~A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE~

  One old love she can imagine going back to -
and one who reminds her how far she has come

Enough money within her control to
move out and rent a place of her own
even if she never wants to or needs to

Something perfect to wear if
  the employer or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour

A youth she's content to
leave behind

A past juicy enough that she's looking
forward to retelling it in her old age

A set of screwdrivers,
a cordless drill,
and a black lace bra

One friend who always makes her laugh,
and one who lets her cry

A good piece of furniture
 not previously owned by anyone else
in her family

Eight matching plates,
wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal that will
make her guests feel honored

  a feeling of control over her destiny
 

~A WOMAN SHOULD KNOW~

  How to fall in love without losing herself

How to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship

When to try harder - and
  when to walk away
 
  That she can't change the
 length of her calves,
the width of her hips,
or the nature of her parents
 
  that her childhood may not have been perfect -
but its over

What she would and wouldn't
 do for love or more

  How to live alone - even if
 she doesn't like it
 
  Whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally

  Where to go, be it to her
 best friend's kitchen table
or a charming inn in the woods,
 when her soul needs soothing

 What she can and can't accomplish
in a day,
a month,
and a year