We as women can be both strong and sweet, both tough and tender. Our femininity (gasp) depends on a confluence of these two attributes. The strong but gracious woman is stunning. She is a force to reckon with when her ire is up, smooth and strong like steel, she modulates her delivery so it won’t get her in trouble.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philppians 4:12-13

That woman is beautiful for she knows the true nature of beauty.

She is noticed and appreciated. Her words are calculated, giving strength to the listener. She minds the way of cause and effect. She knows for every cause there will be an effect. She is like a hand opening up and out rather than closing in and shutting tight. She gives in the same manner that she receives. Her spirit soars; it knows no limits.

This woman blesses but doesn’t curse; affirms but doesn’t speak ill of others. A true well-adjusted woman, she understands herself and her purpose. She accomplishes much. Her ways are honorable. Her beauty and good works are unsurpassed in the marketplace.

She is industrious and soft.

This is my take on what a woman aka a lady is and always will be. Does she sound like the Proverbs 31 woman? This how I see it and how I try to be. I have noticed a commonality amongst women who are whole on the inside and out. A woman doesn’t have to possess natural beauty to be beautiful, but she must have genuine ‘gentle’ qualities to be genteel, rich qualities that spring from the heart.

Her conduct is above reproach.

You can’t fake it till you make it. These qualities come through being nurtured, cultured, developed, and embraced until they become as natural as the day is long. They present themselves with a self-effacing modesty factor that is her crowning feature as in a rare jewel, a brilliant diamond. In this way, humility has become her strength.

The first thing you notice about her is her strength, wit, and good humor. Her grace is notable.

I have found it interesting on the passing of the late monarch Queen Elizabeth II at age 96, that many of these same qualities were in her. As I listened to the tributes flow in on YouTube, it was obvious that she was universally regarded with respect, admiration, and appreciation. I think that is why her long reign was gracious, successful, and enduring. She had the weight of England and the British Commonwealth on her shoulders. Yet, she didn’t falter. Her missteps were few.

The quality that guided her was a sense of duty, mixed with personal integrity. She was influenced by Christian principles, which were a foundation guiding her throughout her 70 year reign. Her faith stood out. Many have remarked about it on her passing. I didn’t know this about her. I was truly touched by Britain’s former prime minister Boris Johnson’s tribute to Her Majesty, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. I saw the queen’s remarkableness through his eyes. He said it well.

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Video 1 – Boris Johnson gives Inspiring Tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II

I encourage you to watch this video clear to the end. His words reflect his admiration for the queen.

Video 2 – The Queen Encourages her country’s citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021

She speaks with dignity and caring, the qualities of which I speak were there, evident in this speech.

Video 3 – On her 21st birthday, while still a princess, her legacy begins with these remarkable words and concludes with a promise she kept and fulfilled throughout her life.

As I was writing about a strong ‘woman,’ it was then that I saw in Queen Elizabeth II the type of woman I was referencing. Beyond her British reserve was a quality that touched people. World-over, the general populace was sad at her passing. I was also sad. The queen made the world a better place and served her people with the strength of her bearing, composure, and being. Every day of her reign, she was given a red box, similar to a briefcase, filled with news, communications, and tasks for her to process, which she faithfully executed.

Such a woman smiles at life.