In this installment of Saturdays With Cindy (check out past episodes here), I talk about the importance of supporting and building other women up to create strong communities of confident and respectful women who will lead the way for generations to come.
Just Cindy
Sometimes, the best is yet to be. That's what baby boomer and fashion model Cindy Joseph has discovered as she's grown older and wiser. Here, she shares the lessons she's learned.
Hi Cindy! Beautiful and spot on, as usual. I found your example regarding giving compliments to other women hitting close to home with me. A long time ago (when I was much younger) I realized how good it made me feel whenever someone, usually out-of-the-blue, gave me a compliment. It could make my day and gradually my low self-esteem improved. I decided that I would make it a point to try to give other women compliments on a regular basis and it was/is always such a joy to see their pleased reactions and dare I say usually, surprised reactions. As I have gotten older the compliments I receive from other women are fewer and further between to the point of being extremely rare. I still give them out to other women myself, not gratuitously, but always genuinely. I think what you say about ‘jealously’ might be what keeps women from complimenting each other and that is quite sad. My self esteem at this point is pretty well intact but it would be nice if other women realized just how much they can empower or just cheer someone up with just the teeniest, tiniest compliment. A women complimenting another woman is just the best and always seems so warm & real.
Thank you for putting it out there and maybe, as you say, just maybe, small, but significant changes will occur.
thanks.
Hi Cindy,
I agree with everything you said here. Truly I do. Except I do have a comment.
It is not the strong relationships between women that are going to change the world and create peace. It is the relationships between each woman (and man) and their child. The world is now and will always be a reflection of the family unit. Women need to value the gift of children that they are given, and their relationships with them, above all else. Above their careers. Above their education. Even above their relationships with other women. We all know now that a child who is raised with a mother who nurtures that child from her own breasts is healthier physically than a child who is not. It is also true that love is not affection. Affection is an emotion. Love is an act. Love equals sacrifice. A mother who drops her child off at the day care center for 8 to 10 hours a day so that she can have a careers (and no, I am not talking about single parents who have no choice but to do this) is not showing the same amount of love as someone who could make money and have more things if she dropped her kid off at the day care, but instead she stays home and plays with her child, teaches her child, and gives her child all the time and attention she has. THIS child grows up now to feel secure and loved. In turn, this child wants nothing more than to make others feel secure and loved. A child that is not raised by such a mother, (or is raised by an addicted parent, or an abusive parent), grows up to feel bad about themselves and insecure. As a result this person has a difficult time making others feel loved and secure because YOU CANNOT GIVE WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE. So you see, it’s the relationship between women and their children that is going to change the world. Not the relationships between women and other women. Women need to value their children and their needs to love and peace in the home. Otherwise, their will never be love and peace in the world. But, that’s just my opinion : )