Tonight it took me fifteen minutes to open a tin food storage can of sugar. After a long and hard struggle with the can opener, two bruised hands, and a pretty good sized cut, I finally managed to forcefully pry the mangled top off of the stubborn can. All for about a tablespoon of sugar to finish making dinner. The babies were running a muck. The seven year old was picking a fight with the five year old. To refrain from killing the dog, I had shut her in the basement. After a nine hour work shift on my feet, I was so ready for someone else to intervene. And then I caught myself thinking: "Maybe this right here is the reason we need men. To open the dang can of sugar."
That thought right there is exactly what inspired this whole idea. Although the kids and dog aren't mine, they may as well have been tonight, and who says I need a man? I can work a whole day and then come home to make German pancakes, have a dance party, reprimand misbehaving little hooligans, change two explosive diapers, conduct bath and bedtime, and still have everyone in bed half an hour early. All without any type of man by my side. I'm sure there are so many lessons to learn here. I can practically hear my mommy saying, "You don't need a man to do it for you, just one to know who you are and help you along the way." And my aunt insists, "You're better off as you for now, but eventually you'll settle, when the time is right." My brother presses his opinion into my mind with an impactful "What are you waiting for? Find yourself a man!"
After all these options, though, I'm only taking one thing away from my sugar can experience: If I think I need a strong, masculine presence to do the tough things for me, maybe it's just simply time for me to start going to the gym.
Here's to all the single ladies. Because we can do hard things.
