"A strong woman knows that she has strength enough for the journey, but a woman of strength knows that it is in the journey where she will become strong."
-Luke Easter.
Whoo hoo! This quote is a doozy!!!
I can still remember reading it for the first time and thinking "This quote is great! OMG! Was it written just for me?" I was so excited to find it and even now, 3 years later, I still feel very connected to this quote.
When I'm at an event selling JOURNEY fabulousity & awesomeness I always explain to my potential customers that I put quotes on my candles.. .. Then they're standing in front of me and I'm turning over the swing tag and inwardly I'm hoping like there's no tomorrow that it's this quote!
Why? Simply put - because it instantly touches almost every single person who reads it.
It's definitely a 'ta da' moment for me. Such powerful words. Luke Easter has really captured life in this poem.
(in my voice) "Look! This quote is just perfect! It has so many different meanings for different people!" (I definitely love my job.) I've seen customers cry upon reading it. I've seen them laugh! Some customers share the quote with their friends - and watching others connect themselves, never gets old.
This quote is actually part of an epic poem by Luke Easter about Christianity and womanhood. In it's entirety the poem puts forth many different scenarios where the difference between a strong woman and a woman of strength can be identified. The poem defines a woman's strength as 'having faith' and explores how faith makes you strong and how it can change your world.
In my opinion? (well it is my blog!) I strongly believe that you don't have to believe in a traditional religion to have faith. Faith for me is a moral set of values that I hold on to. Faith is so very personal and different for all of us, you would be right in saying that it's as individual as we are. For me it's that quiet resolve to 'treat others as I would like to be treated', it's about having kindness and compassion, and it's definitely about 'not giving up'. On top of all that you'd be amazed at how much you can cope with just by believing that 'you are not given any challenges that you can't handle in your life'.
And please! Don't think it doesn't mean I don't slip and fall on the preverbial banana peel every now and then, but I must say my personal values really do keep me warm at night. Those and my awesome quilt.
This quote represents for me all the many journeys I'll have during my life. It encompasses both the happiness and the sadness.
In my career as a nurse I've definitely seen firsthand how personal faith can carry a family or patient through those super hard times. I've seen a sense of peace and acceptance come over people, accepting some things that are just astounding to me.
For me this quote is about little girls with dreams, and watching them grow into strong women with vision. As a mother of 3 beautiful young women I have been very blessed. They were brought up to believe in themselves, and that they should be as kind to themselves as they are to others. Call it radical self-love, call it whatever you want. Treating yourself as kindly as you treat others is just as important - women who value themselves can do anything.
This quote has carried me through motherhood, grief, my professional career, my family and friendships and I know it will remain a staple on my 'inspo arsenal!'
I hope you enjoyed my little blog, and I'd love to hear from you what this quote means to you personally.
Shine bright.
P. xoxo
Tags: thoughts-for-life
