Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Marie Curie, Mother Teresa
These women, amongst others, probably spring to mind when you think of International Women’s Day, a day when we celebrate women, of all shapes, sizes, races, ages and nationalities. For me, when I think of International Women’s Day, I think of the women, family, friends, and momentary acquaintances, who have helped shape me into the person I am today.
Firstly, the woman who gave birth to me, my mother. The woman who helped me learn my alphabet, who always ordered a hazelnut latte and so that became my go-to coffee order. She is the origin of so many of my small habits and tendencies, but also some of my foundational morals and principles. She is the woman whose incredible work ethic, going from an immigrant cleaning lady to becoming a deputy head in a London school, continues to inspire me. When I think that there’s something I can’t do, or that seems impossible, it’s her words in my ear telling me to buckle up, get my head down, and work though the challenges that spurs me forward. Without that little voice in my head, I’d be lost.
Secondly, my best school friend. Despite having the same first name, a joke that we never got tired of, in many ways we couldn’t be more dissimilar. She’s training to be a medic, I’m a humanities student, she can seemingly complete any crafts task and I can’t commit to one hobby long enough to get good at it. There are so many of her traits that I love, that now due to being far apart, I see myself adopting. Trying to connect with her at a distance. I’ve become a plant mum to so many plants that I slowly kill, but being surrounded by greenery in my room somehow makes me feel closer to her. We all have that person that we can go to in a crisis, and without all of the quick out-of-the-blue calls for advice we’ve shared, countless aspects of my life would be completely different.
Finally, the many women who have fleetingly crossed paths with me. The barista that once told me she loved my nails, the hairdresser that chatted away about life for 2 hours with me, the woman who chased after me when I dropped my debit card. Our lives are constantly being enriched by the women around us, whether they know it or not. We all experience life in so many different ways, but the sisterhood you can feel, often out of the blue, with women around you is something that never fails to put a smile on my face.
This International Women’s Day my goal is to go out and remind the women in my life how incredible and loved they are. Female relationships are one of the most cherished and valued parts of my life, and I would not be the person I am today without them.