"Aint I a Woman?"

This phrase is known by many.

Recently, I've been considering what it means to be a woman.

I didn't shave my legs until about my junior year in high school - I'm sure some girls start as soon as fifth grade

I didn't wear make-up until I started student teaching.

I never wore anything but jeans and t-shirts until this fall.

I never put anything in my hair until last year.

Notice a pattern?

While I am attempting to begin to prepare myself to be a professional woman in the world, part of me wonders if the girl I was will get left behind.

The one that knew she didn't have to dress up, make-up, or worry about excessive leg hairs. ha. Yet I never felt unwomanly.

I recently was talking to a friend, about how girls have brought into so many things that they think they need to be "beautiful." I watched an old episode of "America's Next Top Model" last night. Just think, if a girl asked to be photographed without make-up, what would happen?

Who are we trying to impress? We all know that under the make-up every woman has flaws.

Do men think we need it too? I know my fiance def. doesn't think I need it.

I mean, our skin probably gets so messed up and wrinkly because we put so many weird things on it.

Anyways, thinking about this sometimes makes me annoyed that certain things are required. I do not think that make-up makes us more or less beautiful. Nor do I think skirts and dresses and high heels make us more or less feminine.

I hope my man, if we ever have a daughter together, will tell his babies they are beautiful.

There is a book called "Captivating". It's about women. It's a really girly book about what it is to be a woman.

I tried to read it, but, honestly, if you already feel like you are beautiful, the words the author writes can seem silly. Of course a woman is beautiful. Of course I am beautiful. (Secret: I am not beautiful because of how I look).

The most beautiful souls are sometimes covered in the strangest of skin. I have met so many beautiful people here. I once thought of people's spirits as "eternal souls". Getting down to people's souls is really amazing.

just some thoughts.