Be Strong and Live!
Of course, being strong is not easy. And strength is relative. Strong in what way? Strong enough to face what?
For me, strength means facing reality and trying to change it into something better—for yourself and for your fellow human beings. Sometimes that change is small. It still matters.
Strength can mean finding a reason to smile at yourself, your friends and family, and the world beyond your door. It can mean pausing to appreciate the beauty of nature, which we so often forget to respect. It can mean feeling grateful for life itself, despite the painful things that happen.
Being strong does not mean wrestling with everyone or winning every struggle. Nor does it mean hiding your pain, never crying, or carrying every burden alone. Sometimes strength is asking for help. Sometimes it is resting until you can begin again.
For a woman, strength is about more than surviving. It is finding room to grow, to create, to enjoy life and to succeed with whatever possibilities are available—and working to widen those possibilities.
Being strong means being able to say “No” when something violates your dignity, and “Yes” to the things you want in your life. It means finding your voice, even when it trembles, and learning that your wishes and boundaries deserve respect.
You will not always feel strong. No one does. Your worth does not diminish on the days when you feel tired, frightened or uncertain.
Be strong in your own way. And make room for living—not only enduring.
Neither superhuman nor less than human. A woman deserves dignity without having to prove her strength.