At camp this year, we learned about the people of India, their culture, and their religion. I think we had great discussions, learning together about these people on the other side of the world.
I wanted to make sure that you heard about an amazing news story from India. There were many girls who had been given the names "Nakusa" or "Nakushi" as a baby, which are words that mean "unwanted." There was something about these baby girls that made their family say, "We don't want you. And we don't want you soooo much, that we are going to tell the whole world that by naming you Unwanted." For most of them, it was just the fact that they were born a girl, not a boy.
What would it be like to grow up with the name "Unwanted"? Every time your mother calls you to set the table, or your brother asks you to play a game, or your father wakes you up in the morning - every time someone says your name, they remind you that you are not enough. Your name means that you are a burden to your family. You are not wanted in your own family.
As a mother, as a camp counselor, as a camp director, and as a human being, this breaks my heart. What I have always wanted for my girls (which is every single girl that I have ever counseled or directed in a camp) is that they know there is someone else on this earth that cares for them. My prayer is always for peace and safety for my girls. No matter what else happens in your life, there are people who love you. You are loved. You are a child of God. You are special! You are wanted!
Last month, a district in India held a mass ceremony where 285 girls were able to choose their own name. Some chose names with happy meanings, some chose strong names, and others chose names of Bollywood stars. They will have the memories of their childhood forever, but now they have the chance to take back their lives and find an inner purpose for themselves.
You are smart. You are strong. You are beautiful.
The entire article can be found here.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Best Halloween Costume
Halloween was yesterday. I had such a fun time dressing up and going trick-or-treating with my daughter! But what I saw when I was shopping, and what I saw when I was trick-or-treating, was kind of terrifying... super-sexy, short or mini skirts. And it's freakin' cold, because we're in the Pacific Northwest! Who does that?!? Oh, the 10-35 year olds.
There is never a need for a young woman to dress that way, at any age. When I was 12, dressing in those clothes meant that you were dressing as a hooker for halloween. Now, the Princess costume is too short, the Little Red Riding Hood costume shows cleavage, and the french maid... the French Maid has been an symbol of exotic sex for old white men for so long. I do not understand why a woman would ever want to wear it, let alone a teenage girl.
What is the best outfit you could ever wear? You! You are smart, strong, and beautiful. You do not need a short skirt or a low-cut shirt. You do not need to put yourself on display. You can be fun, crazy, kooky and cute - without being provacative.
This is a link to an blog written by a teenage girl, and her experience shopping for a Halloween costume (with her mom!):
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