Brave Enough To Be Bliss

and remember that you can’t control pedestrian s , but you can control yourself and for everyone’s safety, it never hurts to give a little extra space.

I grew up in small towns where people tend to wave more frequently, and Table Rock Lake felt like that, as many people waved as they passed me. I had the same observation again: more men than women. And not that I’m anything to look at , but even when my daughter was with me and we passed by construction workers or male drivers, no man said or did anything inappropriate. And I think it was a decent sample size and it would have been statistically significant if I had been recording the data.

When things make me curious, I think about them.

T hat made me recall a women’s business event I went to within the past year. There was a lot of conversation about how men mistreated women, kept them down in the workplace, etc. I thought about saying something since that hasn’t been my experience, but I didn’t. I decided to just listen and then afterward asked a friend who was there if she had experienced anything like what they were talking about. She said no and I told her I hadn’t either. And yet, we both sat quietly and let the discussion of how bad men are go on without one word. But if the tables were turned and men were bashing on women, we sure as hell would speak up. We would have been defensive because that’s what unhealed pain and fear does to people. Certainly, there are too many men who hurt women in a variety of ways. And it is awful, and I excuse none of it. But too often, we women lump all men into the same category. A lot of us have been hurt by some of them, making them the enemy and making us want to band together against them instead of banding together to find non-fear-based solutions to the issue. The comment was made at this event that we need to create our own “table , ” not try to join the men’s table. But that would only prove that we are like the men who tried to keep women from the table in the first place. Separating even further by going to battle only leaves wounded victims, but utilizing our strengths as women could actually bring all of us humans together and eventually create more equality if we choose to make peace, not war. That wouldn’t have worked years ago, and I greatly admire the wom en who came before us and did have to battle it out, but I think there’s another way now that would prove more effective. The way things have been going is leading to more discord in our personal relationships and that is worrisome to me. As with all songs there are various interpretations of the meaning of this song. But that’s what is great about songs, they can mean whatever we want them to personally. I t doesn’t even matter what they meant to the writer or performer or anyone else. When I first heard this song, I really loved the sound of it, but after adding it to my playlist and listening a few times, I found the words troubling, knowing young girls are listening to it. Years ago, I would have sung along, feeling justified in keeping my armor on and showing how strong I am on the outside, never letting anyone in …but on the inside really feeling…scared and alone. And that is no way for anyone, male or female, to live.

Sia - Unstoppable (Lyrics) - YouTube

I put my armor on, show you how strong I am I put my armor on, I'll show you that I am

Break down, only alone I will cry out loud You'll never see what's hiding out Hiding out deep down I know, I've heard that to let your feelings show Is the only way to make friendships grow But I'm too afraid now

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