Let's Hew You

And with these words, she took her stance against the enemy that had been opposing her. With these words, she decided that she had had enough, and it was time to stop being polite. She had been being so polite, gently pushing back, gently resisting, sucking it in, not wanting to offend. For too long, she had been awkwardly shifting from side to side. For months, she had been looking at the opposition in different ways, trying to convince herself that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was. For years, she had been running from one option to the next. Now, she had finally got to the point where being gentle and polite would no longer work. She determined that no longer would she be the one to change tracks. The enemy had to clear the way because she was coming through. She resolved, ‘I am NOT moving. You need to get behind me.’

No longer is she going to be the one running. Today, the persecuted holds her ground. The treadmill workout ends today. Much energy has been spent, but not much ground has been covered. Today, she hops off the treadmill and declares with every ounce of strength left in her, ‘Get behind me for this ends today.’

Oh, if only William Congreve were alive today, for it would be she who would inspire him to write, ‘Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned’. Today, she is the embodiment of that fury. The time has come for this enemy to get behind her. She is not the one to be defeated today…or any other day for that matter. No, the tables turn today. Today, the persecutor begs for mercy. She is armoured up and ready for this battle. She has burnt all her white fabric; beginning today, no flags of surrender will be hoisted.

Today, instead of the flag of surrender, she raises the shield with which she will quench all the flaming arrows and she wields the sword with which she will dash away him who dares to come up against her. Today this girl steps into her womanhood. Today, she receives this gift which she has been given. She accepts it, she embraces it, she opens it, she takes it out and she uses it. Today, this woman will roar.

Today is the day, for tomorrow is promised to no one. Today, she signs her name, ‘Carpe Diem’.