Brave

When I watched
The Disney movie
Brave
Over the summer
There was a moment
When I thought
Wouldn't be cool
If the princess
Merida
Was allowed to be single
Was allowed to be
A woman
With skills
And a thirst for knowledge
Going out into the world
And living her life
And achieving her goals
And dreaming her dreams
Without having to
Be a dainty princess
Or one day marry a prince?

Because
Despite what Disney
And Hollywood portray
There are many
Women in the world
Who don't marry
Who don't have children
Who are bright
And worldly
Who are not crazy crones
Or wicked witches
There are many women
Who do marry
But stay
Independent
And remain powerful in their own right

I want role models
In life
Like Elizabeth Gilbert
Who
Ate and prayed and loved
And consciously decided
She didn't want to be a mother
Wanted to be a writer
And globe trotter
And embracer of life

Or like Rita Golden Gelman
Who sold her possessions
And went traveling
And met people
And ate beautiful food
And said
You CAN travel the world
As a single woman
And you can have a marvelous time doing it

I wish Disney
Would tell stories where
It is okay to be a spirited single woman
It is okay to not want to get married
To not to have children
And that being You
Makes you beautiful
And powerful
And feminine
And not at all crony
That would be the
Bravest story
Of all.

The end.