This is a photograph of our niece Zoe, 6 years old, and our mother Dorothy. It was taken at our mother's 80th birthday celebration this past October.
Looking at the photograph, emotions went from laughing to crying. There are two beautiful smiles...one that of a toothless precious six year old and the other of a woman who has lived 80 years on this earth, many of them tough years. Hence, the question, What Happens to Us?
What happens to females that as a gender we start out so proud of ourselves, our smiles, missing teeth and all, and we become over obsessed fearful of what others may think of us? We fret over walking into a room where other females may judge us. Or worse yet, we judge other women before we ever get to know them because we think they are prettier, more educated, better dressers, wealthier, or just plain better.
We can worry and agonize over the size of our butts, wrinkles, varicose veins and crows feet. We spend money on the latest fashions, undergarments that will make us look thinner, no matter how expensive or uncomfortable they might be, not to mention perhaps injections to plump and erase what we don't like. We focus on what we think we don't have instead of what we see smiling back at us in the mirror.
We ponder our purpose in life and if we are on our chosen path. We are so busy questioning life, striving to have more, or be more all the while leaving our smiles and confidence at the door of our childhood.
Our prayer is that all women find the confidence to smile, laugh and revel in the celebrations of life whether we are six or ninety-six. May we all reclaim the fearlessness of a six year old and go into the world smiling for all to see!
We've written what we think. Now we want to know what you think. Share your thoughts and observations with us as we compile the insights from women around the world. Tell us what you see through your eyes with the women you know.
Be sure to read the submission guidelines before you submit your thoughts.
We look forward to reading and possibly using your observations in our upcoming book What Happens To Us?.
Faith A.Lightfoot
Rochelle Thuener