Countless times I have heard that I am an “overachiever,” this compliment is usually accompanied by a “wow beautiful AND smart?” (All things are true BTW… ) as if they are not mutually exclusive… one cannot coexist with the other. Are they saying that beautiful women don’t have to use their brains? Every single woman in my world is smart AND beautiful. I then thought about what the other person may be trying to convey. Perhaps they are right, perhaps I am an overachiever… depending on your perspective. As I have talked about in my previous post, I understand my place as a South Asian woman, and I have ALWAYS questioned and challenged the expectations that come with it. In that case … Hell yea I am an overachiever and damn proud of it! BUT there are so many other women who fit the same category, all women are SMART & BEAUTIFUL!
Whenever I was told I could not do something because I am a girl, I would always question it. I would set out to prove that girls can do it… and we can do it better! An attack on my ability was an attack on everyone who identifies as a female. The sacrifices and hardships that all the woman before me had to go through will not be in vain! I understand that the women that stood up and fought for basic human rights is what has allowed me to live the life I live and dream the dreams I dream. The permission to dream beyond my own limits was built upon the shoulders of many women before me who stood up and fought for what they knew was right: Equality. There was a time in human history when women could not go to school, or read or even write. There was a time when women were not even granted permission to speak their own opinions, or work under their own names. Unfortunately, there are still many places around the world today where women are seen as property, as livestock. Fortunately there have been women who stood up for their rights, and I know there will be many more women to come!
Our families are built on the strength of women. Children would not be able to enter this world if a woman did not have the strength to endure the pains of childbirth. I do not have children, but I can tell you period cramps are no joke. But all joking aside, from what I have seen and heard from the mothers in my life, childbirth is no walk in the park. If it is as bad as they say it is, the question becomes why in the world do it more than once? Because the benefits of having a child to teach the basics of life and becoming a functioning human being is well worth all of the pain. A few moments of pain is worth a lifetime of joy. When people are able to experience unconditional love in its purest form, with the birth of an innocent child there are no limits. If women can do that, I know they can do anything they set their minds to. Women are the foundation of all humanity, without them there would be no human race. A person’s first experience of love and kindness comes from their mother.
The month of March is Women's History Month. I could begin to list all of the amazing and wonderful accomplishments the women in history have had but we would be here all day (If you wanna know, my awesome homeboy, Google has all the answers). However, I did want to take a moment to acknowledge their courage to do something more than bearing children. Being a mother is the highest honor any woman could hope to have, but why should they limit themselves to just that one miracle? These women in history did not place limits on themselves, they saw beyond the tips of their noses and used compassion to make a difference in the world. They went out and did something, without even realizing that they just might inspire someone to do the same. I am fully aware and in deep gratitude that I have the freedom to write this and share my unsolicited thoughts with others, simply because there were so many women who had the courage to step beyond themselves to create lasting change.
So before you tell a woman she is beautiful, understand why she is beautiful, understand why EVERY woman is beautiful! She is beautiful because she stands before you with all the strength of every woman that came before her. She is beautiful because she is the root of compassion and love. She is beautiful because she has a choice to be who she wants to be. She is beautiful because she is bold. She is beautiful because she is smart. She is beautiful because she is love! Beauty comes from the inside and shines throughout.
I know why I am beautiful. I will stand tall and proud in all of the beauty ... whether or not someone else takes note. Ladies, we are limitless. We are capable of even more than we know! Don't let anyone tell you any different!