My Views of Womanhood

A few weeks back, my Institute lesson was on Isaiah chapter 3. This chapter more or less is a chastisement of the daughters of Zion for their worldliness and pronounces doom on them if they do not repent. My institute teacher posed to us the question of why women were being so aggressively chastised when surely it was not only them who were sinning. His answer was as women start to lower their standards in a society, the rest of the society follows them, so Isaiah was particularly concerned with the women sinning. This particular example does not excuse men sinning, just listen or watch a session of the LDS General Conference Priesthood Session and I am willing to bet men were reprimanded in some way.

Since this particular Institute lesson I've thought a lot about the examples of different women in my life, whether I'm related to them or not, and how they are helping uphold our society. I wanted to take some time an thank them personally for what they have done for me, and why they have helped me.

1. Lorena and Tess

Lorena and Tess are two of my co-workers and both have shown me so much about hard work and sacrifice. Both are married and not much older then I am, but both of them act with such dignity that I forget I am less than one year younger then them. Lorena has a young son and is working full time so her husband can go to school full time. As far as I can see, the only free time Lorena gets throughout the week is when she drops off her son as nursery during church, and yet in the 9 months I have known Lorena I have never heard her complain about this.
Tess is currently 8 months pregnant, still working a part time at a job where she is on her feet all day, and going to school. I have not heard her complain about any of these things. I feel guilty working with these almost divine women because I complain a lot about how tired I am, and I only have to worry about taking care of my self and carrying myself around. Lorena and Tess, thank you for being such amazing people and women. I hope to one day have the strength the two of you have.

2. My Grandmothers

My Grandma Roundy passed several years ago, yet I still remember her as one of the most loving and caring people I know. She had 9 children, and dozens of grandchildren, yet I always felt unique and loved individually by her. It was raining the day of her funeral up until we drove over to the cemetery for the graveside part. Just as her bishop stood to say a few words, the sun broke through the clouds. Her bishop compared this to her, she was a shining ray of light no a dark day for those she came in contact with. She was this way for me, and if she were here I would like to thank my Grandma Roundy for that and say I hope to one day be as loving as she was.
One Sunday I went to visit my Grandma Allen. She was not home, so I took a seat to wait for her. One of my aunt and uncles soon showed up and we started talking. My aunt commented on something that was really interesting to me. She said that my Grandma always helped my Grandfather feel like a man. When decisions needed to be made, she had her mind up what she felt should happen, but she would ask my Grandfather what he wanted to do and then "suggest" what she would do. He would usually pick what she had suggested. In this way, she allowed him to be the man of the family while still having a large say in what happened. I noticed that my Grandfather did act like a man in all excellent ways. He was kind, gently, hard working, patience, along with many other great attributes, and I believe it is because of how my Grandma Allen treated him. As the saying goes, "Behind every great man is a better woman." I hope one day to inspire others to be better in the same way she has inspired me, and would like to thank her for that inspiration.

3. My Mom

The only women that will ever have the title of "Mom" for me is Sharon Allen. She has been there for me my whole life, from providing a home within herself for me for 9 months to letting me in her heart for my whole life. She has taught me, nurtured me, disciplined me, encouraged me, and made me feel uniquely loved even with four siblings who are all very different in needs and desires. One of the most touching stories to me is as I was on my mission, on the days that I was scheduled to email letters home she would sit and wait at the computer. Her day would not start until she had heard from me. I didn't know this was happening, and if I had, I would have made sure I had gotten to a computer sooner. I hope one day to be as uniquely caring as you are.
“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” —Abraham Lincoln.

Their are many other women that have great impacts on my life. All the girls that work in the deli with me, those who have decided to go on mission, the girl that has tried so hard to keep in contact with me over time; thank you. As I have said before, I hope one day to some of the qualities you have.