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*giant cliche warning*

I was reading this book about how patriarchy shapes a woman's psychology to just want to be desired. Unfortunately, this correlates directly with looks and being young. The author addressed the difference between wanting to be wanted and wanting to be loved, and recently I guess I didn't recognize the difference. Like people can tell you they love you all day long, but it is nothing compared to being actually loved. Anyway, the author really wanted to empower women to get out of multiple thinking complexes and have them feel confident about their other abilities without feeling overly pushy (since, in simplest terms, women in power are often see as mean and or ugly). I really liked the tales she used to symbolically point out each mental knot women can find themselves trapped in. It's always been slightly touched on by some media that "you're more than your looks" but this book did sorta connected on a deeper level with me. Of course, I never realize this after I finish a book. It always requires another source outside to trigger a connection so I can go from my knowing to understanding to feeling it in my heart. I saw an image that gave a very simplistic form of the idea and I felt it. I'm more than my young age and looks. I have talents and can provide kindness to others and for once that feels really really good. It's difficult to not stress about a rapidly fading youth when media tells you that's the only thing you should want to be. So even though I may be battling those silly societal values in my head while I age, I hope I can hold onto, value, invest, and empower myself in the things that truly make me who I am.