I normally don’t buy into the “things you should know/have by the time you’re [age]” articles. They were (are?) a trend, and I don’t believe they apply to everyone. While a sensible person would know that, it seems to me that those kinds of articles tend to put unnecessary pressure on some people.
Today, however, I am going to break that personal, unwritten rule of mine by sharing a poem (which wasn’t really intended to be one) by Pamela Redmond Satran, a New York Times bestselling author.
[bctt tweet=”Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know By Pamela Redmond Satran” username=”thedailyminder”]
Why am I doing this?
Because it’s International Women’s Day, and there is no better time to share this poem than now. Plus, many of the points do resonate with me, and I believe (you don’t have to!) that they are things every woman should have and should know, no matter if they’re in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s…
So, to my fellow women, may you have and know the things you need, and if not, may you find them.
Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know
By Pamela Redmond Satran
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a youth she’s content to leave behind…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a past juicy enough that she’s looking forward to retelling it in her old age…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
one friend who always makes her laugh…
and one who lets her cry…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored…
A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a feeling of control over her destiny…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to fall in love without losing herself…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder…
and when to walk away…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that she can’t change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
that her childhood may not have been perfect…
but it’s over…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she would and wouldn’t do for love or more…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
how to live alone…
even if she doesn’t like it…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
whom she can trust, whom she can’t, and why she shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…
be it to her best friend’s kitchen table…
or a charming inn in the woods…
when her soul needs soothing…
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
what she can and can’t accomplish in a day…
a month…
and a year…
Happy International Women’s Month!
