My Ladies...

Being in "the dungeon" these past couple of weeks and spending time with my s have made me really thoughtful lately and I've come to the realization that I am truly blessed to be surrounded by the strong, beautiful, amazing black women that I call my friends. Growing up, I moved around so much that I became quite introverted and never made friends too easily. In high school I had two girlfriends, only one of which I am still friends with. It took me five years at NU to cultivate these wonderful bonds with these women and it was worth it.

Looking back on the past five years, I can see how I've grown up from freshmen year... a young girl who was begging to be corrupted to senior year... a woman looking to corrupt! My ladies have seen me through it.

They've all come in at different parts of the journey and although most of them don't know it, they have all atributed to the Marly that I am today and the Marly I continue to strive to become tomorrow. These women constantly inspire and motivate me to "be me and be free". They have taught me to love myself and how to demand to be respected by others. They have showed me the difference between sexual freedom and sexual looseness. They have taught me how to love life and how to stand up for myself and the people I love. They taught me how to be a woman.

Funny, beautiful, confident, bold while at the same time sensitive, loving and in tuned with the problems and issues of the people around them, my ladies know when to speak up and know when to fall back. They handle the messiest, ugliest situations with pride and class and with a head held high, always. My ladies...

Although in the next few months each of us might have to turn our different ways on this journey called life, I will always hold my ladies and the lessons they've taught me close to my heart.