While there is exhilaration attached to the reality of being a woman in an evolving world, there is also the anxiety of possible inadequacy. With notable degrees of transformation in the tenets that govern society, our eyes have had the opportunity to behold female trailblazers in innumerable spaces. In seasons like these, where the focus on women’s revolutionary magic is more precise, the sight of what we can possibly become has goosebumps invading our shrines. However, once the discomfort of our flaws settles in, we become chilly. Despite feeling a sense of familiarity with greatness, it becomes foreign when our rough edges start to affect our daily operation and we feel sticky or rather messy. We have encountered a glimpse of our future selves but we’re not always bold or tenacious and so it starts to feel far- fetched.
For a lot of people, that is the reality of womanhood at various stages. The highs can be really high while the lows go all the way down to the crater. It doesn’t always happen interchangeably too, because while you’re feeling like a warrior in one area of your life; shortcomings in another can knock you off your throne. It gets trickier when you feel both fearless and frightful in the same area, like a seesaw of emotions. Resultingily, you begin to question if you have ever had it covered and whether or not you should even believe the revelation and vision you have for what you could become.
Well Progressive Heart, it appears that the Apostle Paul was quite familiar with these feelings and saw it wise to leave a message in your voicemail as seen through Philippians 3 vs 12-14; which according to the Message Translation is quoted to say:
Similar to us, the Apostle Paul didn’t always have it on lock; he didn’t “have it got” as humorous slang would put it. He too had a messy past and looking at those who had come before him, he didn’t fit the mould. Nevertheless, he had something that we might be taking lightly and that is an unswerving understanding of his “WHY.” He held on for dear life to the vision of who he was meant to be, and even though life was the absolute ghetto towards him at times; nothing could convince him otherwise as far as his revelation was concerned.
Might I suggest that we take a minute this Women’s Day to formulate or revisit our “WHY.” Why can you not afford to give up on yourself? In other words, why is your vision too expensive to let go of? We asked a few young ladies and these were their responses:
From this, we can clearly see that womanhood is not always giving Pinterest aesthetics. We’re not always feeling “Run the World” by Beyonce in our bones nor feeling strong enough to address social inequalities through our work like Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie in “Why we should all be feminists.” Sarah Jakes Roberts snatching holistic wellness by its edges might feel foreign while becoming a Fenty business mogul like Rihanna might seem like a dream you can only achieve in your second life. Point is; it may appear insurmountable but a sure conviction of your “WHY” covers a multitude of ‘mabharangizha.’
From my tenacious vision to yours,
Pretty Conscience
Glossary in context:
Shrine~ Our sacred bodies
Mabharangizha~ Scribbles/ Confusion/Mess
Tenets~Doctrinrs
Unswerving~Steadfast
Crater~Bowl-shaped depression produced by the impact of a meteorite, volcanic activity, or an explosion.