I am a female, but that's not all, I am a lady as well: not just that, but a Diva. 

Have I been abused? Assaulted? Sometimes humiliated? 

Ever cried myself to sleep and woke up in the pool of my tears? 

Looked in the mirror and all I could see was a broken and wounded person? 

Had my childhood robbed off me before I learned to make a sentence? 

Trusted the wrong man and shamefully loved even my abuser? 

Searched for someone to love me enough, hoping I can learn to love myself thereby? 

Hardened myself so I could fit into the “man's world”, now no one can touch my heart? 

Dragged others down, settled for cheap gossip; thinking I could find fulfillment therein? 

Fanned the flames of lost love, struggling to reawaken it? 

Embracing feminism fanatically to see if been manlier was the answer? 

Carrying a baby in my womb, I’m just a grown baby myself!

Cheated on so much, I earned a low self-esteem and always felt like “second best”? 

Lied to time and again, yet I kept believing, wishing it was true, even when I feared otherwise? 

Traded my innocence for a few minutes to boost a lover's ego? 

Angered and bitter, with only one thing on my mind.... Revenge?

Are we hurt? Bitter? Ashamed? I could go on and one. We may be many things, but we refuse to remain that way!

So here I am raising my glass to every lady who in spite of all, still has her diva swag. Poised and confident, classy yet domestic. Hides in the shelter of her maker, fuelled by her convictions; celebrates her femininity. Accepting her weaknesses without being weak, burnt like a coal, yet blossoming into a jewel daily. Whole without a man, and when she has her man, she completes him! Virtuous even though not perfect, stays a dreamer amidst the failures, refuses to be defined by her past. Looking in the mirror each day, she sees the scars, but forgives the abusers, holds her head up high and still calls herself a DIVA (Divine). 

Here is to those ladies like me who are still standing in spite of all. With God...No limits!!

TIP: To the men that truly love their ladies, seek to “know” the girl child your woman was, it completes the picture.