Soldier Girls

"I was raised to be brave.

To stand up & stand out."

I unwrapped the clear plastic around Katherine Nelson's album and shoved it into the side of William's iMac (thinking to myself how nice it will be when my computer is finally fixed). His music player popped up and I hit play.

I was happy to hear a confident and talented voice and a professional and well-rounded sound. And Katherine's message was a good one - I am woman, I am a fighter, I am strong and the world rides on my capable shoulders.

I understand the beauty of this message - but ever since my years spent surviving as an English Major at University - I can't help but feel an instant suspicion for anything that tends toward Feminism. I just don't buy it. In my experience, the truly strong women are those with the quiet strength. Not the loud, stompy women who loudly proclaim that women rule, and everyone had just better get out of the way!

In my experience, these are the women who have something to prove.

And the women I've always admired for their strength and courage are those who fight unseen, who build from within.

So the first two of Katherine's songs were fun. They were well done. But I admit I sort of shrugged the album off at this point as one of those that was pleasant, but not one I'd be really living in. 

But then the lilting tones of Soldier Girls surprised and pleased me. Again, the message was one of a battle-cry, but the undertones suggested the haunting ache of femeninity in weighty armor. We fight the war not because we are built for it, but because we believe in it. And the pioneer women were absolutely soldiers fighting in the One Great War.

I started to pay attention.

Katherine sings a song about Emma that dug deep. And, I felt stupid for not knowing before, but after a bit of research, I learned that Katherine actually played the part of Emma in the movie Emma Smith: My Story. This made the song that much more tender to me, knowing the depth of research and reading and identifying Katherine would have had to do to play the part of that great and uncompromising woman.

There's a very sweet song called "Virgin's Lullabye", with parts sung by a shepherd, the three kings, the angels in attendance, and - of course - the Virgin.

There's another heart-gripper about adoption.

Basically, when I allowed myself to truly listen to Katherine's music, there was depth and truth that I would not have gleaned from a mere surface listening.

And so - to my surprise and delight - I've been living in this album for the past few weeks.

There are songs I like better than others, but there are songs that I really, really like.

And I get to give three of them to my readers! To enter, just make a comment, telling me a time you have been brave, or a way you wish you could be more brave.

Winners announced tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.