Friday, July 27, 2007

Girl, Lady or Woman?

Rob brought to my attention yesterday that I had described myself twice as a "girl" instead of a lady or woman in what I wrote in my blog profile. I had not noticed the use of "girl" and had thought nothing about it. Writing a profile is not easy. I don't often have to describe myself to others and wasn't sure what to say so I just wrote something at the time knowing that it probably wouldn't sound quite right. I just wanted to get something written to put on the profile.

If you're like me, you probably have an age that you always kind of think of yourself as being. I don't remember a lot of my early childhood. My more vivid memories really don't start until I was about twelve, and even those are a bit sparse. Maybe it's partially because I stopped growing taller at that age, but for whatever reason I still kind of think of myself as still being a 12-year-old kid. It's amazing to me that I am now a working adult that a company has hired. Where did the time go?

I've read that typically first and second born children look up to their parents and from a small child desire to be grown up like them. Children further down in the birth order are often being told they are too young to do what their siblings do. They look up to their siblings and just desire to be "big like them." In my case, I think this is partially true. While growing up, I could never really imagine being an adult. I guess I didn't really think I would live that long, or maybe I just didn't like to think about the great unknown world of adulthood.

Here are a few definitions of girl, lady and woman.

girl: a female child, from birth to full growth; a young immature woman;

lady: a woman who is refined, polite, and well-spoke; a woman of high social position or economic class; any woman; female; feminine

woman: the female human being; an adult female peson; female

Based on these definitions I don't wish to be called a girl since it could indicate immaturity, I am a woman, and I guess I wish to be a lady.

I have always tended to think the word lady indicated someone who is conceited and feels she is above someone else. I think of a woman as being someone older or larger than me. I think of a girl as someone who has energy and probably someone who is single and likes to have fun. Apparently my definitions don't exactly match up with correct dictionary definitions. I guess I should go back and write a better blog profile!

3 comments:

PoetLady said...

I noticed you used the word girl in your profile and meant to mention it to you. I guess the main thing is I kind of envied that you felt like a girl because I don't anymore and I am only 2 years older.

Feel free to describe yourself how you feel. Do you remember how Grandma Nordholm always spoke of her friends of "me and the girls playing bridge"?

For mental age, I usually feel around 7 years old...and then a kid will call me "mom" and I will think, "me? a mom? I need a mom myself..."

I have to end this more later maybe.

Maria

Anna and Miriam said...

I've read that typically first and second born children look up to their parents and from a small child desire to be grown up like them. Children further down in the birth order are often being told they are too young to do what their siblings do. They look up to their siblings and just desire to be "big like them."

Hmm... So maybe I'm more like a first or second-born? Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be grown up. I always thought I was more grown up and mature than I actually was, which was probably annoying to you all! =) Maybe it's because I had 3 older sisters, so I wanted to be grown up and "adultish" like them. ;-)

Now, however, I'm getting old! 17... wow. Okay, okay, still pretty young!

Anyways, I need to go to bed. See you tomorrow!

Anna Naomi said...

Um, by the way, that ^ was me.