If you haven't already seen the endless posts on social media, the book "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur has been slowly making its way onto every readers' bookshelf. After finally getting my hands on a copy, I cannot say enough about how much the works in this book have connected with me. While you may think poetry isn't your cup of tea, I strongly suggest you pick "Milk and Honey" up for yourself and give it a read. I promise you won't regret it. Here are just a few of the beautiful poems from the book that I am sure will speak to you as they have spoken to me.
1. "Accept yourself as you were designed"
One of the shortest and arguably most powerful poems in the book, Kaur really hit home with this one. It is so easy to compare yourself to others, tear yourself apart and have the feeling that you aren't good enough. This is the perfect reminder to love yourself in a society that often makes it difficult to.
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2. "Don't come here with expectations and try to make a vacation out of me"
Following one of the shortest with one of the longest, I promise this piece is worth taking the time to read. Particularly with the millennial generation, it is common for us to encounter people in our love lives who have no intention of actually staying. This poem is dedicated to the fact that you are more than a one night stand or summer fling and that potential significant others need to come to that realization.
3. "I am water. Soft enough to offer life tough enough to drown it away"
A reminder that you are capable of much more than you may think. Never underestimate yourself.
4. "Fall in love with your solitude"
A reminder that you don't need a significant other to be happy. Love and be happy with being on your own and the rest will follow.
5. "He placed his hands on my mind"
A reminder that before anything else, a significant other should love you for the beautiful person you are on the inside and not solely the outside. There is someone out there who will love you for your mind first.
6. "I have what I have and I am happy. I've lost what I've lost and I am still happy"
A reminder that outlook is everything. If you choose to stay positive in difficult situations, you will have a much more positive outcome. Everything happens for a reason.
7. "Do not look for healing at the feet of those who broke you"
Too often than not in a search for closure we continually return to the people who have hurt us. This piece serves as a reminder that in order to move forward, you need to stop looking back.
8. "How is it so easy for you to be kind to people"
A reminder that those who try to tear us down build us into stronger people. For every person who is unkind to you, be a little kinder to the next.
9. "Other women's bodies are not our battlegrounds"
So often as women we tear each other down in order to build ourselves up. Instead of tearing apart each other, we should be building each other up, and in the process building ourselves up.
10. "What terrifies me most is how we foam at the mouth with envy when others succeed but sigh in relief when they are failing. Our struggle to celebrate each other is what's proven most difficult in being human."
Going off building each other up, this poem really hits home with being proud and happy when people other than ourselves succeed. Instead of loathing and being jealous, we should be congratulating others on their accomplishments.
11. "I do not want to have you to fill the empty parts of me"
I wanted to end on one of the poems that first spoke to me. Many of us have this idea that a significant other is supposed to "complete" us. But why do we need completing? Why do we have this idea that we cannot be whole on our own? Instead of searching for someone to complete us, we should be searching for someone who simply makes us shine brighter than we already do.
Rupi Kaur, I cannot say enough about this book and your words. To those reading this, I hope these pieces have impacted you the way they have me.
