By Kerry McGuire

                               I Love Being a Woman

      Last summer, my then three-year-old daughter, Olivia, and I were in the lobby of the Head Start to Reading program building waiting on my son, Andrew, to finish up his class. We were one of several moms and children in the room, quietly doing our own thing to pass away the time on this very hot and sticky afternoon.

      Olivia was laying belly down on the floor, working a Mother Goose puzzle that had a picture of the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe on it. You know the rest of the story, “she had so many children she didn’t know what to do.” Well, I’ve had days like that and I only have two children!

      When she finally completed the puzzle, Olivia looked up at me, hands cradling her chubby, rosy-red cheeks, and gave me a huge grin from ear to ear. She then announced to everyone in the room:

“I love being a woman!”

      Note the emphasis on the word “love”. She said it with a very Southern-bell drawl, and tons of confidence and excitement. Very Scarlet O-Hare, and just like the character, she meant serious business!

      For a slight moment, the other moms in the room and I just looked at her and at each other in surprise, registering what she had just proclaimed. Then, we all cracked up at once, full of smiles for this very happy, self-assured little girl who seemed so much older and wiser than her tender age of three. She was so dramatic and serious about it, it made the moment even more comical.

      It made me think, “You know, so do I. I truly love being a woman!”

      No offense to my husband, son, father or other male role models and support figures in my life, but I truly wouldn’t want it any other way.

      God truly did make us woman so very special. We can express ourselves from deep within our hearts, and are not afraid to let our emotions show. We find sharing our opinions and life experiences with other woman so therapeutic and vital to our existence, being in isolation and closed up emotionally, psychologically and spiritually are counterpart to the way we’re made. Some of us may be quieter about the way we communicate, but we all have to share at some point or we’ll virtually explode.

      We also are nurturers, providing love, empathy, kindness and comfort to others in times of need. We are that shoulder to cry on, and are strong enough to handle any situation that may arise. Soft inside, yet tough throughout! Yes, the situation may be a struggle and take all we’ve got, but when it comes to those we love and causes we are passionate about, we give it our all.

      God has loved woman since the beginning. The very first woman, Eve, was given that name by Adam because she was the “mother of all the living”. Pretty impressive title! Following her were some pretty incredible women in the Old Testament—Miriam, Ruth, Judith, Esther, to name a few. The New Testament has many courageous and spiritual women as well, including Jesus’ mother, Mary, the Blessed Virgin, and Elizabeth, sisters Martha and Mary, Mary of Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, etc.

      As women, we need to truly understand what this means. We are made in the likeness of God, and that means he loves us unconditionally, no matter what we have said, done, thought, etc.

      Even on the days where we feel defeated by life’s struggles and challenges and feel like throwing in the towel, or maybe it’s just PMS or we’re having a tremendously bad hair day in this humid, Houston weather. Regardless, he loves every hair on our head and will take care of us, so we in return can take care of others. We just need to keep complete faith in Him and believe.

“And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. As the scripture says, ‘He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever’.” 2 Corinthians, 9:8-9

      We can’t see him, but we intuitively know him. We are God’s hands and hearts here on earth, and we are loved and cared for by him, we must do the same for others. Doesn’t that sound like the role we mothers play here on earth. Care-takers. Nurturers. Wives. Sisters. Friends. You name it. God made us just the way we are and loves us unconditionally.

      And, most like Olivia, we should all be proud to declare, “I sure love being a woman!” I know God is proud!