WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE A WOMAN

What it needs to be a woman? Asked the girl to her Granny;

       “ Is it a ponytail or a pretty floral skirt?”

The old lady picked the girl on her lap, and narrowed her eyes;

And with a wise grin said, “It needs time and the right moment to know what it needs to be a

woman.”

 Granny? The confused girl interrogated furthermore,

“Well child. If you love the image you see in the mirror, and felt beautiful inside out, if you can

  dance in the rain, and sing even if you are down, and always give the Heaven’s above more

  than a quick glance, if you have tasted the saltiness of your tears, if you have laughed like crazy, if

  you have learned to tame your fears, and learned to say ‘no’ when you ought to.

 If you have loved someone truly, and handled rejection gracefully, if you have known how to react

 to a compliment and criticisms, if you know how to spare time for yourself, if you have never lose

 trust of yourself, if you treasure the smallest of moment in your life, and if you soar high despite of

the limitations,  if you have a fearless spirit and never giving up attitude, and if you never barter your

integrity for what you feel is true.

And if believe that change starts from you, and change for good, if you are shy like a child, if you are wise like an old owl, if you can ask for the true, if you can seek to find, if you never take even a paisa for granted, if you believe in yourself, if you respect all the God, race, gender, customs and creed. And above all love being a woman.

“Grandma, all these are needed to be woman?” asked the girl satisfied, yet puzzled.

“Yes my dear child, all these and many more.” She loved the look in the little girl’s eyes.

“ Wow! It is tough to be a woman. But, I love to be one.” Came the optimistic reply. 

*The edited version of this poem can be found in Ayangti Longkumer's Magic Quill.