I am almost painfully aware of how open I am compared to some of the people I come into contact with on a daily basis. I find myself continuously amazed at the taboo-ness of it.  Consistently asking myself, why are we still playing charades when this is such a normal part of the human experience.  For women especially, it’s not just normal, it’s natural.  It’s how we were made, it’s why we’re the ones who bear the children.

That being said, as Alison Armstrong so very well puts it in her book The Keys to the Kingdom, it’s not our fault.  Over time, we’ve created a world where vulnerability, a common feminine quality,  has become almost obsolete. It’s much more appropriate to be the strong alpha female type. The thing is, it’s just not where our power lies.  At the end of the day, it’s exhausting and draining to consistently be outside of your own natural element.

Paulo Coelho said it best when he told the following very short story about a rose speaking to another rose. In a nutshell, “Aren’t you tired?” another rose asked her.“No. I have to go on fighting.”“Why?”

“Because if I don’t open up, I wither.”

I believe Coelho has summed up the essence of a woman just those few words.  It’s simply put, a necessity to be open.  Without this ability, it’s very difficult as women to experience the full joy we are meant to experience and spread among the people we relate to.

SuzyQ, Q♥

PS. SB this one’s especially for you.