Our Noble Work

By Lynn, on December 9th, 2008%

“It’s a strange thing, but somehow we expect more of girls than of boys.  It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful.”

“What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way!  A woman’s task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness.  It’s a big task, too, Caddie–harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers.  It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things.  They have them just as much as the  men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness.  A woman’s work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man’s.  But no man could ever do it so well.”

Mr. Woodlawn speaking to his daughter, Caddie, from Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink.

I don’t know if I’ve ever read of a woman’s calling described so beautifully.  We finished Caddie Woodlawn last night, and it was such a lovely book.  It’s a book packed full of life lessons, opportunity to discuss history–both good and bad, and tangents that one could follow to a full heart’s content building a fabulous unit study.

Happy Reading.

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