Dignified. What a strange word that is. According to Dictionary.com it means:
Having or expressing dignity.
Dignity means:
- The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect.
- Inherent nobility and worth: the dignity of honest labor.
- Poise and self-respect. Stateliness and formality in manner and appearance.
- The respect and honor associated with an important position.
- A high office or rank.
- dignities — the ceremonial symbols and observances attached to high office.
- Archaic. A dignitary.
What happens when we get older that we suddenly hold dignity above all other things in public? I’m sure your asking yourself what would inspire such a bizarre diatribe well let me set the scene for you.
This morning most of Scotland awoke to a sight not seen here much anymore, six inches of freshly fallen snow. It was such a sight to behold as children all over Scotland must have thought the same thing I did – Snow!
After writing a quick article about Milosevic (doing my bit for the grown-up world) I got dressed in my warmest, wintriest gear and headed out for a walk and a bit of fun in the snow with my daughter. Where I proceeded to tromp through the beautiful pristine patches of untouched snow with glee, make snow angles with the kids and just generally have a great load of fun.
As I watched all the adults out with their children the fathers doing as I was doing i.e. partaking, with lighthearted abandon, in all the fun of a snowy day and the mothers stood aside and shook their heads at me. In amongst the head shakers I saw my friend and the mother of one of the children I had been playing with. I asked her why she wouldn’t join us and I got a look – from all the mothers actually – of utter revulsion. It’s not dignified she sniffed at me.
Dignified, I thought as stomped through a previously untouched patch of snow, what isn’t dignified in the sheer joy of abandoned play. I was having a great time. I must have looked a sight but why would I care on a day like this? That’s when I began to wonder when women give up the ability to be bright-eyed and innocent about life? And why would we give it up?
It must be the fear of being judged by others. It can’t be for fun because it doesn’t look very fun and it certainly didn’t look very dignified standing in the cold and snow shaking, not only their heads, but the rest of their bodies too.
Today, for a few hours, I was able to forget the cynical and stressful world of the adult and play with my daughter and her friend’s as I triumphantly surrendered to my inner child. It was wonderful to see the world through the eyes of a child again even for just a couple of hours.
When I had finished playing with my daughter and her friends I came running up to my husband who was shaking his head with a big smile on his face and as he looked at my red raw cheeks, long red hair plastered to my head and blue-green eyes bright from the cold and exertion he could only say “you look as beautiful as an angel” – a remark which will earn him a another kind of undignified fun tonight, possibly until he can no longer walk.
Now that I have read the definition of dignified and dignity I think they were right I wasn’t acting dignified. Thank God!
I really liked the article and I can just picture the 3 of you being lovingly playful in the crisp whiteness!!!
I also sometimes wonder why we don’t have so much fun as women and me thinks it is because we are far more concerned with being preety and comfortable and to a bigger extent controling. It is hard to control others when having fun!!
I love your articles.
You may be right. Maybe some women find it hard to let go. To put aside the idea of being pretty. To give up the control and just have fun.
I love those moments when you see life with all it’s beauty and merriment as if you were still a child.
I would hate to give those up.