Reading “milk and honey” is life-changing. Rupi Kaur reminds us of what we know to be true, but what society leads us to misunderstand. Through powerful imagery and poetic verses, she takes us along on her journey. The same one so many have also traveled and are continuing on. Page by page, she addresses the trauma and losses she's endured and transforms them in to anthems of triumph. Although life can be sour and harvest more animosity and adversity than anyone could possibly deserve, sweetness can be found within it. The milk and honey. You must be willing to seek it.

Rupi Kaur ventured upon this publication to heal heartache through creative expression by reflecting her collective experience. The index of the book reads, “my heart woke me up crying last night | how can i help i begged | write the book.”

The poetry collection consists of four chapters addressing different themes: “the hurting,” “the loving,” “the breaking” and “the healing.” Each chapter allows you to experience not sympathy, but empathy, as the poems reflect instances which will draw you to the darker parts of your mind. The illustrations to accompany each verse are equally powerful as they speak for themselves, beyond the words upon the page.

Her reflections show just how vital self-expression is when addressing the feelings that seem better to suppress. She brings a sense of unity through womens' shared experiences. In “a love letter from me to you,” following the final chapter, she expresses gratitude for her readership and expresses that it was a conjoined effort that led her there.

“i would be nowhere and nothing if it were not for you. You've helped me become the woman i wanted to be.”

While as individuals, we battle different demons, “the healing” chapter specifically serves to bring everything into perspective. It brings truths to the light which the darkest parts of our minds loudly deny. Despite what we hear from a variety of sources, this chapter is a vital reminder to fall in love with ourselves.

It's a feminism handbook, really. It brings home messages that need to be heard loudly. We are so much more than our bodies. We are intelligent, strong creatures and our appearances and functions are not something to be commented on like a football game. We should be able to walk down a street without getting cat called or honke at. We should be able to commend an actress for her accomplishments without remarking on wrinkles or added weight. We're capable of so much more.

Rupi Kaur knows this all too well. She encourages you to grow flowers in sites of destruction and to provide yourself with the tools to love yourself and others. The collection celebrates inner beauty, deflecting beauty standards and those who prioritize phsycial appearances. Not only that, but announcing that women's bodies are not battle fields.

We are flowers, cheering each other on to grow and celebrating in each other's accomplishments as we would our own.

“we are all born so beautiful | the greatest tragedy is | being convinced we are not”