Strength. Intelligence. Courage.

The above qualities are characteristics I believe every woman possesses even if they don't show or if others don't know or believe they have them or even if they don't think they have them themselves. I don't know that a woman believes that they are strong or courageous or just how much they can learn until they are put in a situation where your back is to the wall and it is go time. When a woman is cornered, pressed, pushed and prodded to her breaking point, I expect her to crouch, clink out her claws and ready for an attack. When the lives of your children hang in the balance, when your life is in danger, when your world is ready to be torn down, you fight. When a man puts you in a place that demeans, degrades, alienates and restricts, you fight. By fighting, I don't mean physically, neccessarily, but you fight with words, you fight with proactive actions, you fight in court, you fight to be who you are, what you are and for what you believe in.

I have had my back to the wall, I have had all that I hold precious swinging vicariously over a burning, bottomless pit. I have thought, I can't do this, I am not strong enough to go through this again, I can't handle the pain, in my body, in my mind, in my heart. I have thought is this really worth it? Can I live without this? Should I change who I am, what I am for someone elses comfort or happiness. The answers lie within us and some of us are strong enough to deal with them and others are not. I can do it, I am strong enough, I can handle the pain because when you come through the flames there is a whole world on the other side in which you are stronger, more courageous and more beautiful than you EVER thought possible.

Every day we change, we learn, we grow. Everyday we learn more about who we are as individuals. We learn our hearts and souls if we listen. If we suppress who we know ourselves to be for the sake of our loved ones comfort, what do we become? A shell of who we are meant to be? A facade? A lonely, lost cast of the person we were meant to be?

If we turn our backs on who we are, deep down, who we know we are, we are denying ourselves the opportunity to really live. Are you listening, ladies??