COLUMN: Every woman is simply amazing

 In your most country accent, peer into your looking glass, (mirror), and say out loud, “I am amazing.” There is no doubt in my mind that I am an amazing woman, and you know why? Because I said so!

Shonna Sheckles

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We all have special gifts, talents and qualities that make the word “amazing” appealing to our vocabulary.

I think about some of the women who have graced my life with their “sweet aroma of wisdom, strength and compassion,” in the words of my good friend and sister, Monica Bland.

We are all wired differently, and my amazement with myself might be petty to someone else, but it is still my amazement just the same. When I look in my mirror, I see a strong, articulate, well-put-together woman, but some might just see a black, plus-sized woman who, at times, can be loud, a tad assertive and aggressive. I can repeat these things, because it has been said to my face –and behind my back –a few times. The only thing I can figure out, these people must be looking at the back of my mirror, where commonly there is not another piece of glass, so they can’t see through to the true me.

I think my amazement comes from the triumphs and tribulations life has brought me in these 52 years here on earth. It comes from being a wife of a military man and being a mother of two children who are as different as salt and pepper. It is about exposing myself to the finer things in life, and not forgetting about the sacrifices of those before me. My amazement is driven from disappointment to excitement.

Just how do you show how amazing you are?

For me, I think it is about my walk. I square my shoulders, tilt my head back and strut. I do this even on days that I might not feel well, when there are negative things going on in my home or with my job. You have to be good to see me sweat! It is not about hiding or being fake, it is about the truth we believe about ourselves.

In my position as a domestic violence advocate, I encounter women daily who have been forced to forget about how amazing they truly are. I find myself pumping them up and attempting to head them in the direction of self, so they may approach the launch pad of their amazing selves once again.

Being and knowing that you can and are amazing is a wonderful feeling. The road to amazing is very simple: Put one foot in front of the other, turn the corner, and strut.