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As a youngster, I was adventurous, headstrong, and I had no fear, or so it seemed. I would much rather be climbing trees, playing in the woods, and playing softball than playing with dolls, having tea parties, and wearing “girly” things.
If I had the choice between Barbie dolls or hot wheel cars, I preferred the cars, you could drag them through the mud and send them soaring over rock piles. They seem to rinse off and get cleaner than dolls. Don’t get me wrong, my sister and I had Barbie’s … Barbie cars, motor-home, airplane and even a Barbie house.
Yet, if my dad was working on the cars, I was there working with him. If he was riding three-wheelers (I know I am totally dating myself), I was there too. Growing up I was considered a tomboy, and my sister was the princess. It didn’t really matter much to me. I just knew, I would rather climb the tree and pretend to save the world, than dress up a doll and play house.
My little girl heroes were not Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella or Snow White. I am a romantic at heart, and so of course I loved the tales and stories of these princesses. I too dreamed and longed for my white knight, my prince, to one day come ad sweep me off my feet so I too could live in a castle. Oh the dreams of a little girl.
Truth be told, my heroes were Wonder Women and Xena Warrior Princess. I loved to watch these shows. (oh shoot, there I go again dating myself). I loved how both of these women whom I looked up to, were ordinary women by day, and yet they had a secret identity. You didn’t know they were real princesses, or that they even had special abilities or invisible planes and weapons like in Wonder Woman’s case.
The older I got, the more I decided I cared less about climbing trees, and more about dressing up and wearing girly things. I wanted to be seen as a princess. But I also wanted to be seen as adventurous and strong. I wanted to be seen as someone who had no limitations and could do things others considered impossible. If you told me I couldn’t do something, or if my parents told me not to do something, you could sure bet at some point I would push the line and do the very thing I was told not to do.
I am not sure how I got it in my head that I had to be one or the other. Maybe society. Maybe the church. Maybe my family, or my peers. Somewhere along the way, it became the norm to say that men were the knights in shining armor riding in to save the day, and that women were the damsels in distress. They were dainty princesses that needed to be cared for.
A young woman in medieval clothes with a bow and arrow stands beside the river with a Fox against the setting sun
Please don’t get me wrong here. I am all about having a knight in shining armor, which is the way I view my husband. I want to be loved and cared for and cherished as a women. I’m a daughter, a mom and one day I hope to be a grandmother. I am a princess. I am also strong, beautiful, independent, and fierce. I am a warrior.
Tweet ThisAs a kid and then young women reading the Bible, I would look at Esther and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and have a hard time relating. It always seemed the emphasis concerning Esther was always her beauty. It was her beauty that won over the King. She was a true princess, everyone loved her, and she was pampered and cared for.
Then there was Mary. She was young, innocent, and pure. She had dreams of a future with her knight in shining armor Joseph. Then everything changed, yet she never complained, or at least Scripture and Christmas movies and stories don’t depict it. It seems as a young women I viewed her as the angelic picture of motherhood, never complaining about giving birth in a stable, or having to travel so close to her due date. I am sure she never lost her temper and yelled at her husband or her children either.
It’s funny how our perception of who we are and what we should be can swing here and there often out of balance. It’s also interesting how our perception of what should be, also colors the way we see others or how we read Scripture.
In actuality, Esther, while she was a Queen (Princess), she was also a Warrior. She as strong, brave, smart, fierce, and fearless. She was willing to sacrifice her life and enter into the presence of the King knowing she might be killed. She knew when to speak and when to be silent. She had patience. She believed others more important than herself and she took a risk. She did what was right and necessary. She may have been beautiful to look at, but she was just as beautiful inside. Esther is a great example of what it means to be a Princess Warrior.
Mary, Jesus’ mother, was also a princess. She was chosen from a royal bloodline, to give birth to the King of the Jews. She was obedient, she was compassionate, loving, and caring. She was also strong and brave. I mean, think about it. She knew Jesus had a higher calling than to stay in the village being a carpenter. She had a prophecy given to her 8 days after Jesus was born that ‘a sword would pierce her own soul too.’ She may not have known about the cross exactly, but she knew suffering, loss, and pain lie ahead, because of who her son was. She was a caring loving mother, and she was a Warrior.
You and I are too. We are called to be both Princesses and Warriors. God has called us His daughters, and Scripture tells us we are His sons/daughters. So we are Princesses. However, He also calls us to be Warriors. We are told throughout Scripture that we are in a spiritual battle and how to prepare for the battle. We are called to be fearless and stand our ground. (Ephesians 6)
I’m glad we have more movies and images now for our young women,that show both aspects of our very nature and character as women. Images and words that say, “Strong is Beautiful.”
I love the movie Ever After with Drew Barrymore playing Cinderella. She is a fiery, confident women, who can stand up for what is right, and yet, she longs to be seen as beautiful. She desires to be cared for and cherished by the man she is in love with. She is a Princess Warrior. Oh, and then there is the Disney Movie Brave with Warrior Princess Merida. She is not your average princess and would much rather being doing the warrior “stuff.” Throughout the movie she learns to balance the two aspects of who she is. She is a Warrior Princess.
We are all called to be both… Princess and Warrior!
The key is to have both identities balanced within us at the same time. It is who God has called us to be!
Arise and Shine, take your rightful place as a daughter of the King. He is a Great and mighty Warrior, and you are His Warrior Princess!
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My Post “Climb Every Mountain” was featured in the August monthly link-up at : Life on Intention Link-up Party
My Post: “The Journey through Change” was featured here:
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What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings
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Love that: princess AND a warrior – which you are, Deb!
Well, Sue, I hope I am both… at different times one is more than the other, but they are both in me! And you both too
Yes to everything you said. This is a truly inspirational post. Esther is one of my Old Testament heroes along with Ruth and Naomi. They relied on their brains and not just their looks. They did not blindly accept the way things were, but fought for justice for themselves and others.
Thanks for sharing on Friday Frivolity.
Thank you Audrey! You are so right, they did not blindly accept things, but fought for justice. I love how you said that. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
I like the princess and the warrior together In one place????????
It is good we are Battle ready at all times even in our princess dresses.
Hugs
Yes exactly Ifeoma! Thanks for visiting and I love what you said – battle ready at all times even in our princess dress!
After reading this, I have a song in my head – Twila Paris’ “The Warrior is a Child,” do you know it? Thanks for sharing with us at #FridayFrivolity this week!
Oh wow, Lisa, I haven’t heard or thought of that song in years. I had to look it up to see if it was something that I actually knew . LOL thanks for bringing it to memory, and for stopping by
Debbie this is right on. I loved Xena too by the way. 🙂 I was about 50/50 with the girly girl and tom boy growing up. I liked feeling pretty but couldn’t go without climbing trees and trekking through the creek behind our house. I think this is so insightful. My favorite parts were about Mary and Esther. Thanks for sharing!!
When I was young I read a ton of Nancy Drew books, she was a hero in my book. And the Bionic woman. I didn’t really identify with Princesses, but with real women that were pretty and heroic.
As an adult I found Ester to be someone who was a hero to me. In fact I told a friend about her and my admiration and she called me Nikki Ester! That made my day. Mary is beyond my understanding. She was a woman of total faith, she amazes me! Ester saved her people, but Mary saved all the people. Both women because their faith was so big. Incredible. Both women that we should be showing our children as role models.
Oh man, I loved Nancy Drew too – and the Hardy boy mysteries.. I devoured those books. I like that your friend called you Nikki Esther – that is awesome… It helps us to relate to those in the Bible, and believe that God would choose to use us as well. Yes, both women had such Huge Faith and they seemed fearless in walking out what needed to be done. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and who you relate to most. I enjoyed getting to know you a little better through your comment. 🙂