Layers [√]

[ on independence vs. detachment ]

what does it mean to love a strong woman?

it means being sure of where you stand
when the whole world is at her feet

it means unanswered texts and unreturned calls
when work demands her to stay late at night

it means rescheduling dates when exhaustion knocks
at her weary bones the next morning

it means her eating without you,
shopping without you,
buying without you,
doing things without you

it means no words of reassurance,
no gestures of affirmation
because she is confident enough
in her own skin

it means celebrating her accomplishments
even though they are much grander than yours

it means giving her privacy when she says
she wants some room for her thoughts

it means offering patience for her passions
that drive her to the brink

it means letting her go
while loving her
at the same time

independence is often misinterpreted as detachment

but when a strong woman loves you,
she will only be yours and yours alone

forget the world
forget the applause
forget the rest

what will matter is that she sleeps
in your arms at the end of the day

because when a strong woman loves you,
you hold her secret power —
and that is her vulnerability