I came upon this phrase a few years ago and it took my breath away - two little words speaking to me on an existential level. At first they seemed to describe my seemingly divergent life and interests - a woman working in a male dominated IT industry; a love of poetry and first person shooter video games; a collector of both sea shells and (at one time) knives and swords; I could go on.
But it's so much deeper than that. To me fierce grace is a blueprint for dealing with life, an innate part of the human experience and something to cultivate. It's standing up for what I believe in a way that also holds space and respect for others. It is fighting injustice and disparity in my own ways, trying to remember small things can have big outcomes - and doing nothing feels unacceptable. It is in the courage to face my fears and doubts, sitting with uncomfortable things, and staying vulnerable. It is unrelenting kindness to others, especially myself, even when it's difficult. It is using sensitivity and empathy as a super power. It is setting boundaries which in turn allow me to be free and give. It is living in gratitude, mindful always of how fleeting and precious this life is.
Fierce grace is giving myself freedom to fail, struggle, make mistakes, and still believe in my power and potential. It is confidence and a love of learning matched with humility and a willingness to grow, aware how little I really know. It is actively fighting for the life I want while accepting and loving what I have now. It's having a rich inner life, enjoying my own company, and not giving anyone else power over my happiness or self-worth. It is motherhood. It is about breathing and self-care amid the chaos, and it is grit.
Fierce grace is being a real, strong, smart woman in a society that values our bodies over our minds. It is the women in the #metoo movement, the women in STEM, the US women's national soccer team fighting for equal pay. It is straight up Ruth Bader Ginsberg. It is good men fighting against toxic masculinity.
It is being a stormbringer and a peacemaker.
I don't always embody fierce grace but I try. I want my daughters to see the fierce grace in their own hearts, that it's there even when they struggle and fail...
...and that strong, smart women can change the world.
コメント