On Downton Abbey, and Mothering

Have you ever watched "Downton Abbey"? If not, you must. IF you can make it through the remarkable pettiness of the first season, you will be hooked, and gladly so. One of the aspects of the show which I find most appealing is its portrayal of complex female relationships. Nothing is simple about the women on the show, and it seems that the more prominent one's social standing, the less likely she is to experience genuine friendship with her peers. While there are many moments of grief throughout the six seasons it has aired, what strike me as the saddest parts of Downton are the scenes portraying relationships  between mothers and daughters. To say the least, there is a lack of kinship; really nothing like comradery comes to mind. And while the mother, Lady Grantham, is lovely and perceptive, she is given very little liberty to share any of her wisdom with her daughters. I understand that an overall sense of "snobbery" is part of the appeal of the show, but it makes me think - what do I hope to impart to my daughter (since it won't be evening gowns, an enormous estate, or a sense of being better than most people she will ever meet)?
This reflection has led me to a plan - I will write down what I'd like her to know. Hopefully, these will be conversations she and I have in person. But there are no guarantees. And as I consider what a Movement of Moms entails, it makes sense anyway to spend a good many posts writing about what makes life as a woman unique. So here we go, in one-liners (and just so you can anticipate and I can have accountability, I will elaborate on each of these thoughts with a full length post of its own at least once a week until we are through the list).
1. Learn to make, and keep, genuine friends
2. Find what you're good at and like doing- then do it
3. Be dazzled by God's grace - if it doesn't stun you, look closer until it does
4. Don't eat your feelings, and other lessons I've learned about food
5. Self-care vs. Self-importance: Why the difference matters
6. Why your daddy is my "knight in shining armor", and other thoughts on romance
7. Become a conflict resolver (because you can't escape conflict, period)
8. When you have pain, your Savior really understands
9. If someone else is hurting you, you don't have to stay. Don't stay.
10. Many of us have babies waiting in heaven - it's okay to be sad and still trust God

And since I don't want her to think that only the really serious things are worth discussing...
11. On a lighter note, I love tea parties, don't you?
12. The art of the thank you note- because it's just a nice thing to do
13. I never really stopped playing dress-up...Ever.

If in thirteen weeks I've actually managed to write all of this out, then maybe I will be more qualified to comment on...
14. Time management - get what matters done, then see about the rest...

And yes, I realize that tying "Downton Abbey" into my introduction was really just a way to make me feel like addictively watching this PBS Masterpiece has been a truly valuable investment of my time. Shameless. But since it's in the opening, why not be symmetrical and add it to the closing, as in...
15. Movies and shows that we just have to watch together, because, well....Because we just have to.

Here's to the next fifteen weeks together, reader. Let me know if there's anything else you'd like added to the list!

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