Strong

The word strong... strength... are words I have heard most of my adult life as a description of myself. I remember the first time that I actually thought about this characteristic in dept. I was in the process of moving from Durham to Atlanta in early 2006. I graduated from undergrad a few months before and had decided it was time to move back to my hometown. A close male friend, who is also my daughter's Godfather, told me he knew I would be fine because "you are a strong person." I remember thinking about his words later that day. I wondered why he considered me a strong person and what made me one. 

I realized that I did not consider myself strong... or even weak. I just did what I had to do. Last year I had a similar conversation with this same friend. This time I asked him why he felt this way. He spoke of times when I stepped up because I had to for myself or my child, but also time that I did this for friends. This conversation changed my view of the word. Over the last four months I have heard this word a lot again. Sometimes as an encouragement "Stay strong" "Be strong for your daughter" and other times as a characteristic I already hold. 

I do not feel that I ever had the choice to be strong. I have to be, have had to be, and probably will continue to. I was given a life that requires it. Not saying my life has been awful, but this ain't no dog and pony show for sure! I know that God prepared me for all the obstacles and situations he placed me in. I guess I was made for this. But I definitively do not believe that I had the choice to be anything else. I tackle what is placed in front of me, protect my family, and my heart. I do what I feel I have to do.

While thinking about this strength and what surrounds it, I wondered how it has effected other personality characteristics and things in my life. I am dominant is a lot of ways. As a result I like men who are confident and dominant as well. I like this because I feel comfortable in letting them take charge. It is rare I feel like I don't have to take the lead or make the decisions.

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