What does it mean to be a lady?

Is it grace?

Is it poise?

Is it decorum or modesty?

Yes.

No.

I read a blog post that posed the question “what is a lady” after which the author went on to say she was not a lady and didn’t want to be. It irked me a little. Because this woman seems to be so accepting in everything else, and then she kind of sort of disses something that I’ve always thought of as goal-worthy. So then I wondered why she didn’t like the idea of lady-like-ness. And then I wondered why I did. And then I wondered what was stopping me from defining what it means to me. I was going to comment and say something, but then over a hundred people already had and I figured one more wasn’t going to make any difference to her or to anyone else. But anyways, a lady is something I strive to be. I don’t think that being a lady means being stuffy, wearing dresses all the time, or even having good posture. I don’t think being a lady means having a soft silky voice, staying a wallflower, or even being timid and withdrawn. I believe fully that being a lady is deep. Deeper than mere actions or looks or perceptions. Deep inside the heart of a woman, she must know her God and herself. Being a lady means loving yourself (because God loves you) and loving others (because God loves them too). Being a lady means standing up for what you believe in, because it’s never okay to go with the flow when the flow leads you to destruction. Being a lady means being discreet, yes, but it also means being strong and courageous. Being a lady means being sensitive to others needs, but it certainly does not mean that the primary goal of life should be trying to make other people happy. To be more than a mere mortal, to be an eternal lover and constant worshipper of our great and glorious God almighty, is to be a lady.

No less.

Song stuck in my head right now: ‘Cosmic Love’ by Florence and the Machine

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