The Feminine Urge

The feminine urge to disappear for a few days.

The feminine urge to announce your presence each time you walk into a room.

The feminine urge to turn your trauma into art.

To compliment other women on their earrings.

To revel in the sound of a loved one’s voice.

To sip your coffee slow, until it gets too cold to enjoy anymore.

To dance alone in your room.

To light a candle after vacuuming.

To stand in the rain for just a few seconds.

To bite and tear at the fingernails you just painted.

To clutch your pepper spray as you walk to your car.

To over-spend on holiday gifts for your favorite people.

To buy flowers for yourself at the supermarket.

To listen to the same song 20 times in a row.

To keep unfinished manuscripts on the desktop of your computer.

To wave goodbye to the person who delivered your Amazon package.

To twirl when you put on a dress.

To steep a cup of tea you know you won’t drink.

To paint one wall a different color than the rest.

To laugh at jokes you don’t find funny.

To fake orgasms even when he’s willing to continue.

To fall asleep rewatching one of your favorite shows.

To drink wine at lunchtime.

To give away tampons to strangers in the bathroom.

To dress in all black.

To decorate everything with stickers.

To take scalding hot showers.

To wear hats even on good hair days.

To collect mugs from thrift stores.

To send a “Thinking of you” text to the person you miss. 

To keep a journal. 

To burn that journal. 

To find beauty in ordinary things.

To try to please everyone and take no shit at the same time. 

The feminine urge to expose simple truths.