The difference between 'girl' and 'woman' is evidently not just one of age. You know that, surely, my darlings, so no need for Deb to explain further.
Anyways, I invented a little therapy exercise to try for myself as I sunbathed today. I wrote on a peace of paper (with a pen, as in olden times) twenty times 'I am a girl'. Then I wrote twenty times 'I am a boy'. Then 'I am a woman', then 'I am a man'.
Results: 'I am a girl' gave me the biggest thrill. 'I am a boy' I hated. I have always been thoroughly unboyish. My eyes felt slightly moist as I wrote 'I am a boy'. I think is particularly to do with all the 'boyishness' I had to endure when I was a child. They didn't give me a choice, did they? Iwas so totally conditioned, so totally repressed, that I didn't even get the chance to kick and scream and yell 'no! no! no!'. Sob.
'I am a woman' felt less sexy than 'I am a girl', but positive in a calmer, deeper way. By being 'woman' rather than 'girl' I am not all sexy girlishness, I incorporate my adult experience of all aspects of life, into a more robust, sensitive yet strong, integrated personality.
'I am a man' didn't feel so bad. It felt closer to 'I am an adult, a person of the world' than to 'I am a big boy'. The difference between 'man' and 'woman' was less than that between 'boy' and 'girl'.
Of the four, 'I am a woman' felt the most complete, the identity that covered the largest part of myself. 'Boy' can get stuffed, but sometimes 'man' feels appropriate in this world. And 'girl' can be juicy fun, can't it?
Do try this exercise at home, sweethearts, on condition that you take responsibility for whatever feelings come up for you. Don't come chasing Debs with a big stick if it goes badly wrong, okay?
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