This post is not about anything money-related but its really for all the young men and women who struggle with finding their identity and their place. In doing so, in this struggle, sometimes we end up defining the identity of the other person, perhaps to give ourselves an easy corner.

Women often face this disservice of having a place, an identity already defined for them. It’s unfair and certainly not useful for anyone. This post is a poem that strives to show you what womanhood is about from my individual perspective and also establish that a woman’s identity need not depend on what stereotypes are already defined for her and what society wants her to be like. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed sharing it.

I Will Not Apologise

Wrapped in pink
I blushed and looked up
A world of possibilities
Filled in my Barbie cup

I was never taught to be shy
Or to let my dreams float by
I worked hard, asked for no favours
Fell flat, then stood up braver

I felt lucky to have grace
A smile that brightened up someone’s dreaded day
I felt lucky to have courage
To face failures when the skies were grey

Then …. I grew up
To be judged
For the length of my skirt
I didn’t have values if I wore a backless shirt

A bride should be shy, I was told
Eyes looking down
Body parts covered in gold

Marriage was the answer
To a prayer I did not offer
My husband would be my saviour
I just needed to show up in a diamond slipper

Being a mother will complete me
It IS every woman’s destiny
But I have my own dreams
To never let go of my identity

I am a daughter, a mother, a wife
But guess what,
I also choose to have my own life

A name that doesn’t bow to being just maternal
An identity that doesn’t ask permission to be eternal

I chose my partner
Not a spouse
I chose to rush to work and
I chose to clean my house

I will not apologise
For being home and for being away
On a schedule that I decide

Yes, I’m beautiful and brave
I weep when it hurts
Crave love and touch
My family is my crutch

But I will not apologise
For being a woman
For wearing short clothes
For cooking every meal
For bearing my identity close to my chest
For holding my child against my breast