her we learned the value of a dollar, that a little kindness can go a long way, hard work is always worth it, and families are worth more than anything this world can offer us. We learned what it takes to be a good parent. In a world where possessions take precedence over family and learning how to become good people, I have never been more grateful for the example of a humble, selfless, and hard working woman in my life.
May we all strive to be as she is.
My brother and I had no idea we were poor. We were able to play sports, attend field trips, eat otter pops and do nearly everything the other kids seemed to do. We were also blissfully unaware that our clothes, vhs tapes, furniture, and many of our possessions were from secondhand stores such as Goodwill or Value Village. We thought everyone only had seven television channels. We had no idea computers existed outside of school. And don't even get me started on cellular phones.
More than anything we were ignorant of the sacrifices made by our mom to give us better lives. She often lived off of four hours of sleep per night due to the fact that I wouldn't sleep through the night until first grade. She would donate plasma as often as she could so as to be able to buy milk, bread, shampoo, and the occasional pop-tart, which was a luxery indeed. She bought a house on her own and paid it off completely within a few years. I have never met a woman, or anyone for that matter, that could stretch a penny as far as my mother can.
Her many years of sacrifice has paid off. Today she is a successful manager at a well-respected bank. She is greatly loved by her family, friends, and coworkers. Very few people know of the sacrifices she had to make in order to get where she is today, to get my brother and I where we are today.
Because of our mother's example and teachings, my brother and I will both be graduating college within the next few years. From her we learned the value of a dollar, that a little kindness can go a long way, hard work is always worth it, and families are worth more than anything this world can offer us. We learned what it takes to be a good parent. In a world where possessions take precedence over family and learning how to become good people, I have never been more grateful for the example of a humble, selfless, and hard working woman in my life.
May we all strive to be as she is.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
What Matters Most
I was watching Mormon Messages and came across this one by President Monson, who I know to be the prophet of God in these days. What matters most is our families and those we love. It is my hope that I will "never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." In trying to become more like Christ, I think we often forget that Christ showed his love for his fellow men more often than anything else he did in this life. In order to be like Christ, we must remember what matters most.
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