Because I am me, And not afraid

Often I think about what it means to be a woman today, a strong woman. All my life I’ve flitted on the edge, wanting to be empowered but wanting to be delicate, too. Wanting to be seen as beautiful, to be treasured, yet wanting to be a woman that’s looked at with respect and reverence. A woman that’s confident. A woman that’s intimidating.

I want to be all of the above.

In time, I've learned to grow a backbone, to know what I want, and more importantly, what I don’t. I've learned to stand strong in my decisions, be assertive, be guarded at times but not closed off.

I've learned to be smart, learned that I am capable on my own – that I will be fine and enough, just as I am. But that it’s still okay to lean on others sometimes.

And I’ve learned that when someone wants to take care of me, it’s not because they’re convinced I can’t take care of myself. I’ve learned that I do not have to carry all the weight of the world on my shoulders. I've learned that crying and feeling are not weaknesses, and when people love me, they want to fight with me, not leave me to fight alone.

Sometimes I am fearless. Sometimes I am hesitant. But regardless of these feelings, I am still strong. I am still powerful.

So what does it mean to be a strong woman? To me, it's owning myself and all my parts. And if that means I'm intimidating at times because I'm not afraid to speak my mind? Then I hope your knees shake when you see me.