Empowerment=Respect for other women as well as for yourself

Over the years, I've talked alot about empowerment. I believe that we should take every opportunity to try and help one another to be our best selves. I believe that women especially need to do the work on their self-esteem to keep them motivated and working toward personal goals. I also believe, however; that an empowered woman and a confident woman can sometimes be a dangerous thing. I unfortunately have seen evidence that some empowered women are very effective and successful, but to an end that is disempowering to others.

Let me explain this a bit further. When we get to a point where we are confident in our abilities, acknowledging of our strengths and feeling good about ourselves we shouldn't confuse our ability to attract things into our lives with having a right to all that comes into our line of sight. Some of us believe if something appears in our lives that it is meant to be there. Sometimes, however; it is a test. Of our moral fiber, our character and of our love for our fellow human being. Earlier today, I blogged about women who cannot seem to keep boundaries when it comes to dating or having affairs with married men. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Sadly, I wholeheartedly believe that even an empowered woman; one who has had to scratch and claw her way through obstacles her whole life, has the potential to make a bad decision where relationships are concerned.

Women tend to fly under the radar when it comes to infidelity. If a woman is sleeping with a married man, almost 100% of the time, the scrutiny for the offense is placed on the married man. Granted, he certainly has a cross to bear in that situation, but his cohort shouldn't walk away unscathed. It takes two to tango and while he has broken more than a piece of the moral code, she has also shown little regard for her fellow woman and for the family that this man may have created with his spouse. The man's responsibility in this situation is different, but he doesn't necessarily play a more significant role in the act than that of the woman who willingly participates.

I don't often turn on women like this, but I have to say that I just don't know how a woman can live with knowing that she is partaking of this type of "forbidden fruit." This is especially sad in situations where women who are trying to fix their marriages have husbands who still haven't quite committed to the idea of making it work. She may be trusting that he will change his ways, but the very fact that there are so many women out there who are willing to mess around lessens the seriousness of the offense in the eyes of the offender.

As women, we need to be very careful who we are willing to spend our time with. Is he really available or is he just playing around? The best policy is to look for a man who is not fresh out of a marriage or other long-term relationship. But if you absolutely insist, at least find out why the last relationship ended before you make yourself available to him. And for God's sake, make sure that the relationship really did end. Don't just take his word for it because he is paying attention to you and he seems like a nice guy. He probably seemed like a nice guy to his wife, too.

If you are lucky enough to be in a relationship with someone who isn't cheating or hasn't cheated on you, that's wonderful. Count your blessings. Lots of women aren't so fortunate. Ladies, let's keep reaching for Higher Ground.

Subscribe to 2 Higher Ground by Email