Young Women's Writing

Blue Shivers by Shanna Harvey

Beautiful Women - Avery Smith

   I feel her bravery radiate from her, because I cannot see it. Moreover, I do not need to see it. I can be blind in her presence, and nothing will have changed. Her body will not transform based on who looks at it or who is close to it. Her body does not need to transform. Her body is too strong to transform. I feel her braver in every bone.

   She knows what a fine line is, too. She knows what choice is. She can be soft and she can be unyielding. She knows herself well enough to know what is best for every situation. She knows that to hold up others she must first be strong enough. She is aware.
   She can be relied on. She can be relied on because she is honest with herself and with others. When there is too much, she says that there is too much. Because she knows how to steady herself, she can steady others, too.
   She asks for help. She cannot do everything, or anything, alone. She makes mistakes, and cannot correct them all. She has people near her that can come to her aid. She needs help. She is not perfect.
   She is fierce, though, and her protection (of both herself and others) is strong. It is built on differences, not similarities, and is built over her whole life, not one day. Most importantly, she is still moving, and her intentions and values and choices may change. Her fierceness and protection will journey and transform likewise—expanding or shrinking appropriately.
   She is full of contradiction and realization. She knows her responsibility, and allows others to know it. She trusts and is therefore strong enough to realize that if she crumbles, or falls, or is crushed, she can be built up again.