A woman should have...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

.one old love …..

she can imagine going back to…
and one who reminds her of how far she has come.
; 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 its 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…
who she can trust,
who 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…
People say what we are all seeking is the meaning
of life…
I think what we’re really seeking is the experience
of being alive..

Rudyard Kipling