The little girls, the women with a few extra years, the boss babes, the mothers, the grandmothers, sisters, daughters, and aunts. The divas, the independent women, the single ladies, the hot girls, the widows, the WOMEN, and any other version of the feminine divine that you see within you.

Have you ever seen the greatness in yourself? Have you every felt the brightness that emanates from you? Have you ever realized your magic?

For hundreds of years women have been told they “couldn’t”, or that they were less than men. Women were seen as not smart enough or good enough. They’ve been told they belonged to someone else, had no rights, were belittled and beaten. Women were not seen as capable, able bodied, powerful, or strong.

And though we have come a long way, unfortunately, there are still SO many women without a voice; seen as powerless and a piece of property. Sure, we could get into ideas of patriarchy and politics, but that’s not what this writing is about today.

In keeping with the spirit of March (mental) Madness, these words I write today are about RESILIENCY.

International Women’s Day

Along with us digging deep into mental health for the month of March, it is also women’s history month, and today we get a big fat boost of female appreciation.

From the bodybuilders who get told they look too “manly”, to the women who struggle with eating disorders and get made fun of for not having enough curves. The women who have been judged for wearing too much makeup, to the women who wear hardly any, and told they’d be more attractive if they did. The girly girls and the tomboys. The business women and the stay at home moms. The homeless and the wealthy. Women with mental health issues, chronic diseases, physical “deformities”. Today celebrates all of you.

Some days it’s hard to think about all we have endured simply because of our gender. I often remember how I’ve been conditioned to just shrug it off, and laugh at the discrepancies between men and women, as if to say, “that’s just how it goes”. We all have. Even the most outspoken feminist has had to stay quiet while watching inequality happen right before her eyes. Today we have the “me too” movement and women running to become President of the United States, but I still often wonder . . .

How many of you feel safe?

Safe to not be sexualized or groped? Safe enough to shop and not be told, “you’d be so much prettier if you smiled”, right in the middle of the cereal isle and left to simply fake smile and laugh it off? Safe to go on a blind date and not wonder if he will be okay with you saying “no” to any possible advances? Safe enough to speak your mind and not be emotionally battered for it, because how could you possibly know more than a man, or have a voice? Safe enough to trust that he won’t share the intimate pictures that were supposed to be between the two of you with all of his buddies, or all of twitter once you break up with him? Safe enough to be all that YOU are without judgement?

I wonder.

There have been two times in my 39 years that I feared for my life.

TWO TIMES THAT I FEARED FOR MY LIFE!

And both were with a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend, not a stranger. Someone I knew very well. There are more stories than I care to have involving being mistreated emotionally, and physically. But guess what? . . .

WE ARE STRONG. WE ARE MIGHTY. WE ARE WOMEN.

We rise from the dust and dirt. We turn pain into gold. We make magic from nothing. THAT is what we do.

Resilient: adjective

1. springing back; rebounding.
2. returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched.
3. recovering readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyant.

aka: WOMAN

On the day designated to outrightly celebrate women (though here at Light A Fire, we celebrate them every day) , I ask something of you.

Never doubt the ability of a woman to overcome.

If you are a man reading this, open your mind, put yourself in her shoes (without the urge to compare), and work to see all that she does every day to stay strong, build herself up as well as those around her, fight against adolescent/societal/emotional programming, struggle with inequality, have her body sexualized by schools, churches, governments, and far too often shamed for simply being… HER.

If you are a woman reading this, I see you, I know you, I am you. There isn’t a day that goes by where you don’t shine. Even in your darkest hour, there lies within you the strength of the world and the grace of the heavens. They can call you names, pay you less, and laugh at your abilities, but they CANNOT take away your divine feminine understanding. Your mind is stronger than them. The mentality you can create within you is bigger than they will give you credit for. You are a woman and I hear you roar.

Today, International Woman’s Day, 2020. Here and now, the women of the world declare…

My Divine Feminine Mind Is My Strength, Not My Downfall. My Energy Is My Magic. And My Light Is My FIRE.

Happy International Women’s Day.

I love you . GO FORTH!

~Jess