I Am Woman

Asia, Travel Snippets, , 47 Comments

If I have to, I can do anything.
I am strong, I am invincible,
I am Woman

Maeklong Railway Market

I remember lying in bed one night and the words,
‘I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman’,
kept going over and over in my head.
That part I consider to be divinely inspired.
I had been chosen to get a message across.
~ Helen Reddy, a day before she penned the lyric
and handed it to Australian guitarist Ray Burton to put it to music.

Khmer Market, Siem Reap

I couldn’t find any songs that said
what I thought being a woman was about.
I thought about all these strong women in my family
who had gotten through the Depression and
world wars and drunken, abusive husbands.
But there was nothing in music that reflected that”

Khmer Market, Siem Reap

This post is dedicated to all the women of strength in my life.

 

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Madhu is an Interior designer turned travel blogger on a long sabbatical to explore the world. When not crafting stories on The Urge To Wander, she's probably Tweeting @theurgetowander or sharing special moments on instagram.com/theurgetowander

47 thoughts on “I Am Woman”

  9. through world wars and and drunk abusive husbands. yes and they the women endure much much more, work like a horse and yet do house work like make bhaji and roti etc. the list is endless. I salute you women. absolutely. My wife included. great photos.

  11. So I started singing ‘I am strong, strong…’ and within a second or two, I didn’t expect the actual song to start… Kinda cool hanging by your post listening to this song 🙂

  14. Wonderful post, Madhu… 🙂

    Strength and weakness are some odd sizes – men think it is a strength to hide his weakness and women think it is a weakness to show her strength – what is the result, it is that the world is ruled by people who should not have the power – the world is ruled by men who are “afraid” of women and therefore suppress them assisted by women who forget their female strengths and play the men’s game (perhaps these women even stand up when they pee) – the key word is synergy effect where we accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses and use them in one common strength…

  15. Wonderful post Madhu. Love your selection of photos and having this great song playing in the background was perfect! 🙂

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  20. Beautiful post, Madhu. 🙂 My friends have been singing the song from way back but I think this is the first time I heard the song in full and in the original version. It is quite empowering.

  27. A great post. And a great song. I had not heard it… I wonder how I missed it… thanks for correcting this lack 🙂

    here’s the thing about the ordinary woman… she does not think about her strength, her spine. She simply hunkers down and gets through life. One day in a year, it is good for her to look up at the stars and say, ‘wow… those are mine….’

    Your pictures are about the woman in her easy essence. Lovely!

  28. I remember when Helen Reddy’s song came out and it was everywhere in Australia. I still know the words by heart…great post.

  30. the black and white images are so evocative madhu, joy and strength in the faces, and it is a wonderful idea to have the song playing as part of the post, well done for technical expertise! thanks for sharing the background of the song, it makes the words even more meaningful 🙂

    1. Thanks Dallas. Hope your ‘patients’ are recovering well and not still driving you round the bend 🙂

  36. I recall this Helen Reddy hit – very inspirational.

    I particularly love these B&W shots – reckon they bring out the gritty charm better than any colours would have.

    Lovely, Eric

  40. This is one of my favorite songs – it gave me a lot of encouragement and courage as I was finding myself in my early adulthood. Wonderful post – thanks.

  41. I loved that song when I was in high school, Madhu. I still find it’s lyrics and the passion with which they were sung, empowering. My own rendition, which I sang countless times…not so good!

  45. What an incredible post. I had no idea those lyrics began from what was considered to be ‘divine inspiration.’ Wonderful.

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