Monday, August 13, 2007

Girl or Woman?

Which are You?

Does it depend upon Your mood, upon the circumstances, upon the person speaking to You?

A few years ago, I read a beautiful column in which the author explained how She had enjoyed being a Girl, but was a Girl no longer but a Woman and expected to be thusly addressed.

Today, I read a column in which the author explained that She liked being called a Girl and found the term Woman to be bland. She longed for days when it was normal and acceptable to call an adult a Girl.

And as I write this, of course Neil Diamond is playing in my head:

"Girl, you'll be a Woman soon..."

10 comments:

Amar Mandair said...

Woman..ummm..Empress actually (lol!)

Odat said...

When one is a girl we long to be a woman, once a woman, we want to be girls.. Great post!

Eastcoastdweller said...

Empress: Well, that solved the problem nicely.

Odat: Thanks for the compliment and welcome to my blog! Your quirky humor is a delight!

Lynda said...

I am both... There is this girl who lives within this woman I am, and, as needed, though sometimes not, the girl can make the woman seem more playful, vulnerable, and, creative... I like the girl in me, but, I am All Woman!

Lynda said...

Oh, forgot;;; great post indeed...

Eastcoastdweller said...

Lyn: May that little Girl within You live forever, cherished and loved, and the same for the Woman that guards Her!

Do any of You Ladies ever remember objecting, as grown-ups, to being called Girls? Or dislike being called Women?

I'm curious, because as I stated, the two columnists who inspired this post had completely opposite opinions.

Rebecca said...

Hmmm. I am a woman in my outer life. But when I am home being a wife and mother, or just being social with my buddies, far away from my professional life, the roles are not as clearly delineated.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Rebecca: It is a known fact that children struggle with the concept first, that their Mama was ever a little Girl; then, that She is still in many ways a Girl.

A few years ago, I brought back some foreign coins from somewhere and showed them to my parents.

"May I have this one?" my Mother asked, picking out a certain specimen.

It was a simple, child-like request, a desire to add something to Her coin collection of which I had only the vaguest knowledge.

Mermaid Melanie said...

It depends. A woman when in bed, a girl everywhere else... is that kosher?

Eastcoastdweller said...

It seems to me most of the Ladies are of the opinion that the dictionary definition is the default; in cases of customization, a man should take his cue from the Lady in question.