So the series is over.  Did you watch?   The only word that comes to mind is embarassing.  I was truly embarassed for the women on the show, not because their ‘potential’ was not realized, not because they were not granted 21st century ‘respect’. I was embarassed because they made ninnies of themselves.  Their incessant chatter about women’s rights could not hide the fact that they were not pulling their weight.  Worse than that was the ranch wife’s systematic humiliation of her husband and the subsequent demise of the ranch project. 

The whole fiasco was summed up by the historians’ assessment at the end.  Mrs. Cooke had the opportunity to *attain greatness* but instead she *quietly undermined* her husband’s efforts and the interpersonal relations among ranch staff.  Wow!  There is lots of fodder for reflection there. I have been thinking about this since the show ended.  What kind of wife am I?  I do believe her choices are those available to all women.  We can attain a singular greatness as mothers and wives.  We can shape and mold our families and our words can strengthen those around us or devastate them.  No small responsibility there!  But it wasn’t PBS’s idea.  Scripture said it first:

Proverbs 14

1 The wise woman builds her house,
       but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

My hope is that this example will stay with me and I will guard my words, which have a tendency to fly before given sufficient thought. : p 

Kim