I have mentioned my babysitter here before, but wanted to share a bit more about her today.

S has one of the most incredibly soothing personalities of anyone I have ever known. In the four years I have known her, I can’t recall even one instance of her being upset, worked up, negative, off kilter, or in a mood. Not one!

And that’s not to say she has not experienced the same drama, hardships, frustrations, and such life brings for us all. In fact I know for certain she has. She just simply does not seem to allow any of those things to spin her out (at least externally, of course I have no way to know what she truly thinks or feels.)

Now not all women and girls in her community, or even her own family, are the same but for the most part she comes from a “seen but not heard, speak when spoken to” culture. But don’t get me wrong, she’s not so much oppressed as she suppresses, she has amazing self restraint. S truly is exceptional even for women raised with her faith, and my children and I are so lucky to have her in our lives.

She’s incredibly good with children, and her calm demeanor is ideal for them. I can hardly imagine a more ideal mother. (At 20 mind you! She has a son who is 14 months, and recently happily shared that she has another child on the way.) She is clearly in charge, but gently so, encouragingly so. She guides the children more than she demands this or that from them.

She’s also not a simple person, in fact as I shared before she graduated from high school and community college on the same day, and finished her degree in early childhood education two years earlier than normal. She also works as a paid tutor to children in her community.

S is a woman of few words, which I suppose is why when she does share her opinion, I am always most eager to hear it. She fascinates me, this young woman who seems so very wise for her age.

As I mentioned before, my brother had the biggest mad crush on S, who was already married at the time and so of course not available. My brother would talk and talk and talk to her, and she would calmly and silently listen, nodding here and there, ever patient and agreeable, even when I am pretty sure she must have been thinking, “Are you kidding me???” at times! She probably has the same thought about me at times, in fact, but if so she’s never said so.

I am more one to blurt out what I think than to hold it in. I am not like S. But I think I could learn something from her restraint — there is sometimes power in silence.

S is a very good example of what the bible describes as a Godly woman. I could learn a lot by studying her, and perhaps I could do that better if I were more silent at times myself.

However silence does not translate very well over the Internet, so I suppose in order to communicate here, I have to express myself in writing, and so do you! So please, share what you think in the comments!