Introspection

By Sumaira Berry

Oh, to be a woman!

To be a woman is to be the embodiment of strength, courage, intelligence, and beauty. Not the kind of strength that comes from lifting heavy weights, but one that comes from breaking free from patriarchal shackles. Not the kind of courage that comes from combating a rival, but one that comes from standing up and believing in yourself even when the world tells you not to. Not the kind of intelligence that comes from scoring an even 100 in an exam, but one that comes from recognizing and understanding that you have the power to do absolutely anything. Not the kind of beauty that comes from silky hair, milky skin, or the perfect body, but one that comes from knowing that there's no one as magical as you in the entire universe.

To be a woman is to wear your crown of confidence high, reminding the world that you're breathtakingly unstoppable. It is to free yourself from anything and anyone who makes you feel like you're not worthy enough to fly as high as you want. It is to cheer loud, celebrate louder and clap the loudest for yourself and for every other woman who proves that she's not afraid to be herself.

To be a woman is to show the world how you can do everything it said you couldn't. It is to laugh, walk, run and fly as much as it is to stumble, fall, ache and cry. It is to know that whether you're a doctor savings lives, a teacher imparting knowledge, a pilot soaring high, a lawyer striving for justice, a writer celebrating her words or a homemaker nurturing a family, you're unbeatable and irreplaceable. It is to celebrate the mother in you creating life, the daughter in you shining bright, the sister in you protecting him with all her might or the wife in you adding meaning to his life, you are brilliant in every role you fulfil.