Today we celebrate the 10th International Day of the Girl. This day was created to draw attention to the challenges that girls face around the globe. Female children face particular problems dealing with their physical and mental health, accessing education, and experiencing violence throughout their lives. Specially challenged girls face additional obstacles to accessing services and support.
I find it sad that any group of people has to have a special day to draw attention to the lack of basic respect and regard which they face just because of their sex, age, race, color, or whatever else they may be judged on. Shouldn’t humanity have evolved past that by now?
I also wonder how effective these special days are, if the message is directed to those who are comfortable with the status quo? To those who feel that there are others who do not need or deserve healthcare, a proper education, opportunities for employment, or even personal protection and security.
I believe the answer lies in empowering those who are exploited, abused, or treated as less valuable than others – supporting them and encouraging them in this regard.
This morning I caught a clip on our morning news show. A number of young women were asked the question “What empowers you?”. The answers ranged from “Being a woman”, “being a mother”, “my friends and family” to “my education” and “my career”.
It has taken me sixty seven years to decide that my answer to that question would be “What empowers me is being pro-active and in taking responsibility for myself – for the choices I make, the actions I take, my own mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.” That has empowered me more than anything and coming to this conclusion has not been easy. I grew up at a time, in a place, in a family where success meant finding and marrying a good man to take care of me. 🤦 I do not blame anyone. That was just the mindset. But it was not a mindset that would serve anyone well. I can’t think of anything that would be more disempowering for anyone – than to be taught that anyone needs to rely on anyone else to ‘take care of them’ – for their entire lifetime no less.
My question for the day – What empowers you? I would really appreciate your answers to this one. I have ten grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Your answers will no doubt help me to help them develop their own power – as women AND men.
That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day!💞🌞
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 
Nice family photos, Anne Marie. I can’t comment on the subject as I am not female. I dunno.
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Thank you, John. I didn’t mean that question to be specifically for females. I believe every adult should feel self sufficient, independent, empowered.
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Got it, thanks. All women should indeed feel empowered! 👍🏻
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The message I learned early on from my parents was that I could do anything that I wanted to do if I was willing to work for it. It was that message so ingrained in me that gave me the fortitude and resilience to do the work for the things I wanted. Like every human on earth, there were times I did not want to do the work. Most of the time, I just did the work anyway, knowing that the payoff would be worth it. Occasionally, I would reassess and determine if that was the course I wanted to continue; if not, I gave myself permission to change plans. I do think it is about a fundamental belief in one’s self-efficacy that is grounded in having accomplished a task or developmental step in one’s life. And being supported, nurtured, loved, and held accountable all figure in. Thoughtful question!
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Thank you, Suzassippi. That was a very thoughtful and solid answer. My upbringing had rather mixed messages – we were taught that we had to work for what we wanted, but somehow we were also led to believe that we needed men to take care of us – despite the fact that my mother was very hard working and competent and my father was always very supportive and appreciative of all that she did. They just never really seemed to believe that their little girls were or could ever be self sufficient.
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Being raised by a strong, courageous single mother from the age of seven I learned that it was possible for a woman to take care of themselves. My mother worked long hours to make enough money to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. My sister who is two years younger and I took care of ourselves while our mother worked. We fixed our meals, cleaned the house did the ironing and other things. We learned that we could be independent and could make it just fine. So I would have to say what I learned from my mother is what has empowered me to be the self sufficient woman that I am. Interesting post Anne.
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Thank you, Mags. I love your answer. 💞. Were you able to pass on that message to your children and grandchildren? I think that is where I screwed up especially with my daughter and why her kids are turning our to be so self sufficient and strong. I went out of my way to pamper and protect my children. I didn’t allow them to learn how capable they were. 🥺
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There was definitely the expectation that we would do the marriage and family thing, but they saw it as important my sister and I could take care of ourselves “In case something happened.”
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And that is some really powerful parenting, Sue! My father finally came around to that when he was dying (of cancer at age 83). He pulled me aside one day and told me that I had to get myself and my kids out of my first marriage – which I did shortly after he passed away. 💞
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Anne, it is never too late for us to learn, and to do the right thing!
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All the children but one have done well providing for themselves so apparently my husband and I did something to help them be prepared for the world and surviving in it. 🙂 We all do what we think is best at the time.
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That is true for sure! Thank you, Sue. 💞
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That is great, Mags. I am sure that you and your husband were wonderful parents. I was so busy trying to compensate for my husband’s abuse and cruelty that I’m pretty sure I never thought about what I was doing. As far as being mature, responsible adults – my sons and daughter are doing the best they can despite their upbringing. Some better than others…
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Had I been in a situation like you Anne I am pretty sure I would have done the same. I am so sorry you and your children went through abuse. We do what we can to get them to adulthood and then it up to them to choose the kind of life they want to make for themselves. I learned a lot from fostering children that were abused or neglected. Five of our children are adopted that were our foster children first.
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It is for sure a difficult situation. Yes, it is ultimately up to them as adults. That must have been something – adopting five of your foster children! You and your husband were obviously amazing – and blessed.
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We were blessed, but amazing no, we were no different than anyone else, we just did what we felt we were supposed to do for the years we did it.
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💞
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Boy, that is a tough question. I learned early on that I had to mostly depend on me. It wasn’t always easy and still isn’t. Not to say I didn’t have family help as I sure did. But learning to make decisions for yourself means empowerment to me.
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That’s a good one, Karla! I thought it was a tough (and intriguing) question, too. I don’t usually even listen to what’s going on on that show but that caught my attention.
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Learning to work with others would be my answer.
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That is definitely empowering! Obviously there are many right answers to that question. Thank you for yours. 💞
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Starting my own cleaning business 15+ years ago, taking care of my health with exercise and getting control of daily drinking, and learning to do things by myself. I have always depended on my husband for everything. Before COVID he had to go away with his uncle for a 1 time paid job. He ended up being gone over 3 weeks. I never had to do everything and we basically had so many animals it was like a farm. The horse was a lot of work. Little “problems” came up while he was gone as well that I normally would have had him tend to. Then the last week he was gone I realized people buying up toilet paper was a real thing and I couldn’t even get a pack. Then I hear pet food was in short. What if I couldn’t get pet food? Human food was getting short as well. I didn’t freak out and made a plan and all went ok for us. Thankfully!
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“We can do hard things!”. I love it Jackie. 💞 It is empowering to discover how much we are capable of. 💓
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Amen, sister!
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Thank you, Elizabeth. 💞
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