A Thank You To The Women In My Life
Behind every strong woman is a collection of strong women
To my doctors, therapists, hair stylists, estheticians…
Thank you for helping me transform myself, both physically and emotionally. Thank you for taking the steps to learn these grueling skilled trades to allow me to go to you when I need help, whether it’s a new hair style or a diagnosis.
To my friends
Thank you for being you. Thank you for being there when I need to send you fifteen text messages in a row, and for picking up right where we left off when we haven’t spoken in months. Thank you for not being mad when I’m always running late. Thank you for sitting at the coffee shop with me for hours and convincing me I definitely need that new dress. Thank you for being brutally honest with me when I need it and when I deserve it. Thank you for always been a shoulder to cry on, both physically and metaphorically.
To my aunts
Thank you for loving me as your own. Thank you for spoiling me and giving me all the presents I didn’t ask for. Thank you for making me feel special even though you have no obligation to. Thank you for always trying to understand my point of view, but attempting explain where my parents are coming from too. Thank you for being a second mom when I need it, but also a lifelong friend, confidant, and shopping buddy.
To my grandmothers
Thank you for laying the foundation of love and planting the seed of life for me to come into this world. You carried me on your back and left me with artifacts, heirlooms, stories, and recipes. Thank you for my mother and father. Thank you for your humor, your wisdom, and your knowledge of the world from a time that I’ll never know.
To my mother
There aren’t enough words in the world to thank you for all you’ve done for me. You loved me for 9 months in your womb and cared for me as I grew from nothing. From nothing, you raised me into a strong, powerful woman. For all of the times I never said thank you, I thank you now more than ever. Thank you for the ultimate gift: life.
To my sister
Thank you for being my best friend—not only by default, from birth—but by choice. Thank you for sharing life with me. Our lives run parallel but our souls are the same. We lift each other when our days are grey and shine much brighter when we’re together. Thank you for all the shopping sprees, dinner dates, endless inside jokes, and being the person I know I can always count on.
To the women who spoke for all the women who have no voice
Thank you for #metoo and #timesup. Thank you for fighting for equality, representation, and human rights. Thank you for being brave and telling your truth, even when you knew you would be in danger if you did. Thank you for protecting your sisters who needed an extra hand. Thank you for being loud enough to change opinions, lives, and the world.
To all the women in the world
Thank you for having each other’s backs, even when times are hard. Thank you for being strong for one another. Thank you for lifting each other up instead of putting each other down. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your love, laughter, and most of all, your hope.
Thank you.
