Every woman should have...

One old love she can imagine going back to,
and one who reminds her how far she has come...

Enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to..

Something perfect to wear if her employer or
the date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A youth she's content to leave behind...

A past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age...

The realization that she is actually going to
have an old age,
and some money set aside to fund it...

A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

One friend who always makes her laugh...

One who lets her cry...

A good piece of furniture not previously owned by
anyone else in her family...

Eight matching plates, glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal that will
make her guests feel honored...

A resume that is not even the slightest bit padded...

A feeling of control over her destiny.

Every woman should know...          

How to fall in love without losing herself...

How to quit a job, break up with a lover, and
confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

When to try harder, and when to walk away...

How to have a good time at a party
she'd never choose to attend...

How to ask for what she wants in a way
that makes it most likely she'll get it...

That she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...

That her childhood may not have been perfect,
but it's over...

What she would and wouldn't do for love...

How to live alone, even if she doesn't like it...

Whom she can trust, whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

Where to go - be it to her best friend's
kitchen table or to a charming inn in the woods -
when her soul needs soothing...
 
What she can and can't accomplish
in a day, a month, and a year.

  
- author unknown -