What it Takes to be a 'Woman"
It begins long before she understands the meaning of strength. From childhood, she is taught to be quiet, to be kind, to be careful. Taught to smile even when confusion sits in her throat and questions are answered with silence. She learns early that her voice must be softened, that her dreams should be reasonable, that her pain should be graceful. As she grows, the world asks more of her. Be strong, but not loud. Be independent, but not intimidating. Be ambitious, but remember your place. Be soft, nurturing, forgiving, endlessly forgiving. She becomes the one who holds everything together while quietly falling apart. She loves deeply, even when it costs her pieces of herself. She carries families, relationships, responsibilities, and emotions that no one ever checks if she can bear. She learns to numb her feelings. She numbs. She learns to feel nothing. To say “I’m fine” when she isn’t. To show up even when her soul is tired. To be okay, or at least look like it, because she...