Life in the "co-ed" world.
I've lived amongst the guys for almost a month now. How is it?, you might ask.
Overall, its been great. I definitely miss having girls my age around, especially fellowshiping with girls the way I did at college. I really miss that, and feel spiritually "starved" in that area. But being around guys has its pluses.
Reflecting on the matter earlier today, its like I've become a woman since moving in here. Not 'woman' in the traditional married, no longer a virgin sense, but 'woman' in that i seem to have found my place as a female in the company of guys. Let me explain. Contrary to the feminist version of what a female should do-- the whole equality amongst the sexes thing-- I've come to accept, develop, and embrace the feminine. The man who owns the house I live in repeatedly calls me "ma'am" and one of the other guys in the house often calls me "little miss". My 'feminine' presence in the house is acknowledged by the guys here.
I'm learning/have learned to come under male leadership and still function 'normally' (i.e. independently, self-reliantly...as i would at college). I've learned/am learning to accept/embrace/act within gender confines at the workplace and not just in a dating relationship: just because my supervisor is male, that doesn't mean I stop being 'female'. Indeed, even though its "the workplace" he still expects to open doors for me and the like. Yet there's "not even a hint of immortality" at work: its written in the bylaws that no single female/male can be alone with a person of the opposite gender in a confined space (building, room, car, etc.). While this might seem odd to many, its something that I have really come to appreciate and welcome in the past couple of weeks. [Like it at home, no person of the opposite gender can come into a person's room.]
Another thing that I really appreciate from ALL the guys I associate with regularly, is they maintain a distance from me emotionally. One of my weaknesses is easily/quickly forming emotional attachments [becoming "emotionally promiscuity"] with guys. Several readers may recall my struggles with this sin last year (particularly this past spring). Yet, I really can't say that this has been a struggle for me since moving here. While I do converse with guys [and quite a bit considering my housing situation] none of the conversations [yet] have lead to emotional promiscuity. I'm really thankful that they are "building towers of silver on [me]" and "enclosing [me] with panels of cedar"(refer to Song of Songs 8:8-9)-- both physically AND emotionally. Far more so than any other group of guys I've been around. I'm grateful for their integrity and my [future] husband will really appreciate it.
One final thought is that when I accept and embrace my femininity, willingly come under their leadership, and allow the guys to do things like open doors for me and follow behind me when walking single file, I'm allowing them to be the men that God intended them to be, as well as becoming more of the women that God intended me to be. It's a win-win situation: we as women just have to humble ourselves enough to let them do it for us [or encourage the guys to do so if they aren't already so inclined]. :-)
I've lived amongst the guys for almost a month now. How is it?, you might ask.
Overall, its been great. I definitely miss having girls my age around, especially fellowshiping with girls the way I did at college. I really miss that, and feel spiritually "starved" in that area. But being around guys has its pluses.
Reflecting on the matter earlier today, its like I've become a woman since moving in here. Not 'woman' in the traditional married, no longer a virgin sense, but 'woman' in that i seem to have found my place as a female in the company of guys. Let me explain. Contrary to the feminist version of what a female should do-- the whole equality amongst the sexes thing-- I've come to accept, develop, and embrace the feminine. The man who owns the house I live in repeatedly calls me "ma'am" and one of the other guys in the house often calls me "little miss". My 'feminine' presence in the house is acknowledged by the guys here.
I'm learning/have learned to come under male leadership and still function 'normally' (i.e. independently, self-reliantly...as i would at college). I've learned/am learning to accept/embrace/act within gender confines at the workplace and not just in a dating relationship: just because my supervisor is male, that doesn't mean I stop being 'female'. Indeed, even though its "the workplace" he still expects to open doors for me and the like. Yet there's "not even a hint of immortality" at work: its written in the bylaws that no single female/male can be alone with a person of the opposite gender in a confined space (building, room, car, etc.). While this might seem odd to many, its something that I have really come to appreciate and welcome in the past couple of weeks. [Like it at home, no person of the opposite gender can come into a person's room.]
Another thing that I really appreciate from ALL the guys I associate with regularly, is they maintain a distance from me emotionally. One of my weaknesses is easily/quickly forming emotional attachments [becoming "emotionally promiscuity"] with guys. Several readers may recall my struggles with this sin last year (particularly this past spring). Yet, I really can't say that this has been a struggle for me since moving here. While I do converse with guys [and quite a bit considering my housing situation] none of the conversations [yet] have lead to emotional promiscuity. I'm really thankful that they are "building towers of silver on [me]" and "enclosing [me] with panels of cedar"(refer to Song of Songs 8:8-9)-- both physically AND emotionally. Far more so than any other group of guys I've been around. I'm grateful for their integrity and my [future] husband will really appreciate it.
One final thought is that when I accept and embrace my femininity, willingly come under their leadership, and allow the guys to do things like open doors for me and follow behind me when walking single file, I'm allowing them to be the men that God intended them to be, as well as becoming more of the women that God intended me to be. It's a win-win situation: we as women just have to humble ourselves enough to let them do it for us [or encourage the guys to do so if they aren't already so inclined]. :-)
1 Comments:
heh, Sweet!
:D
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Anonymous, at 10:09 AM
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