Grace.  What does this word mean to us today?  It seems that in today’s world, with its technological advances, with our ability to do more than we ever dreamed possible, we have lost one of the fundamental parts of our nature.

When the feminist movement caught on, we saw marvelous opportunities open for woman.  The right to vote, the right to be able to hold an until recently “male” jobs, the right to not have to nor be expected to be a “house wife”.

Yet, in the process, it seems we have lost something.  It’s almost as if when we asked for equal rights, we all put on a hard hat.  We were determined to show those men that we were every bit as capable and intelligent as they were.  But the truth of the matter is, we are in fact, female.  We have feminine qualities.  While I am all for embracing and standing up for equal rights, I also believe in loving the feminine part of myself as well.  The side which is nurturing, loving, the side that can hold her calm even as she stands tall.

When you watch an old movie, one with Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor or Audrey Hepburn, you will notice that they embody a certain charm, a charisma.  When they walk into a room they have the gift of presence.  Even just watching them on the TV, we can sense this presence.  It is as if they know some magical secret of what it is to be a strong woman, and all that entails.

You feel almost hypnotized just watching and listening to them.  This is what we have lost.  This secret something called Grace.

As my motherhood has blossomed, it is so hard sometimes to find the balance between work, self-preservation, and being a good mother and wife.  I hope you will join me on this journey, as I strive to live with intention, and to find what it is to be a woman, a mother, a wife of true grace.