What does it take to be regarded as a “phenomenal woman”? Is
it the size of the “child-bearing” hips; or the ability to create
mouth-watering cuisines in the kitchen; is it the ability to cure the hardest
of hearts; is it standing firmly even when you want to topple over and cry?
There is no manual or check-list on phenomenal qualities or a guaranteed method
to be a phenomenal woman. It is a daily and constant ritual of introspection,
crying, healing and most importantly, loving.
This week marks the last week of National Woman’s month in
South Africa and I thought this would serve as a great opportunity to salute
the phenomenal woman within us. It’s true, we are all phenomenal females but it
is bounded and tied down with so many things like pain, fear, jealousy,
insecurities, ignorance, materialism, immorality and so much more toxic waste
that we have totally lost touch of our value as women. How long will we stay
shackled down instead of releasing ourselves and celebrating at least a portion
of who we are? We cannot nurture, protect, love and hold what is without when
we fail to do so with what is within. Begin first, by loving and truly
cherishing yourself then you will go out into the world and spread that
powerful spirit and warmth.
If we look at Christianity, it is said that God created
woman out of the rib of man so he could have a loyal companion. This story can
be dissected in so many ways but the one’s that stick out to me the most are
that 1) Yes, we are partly made from our opposite sex but the remaining 80% is
something unique to us. Let us stop trying to be like men, to be equal to men
and turning everything into a battle of the sexes. We have our role and so do
they: victory will never be gained because it is a war not even worth starting.
2) Woman was created to aid man in bringing goodness into and taking care of
the Earth. We may masculate ourselves as much as we want but our role will
always be to aid, nurture and take care of the basics and loopholes that a man
cannot fulfil and maintain.
I know the power of a woman because I was raised by one. I
know how a woman can bear 9 months of uncomfortable pregnancy, hours of
agonising pain from labour and raise a baby into a humble, educated and amazing
human being. I say this because everything that I am and know would not be here
if it had not been for the phenomenal woman that birthed me. We face struggles
but we have to press on. I believe our role as women is huge. We are not here
just to be sisters, friends, lovers, daughters, mothers... We are here to serve
a much greater purpose. We are here to birth nations and raise phenomenal
contributors to society. We are here to guide, correct, aid and love. But we
will not begin acting like the empresses that we are meant to be until we
realise it and start empowering ourselves.
To stand firm we need to help each other to stand firm,
encourage and see good in your fellow sisters so there can be more strong hands
carrying human kind.
Little girl you are beautiful and precious.
Young lady you are special and deserve to be respected.
Young woman you do not need a man to sustain you for you are
abundantly blessed with your own qualities and potential.
Woman you have made it and may you continue to build our
young people into amazing individuals.
Set your standards, know who you are, identify your goals,
find your purpose then commit to this and live to the best of your ability.
Without love this can never be achieved and it all begins within.
Be proud of who you are and who you are yet to become,
celebrate your strengths and let your trials build you, do not sacrifice your
standards and values but always remember to remain humble and compassionate in your
endeavours. Become a woman who knows who she is and her purpose, a woman who is
driven not only by her own desires but also those of others. To the rose buds,
warm sun rays, flourishing gardens and stable earth of the world: We are all
phenomenal!
Let’s have a great week J
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Woman: you are strong, phenomenal,
blessed and able.
QUOTE: “We are not so frail after all, but rather, our
frailty lies in our forgetfulness of just how incredible we are” – Candice
Mncwabe (Quote taken from my speech ‘frailty, thy name is woman’ – 2008)
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