Monday, March 25, 2013

Freedom for Girls

I would like to take this opportunity to wish girls and women everywhere a happy Passover - a Passover that is filled with freedom. 

Freedom from "I'm not good enough" and "why doesn't he* like me." Freedom from wanting your life to be like a T-Swift love song, freedom from not "going for it" because you think you don't deserve him. Freedom from settling for someone who shows a slight interest in you, because you don't think anyone else will. Freedom from "why didn't he text me back?!?!" Freedom from "what am I doing wrong?" and "how can I change myself to get him to like me."

Freedom from comparing ourselves to others and assessing our own value based on what society thinks we should look, act, and think like. Freedom from "why can't I look more like her." Freedom from "I'm not cool if I don't have that bag or those shoes." Freedom from slavery to your makeup case and hair straightener. Freedom from wondering why you can never seem to look like the celebrities on magazine covers.

Freedom from "my thighs are too fat" or "I wish my boobs were bigger." Body issues can be a "mitzraim" - such a narrow, confined place that is almost impossible to break out of. Even girls who are not plagued with eating disorders still look in the mirror every day and find a reason to hate their bodies - and themselves. Freedom from "I'm not beautiful" - because you are, I promise.

Most of all, I wish girls everywhere a "freedom TO" - freedom to be who you want to be, freedom to accept yourself. Freedom to be happy and not let fears, what-ifs, and feelings of inadequacy hold you back from living the life you deserve to live. Even Moses had reservations and thought he wasn't good enough to fulfill his destiny, but he found ways to overcome this and lived up to his fullest potential (flaws and all), and delivered the Israelite people from slavery to freedom.

Happy Passover, Chag Sameach, and may we all be blessed to find freedom this year.

*he or she, "he" used for literary flow.

1 comment:

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