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maggiefaye submitted a contest entry to Why do you love yourself? 3 months ago
VIII. Strength
I was eighteen in my public speaking class, introducing myself as a lioness with a shake in my throat.
She reminded me of my own strength when I needed her most:
When I was dissociating away from my high school relationship,
And dissociating into the arms of an abusive one.
When with ferocious presence I left, and I rebuilt.When Roe v. Wade overturned and I’m on the phone with a man
He rants about how many women must be so angry,
But doesn’t hear how it made me feel.
When he tells me I’m just like my mother like that’s a bad thing,
With the lioness by my side, I left, and I rebuilt.With the flesh of my former self between my teeth,
I destroyed and built again.
With the pain of my foremothers suffocated under my paws,
I destroyed and built again.
With screams and aches and roars I didn’t know I had buried,
I destroyed and built again and destroyed and built again.The blood of self-love drips from my jaw.
The lioness and I are side by side and we are one.
We have found safety at last.Voting is closed
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Maggie, your letter is incredibly powerful and inspiring. It beautifully captures the journey of resilience and self-discovery. Your metaphor of the lioness showcases your strength and determination to rebuild. Your words evoke raw emotions and leave a lasting impact.
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I just started tearing up reading this! Thank you so much for your kind words and acknowledgement! I feel so seen and I’m glad my words can resonate ❤️
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Maggie, I love how I can picture this story as I am reading. You sound so strong and like you know who you are and how you feel and what you want. That’s a powerful way to go through life. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for being part of our family. <3 Lauren
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Thank you so much! There have been points of life where finding that power was necessary to survive, and I had to learn to love myself in the process.
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