My sweet girls,
The 2016 election is over and, to the surprise of millions, Donald Trump was victorious over Hillary Clinton.
I won’t go into any of the politics and details of the candidates or of the policies or the pros and cons of our new president elect. I’m only interested in talking to you about the idea that Hillary failed to break the glass ceiling in her defeat.
It is not true.
Not because she did break it, but because it was not there to begin with.
Haven, Laelynn, throughout your lives you will probably hear the term, “glass ceiling,” used often. It is the idea that an invisible barrier lays between you and a certain goal or position or award simply because you are female. The glass ceiling is something that we like to talk about “breaking” or “shattering” when we succeed in something that had not been achieved by a woman before.
I want you to understand something about glass ceilings. They are something made up by people who need to blame something when they fail. It is a way to comfort yourself by reasoning that you failed to reach the height of achievement because something invisible was in your way.
Now, of course, there is resistance to new things and new ideas. Of course it is difficult and unfair when you run into difficulties just because you are a girl. Those struggles are real and they will be a fact in your life; but don’t blame something invisible.
Call it out by name and then overcome it.
Life is not fair to anyone of any sex or race. Do not bring a bad name to yourselves or your sex by whining about it. What we, and all races and both sexes, really need are people who live with courage and kindness and do it in a mature and gracious way.
Show compassion to people who don’t deserve it. Be gracious when the situation is unfair. Forgive the offenders even if they fail to apologize. Apologize to people who you do wrong. Become stronger and have courage when you face something bigger than you think you can do. When you do face defeat, learn from it without bitterness. Do your best to live out the characteristics of the God you serve and represent.
Don’t worry about “glass ceilings”; we all face challenges. Just be your own, individual, wonderful you.
Love, Mommy
