Every year, there is one day that carries a special meaning for me. Its importance seems to gather quietly even before it arrives.
March 8 – International Women’s Day.
A day that reminds us of women who knew that things could be different. Women who understood, spoke up and acted. Thanks to their courage and determination, many rights that were once only quietly dreamed of have become part of our everyday lives.
And perhaps precisely because they have become part of everyday life, it is easy to forget that they were not always there – and that they should never be taken for granted.
A day I remember
I remember Women’s Day from my childhood.
There were celebrations and gatherings. As a child, I didn’t really understand their meaning, but I could sense that this was an important day.
I remember my mother getting ready for the celebration. She somehow looked even more beautiful and special. The streets were filled with flowers and there was something festive in the air.
Teachers seemed a little softer, mothers a little more radiant.
Above all, women were noticed. At least for one day, they were collectively acknowledged and celebrated.
By the time I grew up, much of this had disappeared. What remained were memories – and only later did I begin to understand what that day had actually represented.
What we should not forget
Today, many of us live with rights and freedoms that generations of women before us did not have.
Education. Work. Economic independence. The right to make decisions about our own lives. The possibility to choose our path.
It is easy to experience these things as something permanent.
But history reminds us that rights are never entirely self-evident. Even today, we can see societies in which women’s freedoms are restricted or taken away.
For me, this is one of the reasons why International Women’s Day still matters.
Not simply as a celebration, but as a reminder.
And then there are expectations
Rights, however, are only one part of the story. Alongside them live expectations.
Throughout her life, a woman encounters many ideas about who she should be – as a daughter, student, colleague, partner, mother or grandmother.
To be kind. Helpful. Caring. Available. Understanding.
Expectations do not come only from men. Women place them on other women too. And very often, we place them on ourselves.
There is nothing wrong with caring for others. But when the needs and expectations of others become louder than our own feelings, we can slowly lose contact with ourselves.
Sometimes so gradually that we barely notice.
Returning to ourselves
The good thing is that this connection can be restored. By listening.
By noticing when the body is tired or tense instead of simply pushing through. By allowing ourselves to recognize what feels good and what does not. By making room for our own needs without having to justify every one of them.
Taking care of ourselves does not have to mean anything grand.
Sometimes it is a walk. A quiet bath. A massage. A few minutes alone. A small skincare ritual at the end of the day.
Not because we need another task called “self-care”. But because attention to ourselves matters.
Perhaps this is also something International Women’s Day can remind us of. The women before us fought for the right to have a voice in society.
We can honour that legacy not only by remembering them, but also by continuing to listen to our own voice.
To know what matters to us.
To recognise our own feelings.
And to have the courage to act accordingly.
Because being connected to ourselves does not make us less attentive to others. It gives us a stronger place from which to stand beside them.
