An ode to surviving by any means necessary

For the past four months, I have been thinking of every woman before me and after me, and those by my side today. What is it to survive by any means necessary? What is it to push back the narrative created for us, one of misogyny, of Islamophobia, of racism? These are boxes we are placed in, ostracizing us for our mere existence. What is the strength to bypass and overcome them? To create change? Real radical change.

To exist is hard, to challenge sometimes impossible. One person comes to mind often when I think of surviving. Resilience and strength despite hardships. I think of how much God loves this person, and how much I love Him for blessing me with her brilliance. I think of endurance in a world not made for our survival, of resistance in a world not made for our growth, and I continue to learn. Surviving by any means necessary means choosing yourself even when you are called selfish. It sometimes means leaving. It sometimes means breaking things and screaming. It means praying, until your legs hurt, until your eyes are completely dry. It means doing whatever it takes to break free. Survive.