This box, titled “Grace and Grit,” was made with my daughter in mind. The sides are crafted from pink ivory, a rare and beautiful wood known for its subtle color, bright glow when polished, and incredible hardness. It is elegant and resilient, much like her. The bottom is made from Blue Mahoe, another rare wood, and one of the only species in the world with a natural blue hue. A rose is carved into the curly maple lid, with a Blue Mahoe stem.
Pink and blue. We are often taught to think of them as opposites, one for girls and one for boys, but life does not follow those old preconceptions. My daughter was a cheerleader, yes, but she is also strong, sharp-witted, tough, and determined. She is thoughtful, capable, and unshakably her own person. The Blue Mahoe is not meant to suggest she is part boy. It is there to remind us that extraordinary traits are not exclusive to one gender. They are not owned by one and off-limits to the other.
We put too much emphasis on the things that are supposed to divide us into neat categories. Yes, there are differences between men and women, but those differences should never define someone’s value or limit their opportunities. This box, in its quiet way, resists those old ideas. It says that grace and strength, softness and resolve, elegance and power, can all live side by side in one person.
My hope for her is that these stereotypes never hold her back, and they have not so far. She is an amazing, smart, and caring person; easily anyone’s equal, and often more. She and her husband are raising four fantastic boys, and she has a sound moral compass that guides her well.
As the years go by, I do not know what shape her final path will take, but I know she will walk it with grace and grit.
Little Boxes Series, #15
This box, titled “Grace and Grit,” was made with my daughter in mind. The sides are crafted from pink ivory, a rare and beautiful wood known for its subtle color, bright glow when polished, and incredible hardness. It is elegant and resilient, much like her. The bottom is made from Blue Mahoe, another rare wood, and one of the only species in the world with a natural blue hue. A rose is carved into the curly maple lid, with a Blue Mahoe stem.
Pink and blue. We are often taught to think of them as opposites, one for girls and one for boys, but life does not follow those old preconceptions. My daughter was a cheerleader, yes, but she is also strong, sharp-witted, tough, and determined. She is thoughtful, capable, and unshakably her own person. The Blue Mahoe is not meant to suggest she is part boy. It is there to remind us that extraordinary traits are not exclusive to one gender. They are not owned by one and off-limits to the other.
We put too much emphasis on the things that are supposed to divide us into neat categories. Yes, there are differences between men and women, but those differences should never define someone’s value or limit their opportunities. This box, in its quiet way, resists those old ideas. It says that grace and strength, softness and resolve, elegance and power, can all live side by side in one person.
My hope for her is that these stereotypes never hold her back, and they have not so far. She is an amazing, smart, and caring person; easily anyone’s equal, and often more. She and her husband are raising four fantastic boys, and she has a sound moral compass that guides her well.
As the years go by, I do not know what shape her final path will take, but I know she will walk it with grace and grit.
Little Boxes Series, #15
