almost every woman I know

feels isolated, unworthy, not good enough

lonely, even in a crowd

perhaps you can relate

 

your value comes from your children

and their accomplishments

their grades, their sports, where they will go to college

how popular they are

or aren’t

 

or your husband

his magnificent, or not, job

your address, winter vacations

where and how you spend your summer

 

it’s the same if you have

a career or a j-o-b of your own

hidden in the deep recesses

the places we don’t talk about

you feel pain

for not measuring up

as a mom

or a woman

how you’re failing, falling short

 

on the outside you look good

like you’ve got it all together

or maybe you look like

you’ve completely given up

 

you’re our neighbor

our sister, our friend

president of the PTA

 

I’ve heard it enough times

from enough women

to believe that not only is it true

it’s an epidemic

 

where the hell did you go?

the feisty, funny, magnificent woman

the one with plans and dreams

the one who was up to something

(is that you?)

 

it’s time to come out

to stand and be counted

not for whose mom or wife or CEO you are

but because YOU have value

all your own

 

please share

if this isn’t you but you know someone

or this IS you AND you know someone

or if you just feel like sharing dammit