[ Posted by Rebecca
Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:08:56 GMT ]
Looking for a unique gift item for someone for Christmas?
Interested in helping exploited and abused women on the other side of the planet?
You can do both at the same time by visiting Sari Bari and making a purchase.
“Sari Bari is a safe home where women, who have been exploited in the sex trade, can have their dignity restored and experience new life in the making.
Each of our products made from the Indian sari is marked with a woman’s name, a woman who now has the opportunity to make a choice for freedom and new life.” - saribari.com
Think about it.
Posted in Various and Sundry | Tags Christmas, gifts, help, women | no comments
[ Posted by Rebecca
Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:24:16 GMT ]
A woman worries. At some point in her life, she worries about something, but more than likely, she worries about a lot of things.
A woman worries about her appearance. Even the most confident of women will worry over what to wear on a date. Dressy? Casual? Heels? Boots? Hair up? Hair down?
She worries.
She may worry about physical things that she can change. Maybe she needs a hair cut, or could stand to drop 5 pounds. Maybe she needs to pluck her eye brows, or maybe she really should have shaved her legs in the shower this morning after all.
A woman may worry about physical things she can’t change. Maybe she can’t tan. Maybe she’s too tall, or too short. Maybe she doesn’t like the shape of her nose, or the shape of her hips.
A woman worries.
A woman worries over her relationships. Do her friends know she cares about them? Is she there for them when they need her most? What about her man? Does he know that she greatly admires him? Does she show her love in enough ways? Do her words encourage him? Is she too hard on him?
A woman worries about what she has to offer the world. Is she good at her job? Is she putting her best effort into everything? Is she a good mother? Do her kids think so?
It’s not easy to put an end to a woman’s worries. Some worries she has to end herself. Others can be helped by people around her. A woman needs affirmation that she is beautiful, that her effort to love is recognized and appreciated, that she is good at her job, that she is a good writer.
I found myself in this position recently. I am a confident person overall, but I do have times when my confidence is completely shattered. Luckily, there were people around who helped build it back up.
I hit a road block in my class. I wasn’t happy with what I was writing, and I was getting B grades on my papers.
I don’t get B grades on papers. It just doesn’t happen, because I don’t let it.
So it happened. Twice it happened, and with each time my confidence eroded away down to a nub. I was even thinking that I should give up writing altogether, because obviously, I wasn’t good at it.
Thank God my professor understands something about students, and something about women. I’m pretty sure he does, because when I went to his office hours on Wednesday, he responded to my woes with a pep talk.
“You’re in a senior level class full of English majors,” he said.
“They are all great writers,” he said.
“Because of this, I have to grade on a curve or else everyone would have A’s,” he said.
“If you are getting anywhere from an A+ to a B-, you are a good writer,” he said.
“You didn’t come into this class and forget how to write. You just have a few minor improvements and adjustments to make, and you’ll get A’s,” he said.
“It only takes practice, and judging by your previous classes, you haven’t had much,” he said.
“Your topic is perfect. Actually, I think it’s brilliant,” he said.
“I want you to present your topic to the class today,” he said.
I felt better.
Wednesday night I finished the rough draft and emailed it to him. He proofed it and had it back to me, complete with comments, two hours later. I didn’t read his comments until I made two or three critical passes over my work. Then I read his comments, and made a few more adjustments. During this process, the words came. I felt the electricity of them running through me, like a switch had been turned on. I felt like me again. I was comfortable in my skin. It was a good feeling.
Then I sent it to my brother, who knows a thing or two about writing. He only suggested three minor changes, and reaffirmed my professor’s opinion that I’m a good writer.
Today I turn in the paper. I am proud of it. I hope I get an A. We’ll see when I get it back. At least I will not be embarrassed to turn it in this time.
All I needed was a pep talk from an authority. All I needed was to have my confidence restored. When that happened, my ability heightened, my awareness heightened, and my performance improved by leaps and bounds.
A woman worries. Encouragement helps her not worry so much.
Posted in Feeeeeeeelings, nothing more than feeeeeeelings! | Tags encouragement, women, worry | 2 comments
