Needs (2)

I wrote about the needs of men yesterday. Today I want to point out the needs of women. As I said yesterday, both men and women can do some things the same (worship, read books, paint pictures, etc.). There are, however, some things that each needs specifically because they are created by God as a male or a female. And, once again, women can certainly do the things that men need to do, they just do not need it in the same way that men do. Similarly, men can do the things that women need to do, but they do not need to do them in the same way that women do.

The first thing that women need to do is to nurture. What does it mean to nurture? It is the care and oversight of the physical and spiritual development of something; although usually a human, this is not the only way that nurturing is done. Most women, of course, nurture their children. This is why the Trent Catechism says that women are supposed to be in the home caring for and nurturing their families, and men are supposed to be working (usually outside the home) providing for the family.

Most women will also find other ways to nurture. Here is one reason why so many women choose to go into vocations like nursing or teaching--it is caring for and helping those in need. There are many other ways that women seek to nurture, but all will seek it; they either seek it well, or seek it poorly, but it is somewhat unavoidable. Yes, of course, there are women who resist the idea of nurturing others, but they usually also have problems with femininity as a whole.

The second thing that women need is to beautify. This is related to nurturing in a similar way that protecting is similar to risking for men. When women are nurturing a human they are also seeking to bring a certain beauty to him or her. When women seek to beautify their homes and their families, they are also doing a nurturing activity. This is why every woman wants to "look pretty", which is not wrong in itself (as long as it is kept in balance); she is seeking to bring about her "best self".

Were women suddenly to stop beautifying things, the world would become a very ugly place. It is the grace of God in women that helps the disorganized parts of the world to be reorganized into beauty. God commanded Adam and Eve to tend the garden, and both do that in different ways. While men protect the garden, and are willing to risk their lives to do so, women will nurture the garden and beautify it. We work together (married or celibate does not change this) and in this way we serve God in wonderful unity.