Hey Pinkies,

We came upon this piece in the form of an e-mail touting it as a poem from Maya Angelou. We did some digging and quickly discovered that the Maya Angelou part of the story is myth (a myth that makes it more likely that we’d carefully read and soak in the words, but a myth nonetheless). It was actually written by very wise, very Pink author Pamela Redmond Satran, whom we are delighted to discover. Whatever its origin, we couldn’t resist passing along this prolific piece of Pink guidance. Just mentally insert “Pinkie” where “Woman” appears in each section, and we’ve got our Owning Pink anthem for the day.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents…

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW…
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table..
or a charming Inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...



Anything to add, Pinkies? What are the lessons you’ve learned; the wisdom that’s taken you through the decades? What was the Pinkest piece of advice you got from your grandma? Your mentor? What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned all on your own? What item or mantra can you not live without?

Love to the collective Pink Posse (that’s you!),

Lissa & Joy