An Ode to Women
An ode to women
to the ones who brought us into this world
to the ones we grew up with as girls
to the ones who walked with us into womanhood
to the ones we met along the way
to the ones who will come and go
ebb and flow
throughout the entirety of our lives.
An ode to women
to the inevitable onslaught of "YASS, QUEEN!" texts
I will receive if I share a picture of myself;
to the "yeah, girl" agreements I'll get
when I do something good for myself;
to the "you do you" and "live your best life"
cheers when I'm making major life moves;
to the memes and GIFS that feel
tailor-made for me and my life and my headspace;
to the ones who know me,
and like me
and say so
regularly
with vigor.
An ode to women
who will hear about my work stress
a thousand times over
with empathy and compassion
and suggest the perfectly-placed "re-frame"
when I am absolutely stuck.
Again.
An ode to women
who wish for me good sex
and abundance
and equitable pay
and bliss
and a good boss who won't talk down to me
and a bank lender who won't patronize me
a doctor who hears my concerns
and a therapist worth-her-weight in gold.
Otherwise, it's all "next, please"
and "my therapist has openings"
and "don't go back to that mechanic."
An ode to women
as friends
and sisters
and mothers
and aunts
and cousins
(biological or otherwise)
the witches that wouldn't burn
the co-conspirators
the rabble-rousers
the ride-or-dies
the fiercest supporters
the most enthusiastic cheerleaders
the best partners some of us will ever have
(even if we are unfortunately not gay).
An ode to women
who listen to The Daily
who follow their local politics
who march in the streets
who veraciously support other women
who operate from an ethic of justice
who speak unapologetically
and firmly
about what is okay
and what is not okay.
An ode to women
who listen to their inner-knowing
who find more interesting things to talk about
than weight-loss
and skin care
and how to be more physically "attractive"
but who discuss how to build a life worth living
a life in alignment with our values
an embodied existence
in a world that would much prefer we just
"go-with-the-flow"
and "get in line"
and "shut up."
An ode to women who see each other
maybe even just once a year
to hold court
to re-convene
at a cabin in the woods
and talk as though no time has passed
asking about our family
our kids
our marriages
our dating life
our jobs
our mental health
our place in this world.
Over soup and bread
and tacos
and margaritas
pajamas and snuggles
naps and good books
and walks in the woods.
Rene Descartes said, "I think, therefore I am."
Jane Fonda said, "I have my woman-friends, therefore I am."
God, I love being a woman.
