Woman

What is it about men that make a woman alone seem worthless? 

How can our fathers advocate for independence yet society shows us dependence on one is the fortress,

the security,

the goal of one’s life,

To find a man who loves, cares, cherishes, and holds us tight.

To find a man who keeps us grounded and that one person who makes us want to be better, 

but we seem to have lost the idea of that man’s sole competitor.

The self.

The woman.

The strong, intelligent, beautiful, I-don’t-need-a-man-to-get-by wonderful woman.

From a young age we are taught that a woman needs a man.

Consciously,
subconsciously,
subliminally we are told that what is necessary is right 

and what is right is to be a wife.

Fairy tales abundant of women finding men, 

the idea of a single, unmarried parent looked down on again and again.

Like women couldn’t survive without that Y-chromosome, and trying?

That can’t be right - we shouldn’t be alone.

Because somewhere in the course of all of our years, 

we interpreted what we then turned into a fear:

that being alone is not the way and it shouldn’t be done,

so we long for the companion, the other half, the one.

And by doing this we’ve caused interruption in our lives.

Our personal goals, dreams and ambitions set aside.

Because what’s more important than doing what you love?

It’s finding it instead,

so we search high and low.

Society has emphasized to us what is right.

We know what we’ve been shown,

but our fathers taught us differently – and because of that, we should have known.

Known to disregard the messages that we interpret to be so right,

and to get the idea of a man,

a husband,

a soul mate,

out of the center of our sight.

Because a man is not most important and should not be seen as such,

so this message is for those women, who worry too much,

the women who wonder if they’ll ever be enough,

the women who think human nature is calling,

that their clock is ticking, so they’re at home balling,

over a man who is in their life now,

one who once was, or will be,

Oh when will that time be?

I say to you, don’t worry.

Because contrary to the messages we we’re fed,

the lies that were spread,

the words we interpreted and filed away in our heads.

You don’t need a man.

You don’t need the one.

Because in this life, you’ll do much greater things than find a man,
you’re a strong, intelligent, beautiful, wonderful woman.