Wrong author, but right message

A close friend forwarded the following to me, under the title "Maya Angelou's Best Poem Ever." I did a quick search and found out that while it's often attributed to Angelou, a woman named Pamela Redmond Satran actually penned it for Glamour magazine more than a decade ago.

However, time and incorrect attribution don't dim the message of the piece, which I pass on to my fellow womenfolk.


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams, wants to see her in an hour.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a youth she's content to leave behind.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... one friend who always makes her laugh ... and one who lets her cry.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honored.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ... a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend, without ruining the friendship.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... when to try harder ... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... that her childhood may not have been perfect, but it's over.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ... what she would and wouldn't do for love or more.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ... how to live alone, even if she doesn't like it.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ... whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ... where to go, be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods, when her soul needs soothing.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ... what she can and can't accomplish in a day ... a month ... and a year.