In the lives of great women, men can find inspiration and encouragement. Get in touch with your feminine side- and lead a richer, fuller life.
Some have claimed that equality is a myth. “Men and women can’t do everything the other can do, so they’re not equal,” they claim. The problem with this argument is its misuse of the word equality, which doesn’t just mean ‘the same attributes’ but ‘the same measure’.
Men can’t carry babies but they can make babies. Try doing one without the other and you’ll understand what is meant by ‘equality’. Everyone has something to teach everyone, if they’re willing to learn. Just as men have some things to teach women, so do women have a few things to teach men.
Take a Stand
In medieval England, the beautiful Lady Godiva took pity on the poor. She asked her husband to stop taxing his tenants.
He laughed and said, “Sure, I’ll stop taxing them: when you ride through the streets naked.”
Lady Godiva stripped, mounted a horse, and rode through the streets. The husband realized she meant what she said and lifted the oppressive taxes.
Life is richer and fuller when it has a cause. However, any cause is meaningless unless you’re willing to ride naked on a horse for it.
Listen to the Voices
Joan of Arc was a 16-year-old peasant girl. She was working in a field when she heard the voice of God tell her that she was the savior of France. She put down her hoe and went to see the King. She led the French Army to victory again and again, finally, she was captured by the English and burnt as a witch.
Today, Joan is the national heroine of France. Who cares if people thought she was crazy? She died for her country, listened to her heart, and gave her troops someone to look up to. Listen to the voice of reason in your head and don’t worry what others might think.
Rescue Somebody
Once, the abolitionist Harriet Tubman rescued a man named Charles Nalle from slavery. She literally wrenched him out of the arms of his master and delivered him to safety. Reading the story of Nalle’s rescue is like reading fiction- only it’s for real.
Tubman could have stopped when she crossed the line to freedom. She didn’t. At constant risk to her own life, Tubman saved 300 people from lifelong servitude.
The Knight in Shining Armor is not merely a myth that someone made up. It is an ideal every man can live up to.
Set a Precedent
There has never been an Oprah Winfrey until now. She is many firsts rolled into one. One day, she was watching her Grandmother wash rich white people’s clothes in a washtub. “Pay attention, Oprah Gail, you’ll have to do this someday,” her grandmother said. Little Oprah looked at her Grandmother and knew deep in her soul, that she would never be anybody’s washerwoman.
You don’t have to fulfill anybody’s prophecy. Be your own man.
Be Ladylike
Ladies always dress appropriate to the occasion. Ladies don’t yell or lose their cool. A lady always knows when to leave and doesn’t tell everyone who will listen about her problems. A lady knows when to speak and when to listen. Ladies don’t get drunk. Ladies have good posture and ladies engage in charitable activities. A lady knows how to make the people around her feel honored. Ladies are not petty or catty.
Gentlemen should be more ladylike.
男人能在出色的女人的生活中找到灵感和鼓励。发掘你身上女性化的一面吧,把生活过的更丰富,更完整。
有人宣称平等只是一个神话:“男人和女人不可能完全做到对方能做的事情,所以两者间没有平等性”。这句话是有问题的,“平等”不是这么评判的,平等不等于要“做出同样的贡献”,平等是“相同的衡量标准”。
男人不能怀孕,但怀孕需要男人。如果你只靠自己试一试怀孕,你就会明白什么叫做“平等”。如果别人愿意学习,每个人都有些可以教给别人的东西。男人可以成为女人的老师,同样的,女人也有值得男人学习的地方。
坚定
中世纪的英国有位美丽的女士:葛黛娃夫人。她同情穷人,于是她让丈夫停止向租户征税。
丈夫大笑,说:“只要你脱光了骑马穿过大街,我就一定不征税了。
于是葛黛娃夫人脱掉了衣服,骑上马,穿过了街道。她的丈夫意识到她是认真的,于是不再压迫人们收税了。
当有目标的时候,生命变得更加丰富,更为完整。然而,只有拿出和葛黛娃夫人行为一样的勇气,目标才会有意义。
倾听
16岁的圣女贞德是个讨人喜欢的女孩子。有天当她在农间耕作的时候,她听到上帝的声音,上帝告诉她她是法国的救世主。她放下锄头,前去拜见皇帝。后来她带领法国军顶取得一次又一次的胜利,最后被英国俘虏,当成女巫被烧死。
如今贞德已成为法国的民族英雄。谁还在乎当时人们认为她是个疯子了?她倾听自己内心的声音,把军队交给了别人,然后为祖国而死。倾听你脑子里的理性声音,不要在意别人的眼光。
勇于救援
废奴主义者哈丽雅特塔布曼曾使一名名叫查尔斯的人免受奴隶之灾。她几乎是直接从查尔斯的主人手中救出查尔斯,把他送到安全的地方。读哈丽雅特塔布曼的援救故事就像读小说,只不过这是件真实发生的事情。
塔布曼在冲过代表自由的界限之后本可以停止了,但她没有。她冒着生命危险,救了300多人,使他们免受终生奴役。
披着光辉盔甲的骑上并不是编造出来的神话。他是每个男人的理想境界。
开创先例
从前没有象奥普拉那样的人。她开创了许多先例。有一天,她看着她的祖母在洗衣池里为富有的白色人洗衣服。她祖母说:“留心点,奥普拉盖尔,有一天你也得做这些事。”小奥普拉看着她的祖母,灵魂深处她意识到,她不要成为别人的洗衣服。
你不必履行任何人的预言。做你自己的人。
学习淑女的态度
在不同场合,淑女总是穿着得体。她们不会大声说话,也不会失态。淑女总是知道什么时候该离开,不会和任何愿意倾听她的人诉苦。淑女知道什么时候该开口说话,什么时候该倾听。她们不会喝醉。她们仪态端庄,参加慈善活动。知道如何让她身边的人感到骄傲。她们不唧唧歪歪,尖酸刻薄。