I must have written at least ten pieces on what it means to be a woman - each one a different shade of the same question. I’m not sure there’s a fixed definition or meaning yet, but I’m certain of this: the clearest understanding of a woman is found in the God who created her.

I think the concept of choice - of free will, if you may, is an underrated blessing.
That we can wake up each day and decide the path we take, who we spend our time with and where we choose to go… that’s not small. That’s a gift.
Even though many of these decisions happen in split seconds, often without full awareness, the power to choose still resides fully with us.
And the truth is, bondage is the inability to express that choice. I know that by peculiar conditions, there are people who live in this reality and I genuinely sympathise with them.
Because I believe a life well lived begins here -
in recognising that we have the ability to choose what we want from each waking day.
And when we take ownership of those choices, along with their consequences, we begin to really live with intention.
We begin to build a life that truly means something.

I’ve always been intrigued by the story of The Princess and The Frog. While Disney leads us neatly to a happily ever after, I’ve often wondered about the deeper metaphor beneath it.

In the story, it takes just one kiss to turn a frog into a man - no process, no mess, no rough edges. Everything becomes perfect in an instant.

But real life doesn’t work like that.

Change isn’t magical. It takes time, intention, and personal willingness. So I began to see “kissing a frog” as more than a fairytale act. It's the decision to accept someone as they are, without getting lost in the illusion of instant transformation.

It’s choosing to engage the process of change, knowing it will require patience, effort and the uncomfortable work of growth.

Because, here's the truth - the rough edges will show. The cracks will surface. And while it’s okay to hope and even invest in transformation, it’s just as important to stay grounded in reality - that sometimes, a frog is simply just a frog.

So the real decision is this: are you willing to embrace the weight of that process or will you simply see things as they are and choose your battles accordingly?

This piece doesn't cast a vote for either but simply throws light on the reality of what it actually means to kiss a frog.

A new year. A new season. A new perspective - here's the woman I'm showing up as this year.

An experience I remember clearly is being stranded at night in Yaba market, watching the scramble for buses that arrived only in reluctant trickles. Men, stronger and louder, of course elbowed their way through the bus doors, turning entry into a contest of force.

Nearby, a few women who sold gala and drinks sat quietly, observing the chaos with practiced eyes. At some point, noticing how disadvantaged a handful of us ladies were, they leaned in and whispered a simple instruction: "make una enter from boot"

So while the men struggled and pushed at the door, we slipped in quietly through the boot. And that was how we got home that night.

That experience stayed with me and made me wonder how many quiet truths these women have gathered from their small corners on the roadside; how many life hacks, how many survival lessons they have mined simply by watching the world pass them by. And how, on hard days like the one I’ve shared, such knowledge can become the difference between being stranded and being saved.

And so, this piece is a tribute to the everyday women who hawk on the streets and sell in the markets - the women who do not ride cars, yet form a vital part of the rhythm of daily life and carry stories, lessons, and quiet secrets in their hearts,

enough to last a lifetime.

This is an ode to them.

It’s that season again, where gratitude is the anthem, even on days when you can’t quite find a reason to sing along.

Cliché, I know. But it’s true.

I hope this piece helps you shift your gaze, even if just a little.

It’s Christmas!

This month, I’m choosing to take things a lot lighter.

I've drawn inspiration from and written about the most random things.

So I’ll be sharing some of my not-so-straightforward, beautifully random thoughts with you this month. Some are funny, some are reflective, some just are. But I’m certain that in each one, you’ll find a word or a lesson that resonates.
Do let me know your thoughts as you listen.

Today brings our love series to a close.

Have I enjoyed sharing my heart with you these past weeks? Absolutely.

And I can’t think of a better way to end than by pointing to the greatest love of all. My hope is that you experience this love too.