First of all before I get into my deep thoughts for the day let me introduce you to my bestie, Tayler Murray! A few years back this gem came into my life but it was her summer internship in London that solidified our sisterhood. From the moment she skyped me and with an excited look said "I like tea now!" we soon learned God had made much of our hearts the same. But this isn't a sappy post. It is simply that I must provide you the backstory to where this musing came from. You see we love traveling and exploring and well you could say piddling to find, enjoy and TAKE PICTURES of random things that capture our eye. Thus the beginning of #2wonderinghearts !
Today finds me on a familiar adventure with this chic, this time it being a road trip cross country to pick up my kids from the in-laws in South Dakota. With my husband recovering from a major surgery and me not wanting to travel alone I (easily) convinced my friend to come along and make some fun of it!!
Ok onto the story... We are on the road and I'm like it's just us I wanna stop and take the corny pic by the "Leaving (insert state name)" and "Welcome to (insert bordering state name)". So I did. To which I instantly post to the social media world impressed that with the wind and glare so not being able to check said photo knowing if I approved of how I looked in it or not that I actually liked it!! (Don't judge me - you know you're like that too!!) Then a comment popped up teasing us (in good humor) that our trip would take forever at our rate of always stopping... It was funny and meant sarcastically which I knew and so I grinned and even giggled but I can't lie something in me was like 😡 - no you can't make fun of me and roll your eyes for doing this road trip "like a girl." Because maybe your man is different than mine but pretty much all the men I'm surrounded by are on a fast track when they travel and you don't stop unless you're bladder literally feels like a stick of dynamite was lit and it's about to come to the end of its fuse! Lol, and I laugh typing this but you know what I mean - all business and no playing around or "wasting time."
Now first of all its not a waste of time to enjoy and soak up Gods beauty and creation and indulge in a moment of joy as you take that corny photo by the road sign! But again not what my post is about.
It made me go "why did a part in me react like that?" Especially when I know the context of the comment and even laughed at it myself rolling my eyes right back. And then my brain went rolling with the highway...
It's been generations of comments and negative body language that ultimately says "you're a girl.. And that's not a good thing right now." And this isn't a feminist post so stay with me - I'm NOT a feminist because we have not been any better. We have rolled our eyes and made just as many comments that said "You're acting like such a man right now... And I don't mean that as a compliment." Am I right? It made me sad to think that this was inside of me from wordly, fleshly issues that caused me to want to defend myself and cry out "I'm not "that" kind of girl! Don't make fun!!" But it's there... And I would take the bet it's probably inside you too - guy or girl. We don't want to be the reason someone rolls their eyes, we don't want to be stereotypical. But why?
Why can't there be pride instead of insecurity at these comments because we honor and esteem these differences in our genders? And sometimes there is and sometimes we are proud and own it but not as often as we should. So I sat there in my car and thought I shouldn't add to this - the next time I want to roll my eyes at a guy for doing such a "man" thing I won't. And if I do, that I ask for forgiveness and realize that that character of man that God created is there for a reason.
So yea that's where my brain went today on this particular #2wonderinghearts road trip. Ya just never know! Until next time...
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