The Bow and the Cord

The man and woman are not like a team of horses which pull together equally. They are like a bow and cord.... (Facsinating Womanhood)

From Longfellow's Hiawatha

"As unto the bow the cord is

So unto man is woman

Tho' she bends him, she obeys him

Tho' she draws him, yet she follows,

Useless each without the other"

I am not a bows-man or woman. ....I don't even know that much about bow's and arrows, but I now know that:

I am a cord

I bend him--my beau or bow-- I bend him towards truth, towards love, towards greater vision.

I obey him in all he says, in all he does, and in all he desires of me.

I draw him. I draw him nearer towards me, towards our family, towards God

I follow him wherever he leads, wherever he guides, wherever he dreams.

Useless without each other.

The Bow:

The basic bow is a piece of flexible wood. A husband is a piece of flexible man. A man who wants to be used, wants to be strong, wants to fulfill his purposes.

The wood for the bow would have to be fairly flexible, yet strong. It needs to be strong enough to withstand pressure and strength from outside forces. A man is strong. It is his job to feel the pressure of the world and he has the strength and the ability to withstand it.

Each bow has it's own natural curve of the stick...no matter how slight. Be mindful of the curve. Each husband is different, unique and unlike any other. Be mindful of him, of his natural talents and strengths.

The Cord:

The cord is a taut string or rope tied on each end of the bow. A woman who is a true cord has strength of character she is strong and firm and tied to her husband.

The string can be made from many different things, but it may be difficult to find something to use because it need strength. A woman is strong in her convictions in her virtue and in her willingness to be the kind of wife she needs to be.

The string should not be stetchy, the power of the bow comes from the wood, not the string. Her job is to assist, to support, to strengthen his purposes. She gets her power from him. She should not be given to whims, to fancy or to follies. Her role is to assist to use his power wisely and to be aware of it, and grateful for it.

Together

The bow and the cord are connected, combined, tied to each other. But the cord does not desire to be the bow, nor can she. The bow cannot be bent or stretched into the cord. It is not what he is meant to be.

When a bow and a cord work together they create kinetic energy. They create a force that is greater than both of them. They create something bigger than they together are....they create a family.

I am not a bow

I am not to bend.....I am to obey

I am not to draw myself towards something...I am to follow towards something greater

I am to strengthen the connection, to do my part.

I am a cord