The Quiet Strength that Shapes the World!

Every day, women show up for their families, their work, their dreams. But today, the world finally pauses to celebrate them. 

Now, I’m not someone who waves the flag of feminism in the way it’s often perceived. Maybe because I grew up with equality. At home and in school, we were equals no special privileges, no biases.I was more of a tomboy back then, and honestly, I didn’t even realize how different boys and girls were supposed to be, according to society.

For years, I ran around with scraped knees and short hair, never thinking twice about how girls were ‘supposed’ to be. But then, one day, society made sure I knew.At a family wedding in my hometown, I was humiliated in front of a group of people by an elder in the family. Why? Because my hairstyle was deemed inappropriate for a girl.

That was the first time I felt the sting of society’s dos and don’ts for women the first time I realized that the freedom I felt at home wasn’t necessarily the norm everywhere else.

But today, I don’t want to dwell on the rules and expectations society sets for women. Instead, I want to celebrate the women who taught me how to rise above them ,the ones who showed me strength, grace, and authenticity in their own unique ways.

My Mom: The Mighty Force

My mom has always been a mighty force in our lives. She taught us resilience and discipline. And I don’t think I fully understood her strength until I got married and had a family of my own to run. My respect for her grew tenfold when I became a mom myself because that’s when I realized it’s all about responsibility and putting others above yourself. Intimidating, right?

I remember how she juggled everything work, home, us and she made it look effortless. She always had solutions and plans, no matter what. She was the calm in every storm, the one who held it all together.

She’s the kind of woman who could cover her own worries, push through exhaustion and still find the strength to hold everyone else up.

My Mother-in-Law: The Unconquered Queen

My mother-in-law, on the other hand, ran a household with four men and she did it with an ease and authority I can only admire from afar. She was the unconquered queen of her home. Even today, none of us can quite fill her shoes.

When I had my elder one, she and my mom stood by me like pillars. I remember those early days of motherhood when everything felt new and overwhelming and how they both stepped in, not just to help, but to hold me up. That quiet strength, that instinctive nurturing. it’s something I hope to carry forward.

She taught me that you can feel a storm raging within and still stay calm on the outside. That you can carry the weight of the world and still wear grace like a crown.

My Sister: The Epitome of Patience and Hard Work

Ah, my sister. If there’s ever an award for hard work and patience, she’d win it without question. She’s the kind of person who never gives up, who shows up for her people no matter what. She’s kind of antifragile, I should say. Meek on the outside, strong on the inside.

We gossip, brood, and ROFL about life but no matter what, she always rises up. There’s a quiet fire in her, a determination I truly admire.

She’s one of those women who build their lives with love and hard work, who face challenges head-on and still manage to lift others up along the way.

We cover our blemishes and scars with makeup and lipstick or we show up without makeup, just as we are. We dress elegant, casual, traditional or sometimes we just walk up with a terrible headache and still manage to wear a smile. We might feel a storm raging within us and still stay calm on the outside.

We build homes. We build the next generation. We hold space for everyone’s dreams while quietly shelving some of our own. We carry love in one hand and discipline in the other. We nurture, we guide, we comfort, and we let go when we must. We may stumble under the weight of it all, but we rise — again and again.

We are women. And there is so much power in that.

Of course, supportive men do help extraordinary women shine but sometimes, it’s the lack of support that creates phenomenal women. The ones who rise despite the odds, who become their own anchors and their own heroes.

These women don’t wait for a special day to show their strength. They do it every day, in every quiet act of love and resilience, and shape the world — one home, one heart at a time. 

Celebrating women everyday

Yours truly,

Nancy Kavin