Only the strong survive
Those are the two phrases that come to mind about strength. Who came up with these? Why? Does it mean that you always have to show strength or something is wrong, you won't be respected or as my teens would say....you are a lame. Who determines your strength? What makes you strong? Why do others think that people that appear to be strong don't need anyone for support or ever feel weak? Hmmmm, interesting thought. I always appear strong and silent but I can be fragile, hurt, venerable.
When I think about the woman that I grew up around, they had a strength...a silent strength, regal and royal. Then came the Independence Movement. Women wanted to claim their VOICE. Now sometimes I wonder are we talking too much to show just how powerful we are? What came to mind is "real bad girls move in silence". Strength is not about power in the boardroom, boss bitch, holding in your pain in just to switch it for anger. Strength is love, kindness, tender, venerability. When did we begin to change it up. It is sadly at such a level that women are no longer soft or even seem to be nurturing. I don't know how often I have heard women tell their sons," don't cry". Then within a small stretch of time they are upset because the "man" they are with shows little to no emotion.
For generations women have developed their own ideas of what strength is, then there is even more of a divide ethnically. I can't claim to know what other ethnicity of women consider strength because I have never been anything but who I am. I do know that there were several turns that have gotten women off task.
Strength is calm, silent, diligent, patience, nurturing, helpful, unselfish, self-ful, resilience, vulnerability, integrity, self awareness, perseverance, empathy and of course operating in authenticity. Strength is knowing when to move and how to move with a sprinkle of humility to ask for help. Strength is the humming bird whose wings are moving so fast they are almost invisible.....it seems as you are going nowhere but if you take take a little time to breath or survey your progress you will notice. Stop and smell the roses girl! Enjoy your successes big and especially the small ones. Give your dang self some dap!!! And here is your cyber high five from me on the STRENGTH!! <3
