Are Men and Women Really Equal?

The opening of the United States Declaration of Independence states as follows:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…

softball. let looseAll men and women were created with equal rights. Jefferson said this truth was “sacred and un-deniable…” Franklin called it “self-evident” There is something else about the human race that is self-evident: chemically, emotionally and physically we are very different from one another. Just last night saw the evidence again. I was sitting with some other wives watching our husbands play softball. It was a great game. It was the bottom of the last inning, the score was tie, the bases were loaded-you know, the kind of game us gals actually get into.

It is so much fun to watch grown adults let loose and enjoy life.

The sun was setting a beautiful backdrop as we ladies sat laughing, cheering and taking it all in when someone made an error. Suddenly testosterone levels rose and the comments came, “why do they get so mad when they make a mistake? Relax guys! It’s only a game!”

I’d been thinking of what to blog about. Well, there it was.

All week long I have been bombarded with questions from men about why their wives are so stressed about getting old, gaining weight, loosing hair, changing careers, letting the kids go…

My answer: because we are women.

We don’t desire the same thing a man does. Yea, we both want love, joy, peace, and success but it looks different to our hearts than it does to theirs. John and Stasi Eldredge nail the concept in their books, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul and Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul.

“Every man was once a boy.  And every little has dreams, big dreams,  dreams of being the hero, of beating the bad guys, of doing daring feats and rescuing the damsel in distress. Every little girl has dreams, too: of being rescued by her prince and swept up into a great adventure, knowing that she is the beauty.
But what happens to those dreams when we grow up?
… how many women do you know who ever find that life? As the years pass by, the heart of a woman gets pushed aside, wounded, buried. She finds no romance except in novels, no adventure except on television, and she doubts very much that she will ever be the Beauty in any tale.”
 

Really, our differences make a perfect design if we could just learn to take the advice given from the bleachers, “relax a little.” Maybe it’s time the sexes learn to BE and LET BE.  He wants to be strong, we want to be beautiful; who says either is wrong? Our creator is strong, and He is beautiful; we were made in His image. Is He wrong? Let’s start empowering our men to be who they were designed to be and lets give them grace when they don’t understand our desire. After all, it sure isn’t easy to understand theirs.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13 NLT)

*****

Catrina Welch is an inspirational author and speaker whose personal experience with overcoming rejection, betrayal and loss–as well as her expertise as a cosmetologist, image consultant and Biblical life-coach–is empowering women to BE and LET BE.

Her latest book, CONFIDENT BEAUTY: Reflecting the One Who Made You, with the Images in your Mirror and in your Soul, is now available in your favorite bookstores. Autographed copies of all her books are available on her website at www.CatrinaWelch.com


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