Here's The Story of A Lovely Lady...

"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.  Never excuse yourself."  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Emma Caroline Freeman, mother of 8. She had 6 boys, 1 girl and 1 baby boy who didn't make it past 2 weeks. She ran a boarding house in her tiny Arkansas town and expected everyone in her household to work as hard as she did.

Mattie "Martha" Shearouse, mother of 5. She had 3 daughters and 2 sons. At one time or another, she was choir director for all 3 of Orlando's big churches: Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian. Her house was always filled with music and her children never dared make a peep during a church service.

Phyllis Ruth Van Winkle was the 3rd of 6 children. She grew up in The Great Depression, living in Kansas, California, and Colorado. She remembers having to wear her shoes long after she had outgrown them because there was no money for new ones. Her feet have always given her problems as a result.  She was always laughing and socializing. She became a very attractive young woman and won several beauty contest. The small college she attended hosted many a USO dance during World War II and it was here that Phyllis shared a dance with legendary movie star, Clark Gable. It was also at one of these dances that she met E.C. Freeman, a young B-24 bombardier in the United States Army Air Corps. It was love at first sight and they were married 5 months later. She was 17 and needed her parents' permission. They gave it. They were married on a Monday and E.C. was shipped out on Tuesday night. Phyllis was sent to Arkansas to live with her new husbands family. She didn't know how to cook, but was determined to learn. The war finally ended and they began to make a life. They started several small businesses. Their 2 sons were followed by a daughter, Phyllis Jean Freeman, my mom.

My grandmother, Phyllis, was awarded "Woman of The Year" by her community in 1977.

Elizabeth Abbott Smith was an only child and adored by both her parents. She too grew up in the Great Depression and remembers it all well. Living her whole life in Florida, she loved the beach and being in the sun. She remembers life without air conditioning and hurricanes that came without warning. She was always smiling even when there wasn't much to smile about. She was always confident of her parents love although she had to be the "stable" one in the household. She too became a very attractive young woman and even ended up on the cover of a magazine. She met George Marion Shearouse III when she was 16 and remained faithfully devoted to him forever after. They were finally married in 1950 and began to make a life.
 Their 2 sons were followed by a daughter, Rebecca Carolynn Shearouse, my aunt.
Betty taught children for 40 years and started every day with
 "Room 303 is a happy place to be". 

On the day my grandmother retired, the Mayor of Orlando proclaimed it
 "Betty Shearouse Day".

My family is full of amazing, outstanding, successful women. Teachers, nurses, attorneys, mothers, and ministers. All of them were brought up to be not only honest and hardworking, but also to be ladies. They are polite and well spoken. Sure, they have their moments of reaction like everyone else, but they were taught from an early age that how you treat others matters very much. 

Recently, there was a young woman in my vicinity who was obviously never taught how to treat other people. She seemed to have zero regard for anyone else. Most people would write her off as a spoiled brat, but I am feeling more and more as if a large majority of today's young females have no concept of what it means to be a "lady". I am smacked in the face daily with their inappropriate clothing, speech and gestures. I observe their disrespect and gag at the constant excuse of "That's just the way she is" or "At least she isn't afraid to tell you how she feels".  

Please. 

Don't get me wrong-I'm not saying ALL young girls fall into this category. I have the pleasure of knowing quite a few who understand the right and wrong way to behave.

And as a mother of young girls, I am reminded continuously that they are watching my every move. They hear every word that comes out of my mouth and they will no doubt repeat them. It's my job to raise them to be motivated, well-mannered, and trustworthy. 


It is also my job to make sure they aren't walking around exposing their bodies, spewing profanities or prominently displaying their middle fingers. I am in no way implying that I want my girls to become doormats who sit in the corner and never say a word. But, I am determined that they will respect people and themselves. I am also determined that they will follow the example that my mom, aunt, cousins, grandmothers and great-grandmothers set for them. Maybe the young woman that I encountered wasn't given any such examples. Maybe she will choose to grow up a little and treat others the way she wants to be treated. 


If you are a woman in my family and you are reading this, thank you. I hope I have never done anything to embarrass you or cause you to have to make up excuses for my behavior. I am proud to come from a long line of such lovely ladies. :)


Let's keep it up!