I was born into a culture where my gender was a liability before I drew my first breath. I survived, rebuilt, and kept going. And I still believe women's worth was never contingent on suffering. The pain was the obstacle. Not the origin. Here is what I think we should be celebrating instead.

I don't know where you are right now. I don't know if you're thinking about me, or if you even know I exist. Maybe you're sitting in traffic or making coffee or scrolling through your phone, living a life that hasn't intersected with mine yet. Maybe you're healing from something too.