ENGLAND : “Imagine a Woman II” © Patricia Lynn Reilly, 1995

Imagine a Woman II Imagine a woman who is interested in her own life. A woman who embraces her life as teacher, healer, and challenge. Who is grateful for the ordinary moments of beauty and grace. Imagine a woman who participates in her own life. A woman who meets each challenge with creativity. Who takes action on her own behalf with clarity and strength. Imagine a woman who has crafted a fully-formed solitude. A woman who is available to herself. Who chooses friends and lovers with the capacity to respect her solitude. Imagine a woman who acknowledges the full range of human emotion. A woman who expresses her feelings clearly and directly. Who allows them to pass through her as naturally as the breath. Imagine a woman who tells the truth. A woman who trusts her experience of the world and expresses it. Who refuses to defer to the thoughts, perceptions, and responses of others. Imagine a woman who follows her creative impulses. A woman who produces original creations. Who refuses to color inside someone else’s lines. Imagine a woman who has relinquished the desire for intellectual safety and approval. A woman who makes a powerful statement with every action she takes. Who asserts to herself the right to reorder the world. Imagine a woman who has grown in knowledge and love ofherself. A woman who has vowed faithfulness to her own life. Who remains loyal to herself. Regardless. Imagine yourself as this woman. “Imagine a Woman II” © Patricia Lynn Reilly, 1995 Excerpt: Imagine a Woman in Love with Herself (Conari, 1999) Thank you so much, dearest Zibby!... Marta