I have more courage than I ever thought possible.

When I was a girl, I spoke like a girl, I thought like a girl, I reasoned like a girl. When I became an adult, I put an end to girlish ways. Now I am a woman and I face my fears like a woman. I speak like a woman. I think like a woman. I have courage like a woman. I have more courage than I ever thought possible.

The Indians in the timeless city of Jaipur tell a tale of a scurrying dormouse that lived in constant fear of the baker's old gray cat. A Medicine Woman buying fresh oats took pity on the tiny dormouse and changed her into a sleek black cat. The baker's mangy kitty dared not approach this new creature. However, a day later the Medicine Woman found the sleek black cat still quaking in the doorway.

What is the matter?" asked the Medicine Woman, surprised. The sleek black cat revealed that she now feared the gruesome dog so the Medicine Woman changed the sleek black cat into an even more gruesome dog so that she could defend herself. As the gruesome dog, the former dormouse now feared the magnificent lion that lived in a neighboring village. Ever obliging, the Medicine Woman changed the former dormouse into a hulking lioness whose body filled up the entire grove. The next day the medicine woman found the hulking lioness lurking behind a water barrel.

"Why lurk you there!?" the Medicine Woman asked. "You are the queen of the jungle!!"

"I lurk in the shadows because I fear the hunter," the hulking lioness whispered, barely peering out. The Medicine Woman waived her grand arms and before the second was out the hulking lion was returned to her original form of a tiny, scurrying, fearful mouse.

"But why, Madame!!?" asked the dormouse skirting around the grand ankles of the benevolent magician.

"I cannot help you," the great Medicine Woman revealed with heavy sadness in her voice. "It does not matter what gifts I bestow or what your exterior may be. You have the heart of a mouse and you are committed to the having the heart of a mouse."

Until now I have lived as a skirting dormouse. I am not a mouse. Nor am I a mangy cat or a gruesome dog. I am the queen of the jungle and I step up to my adversaries and adversities and face them like a lioness approaching her prey. I look fear in the eye and laugh at its game. I know that there exists within me the power to conquer all. When I feel fear I will go within where I will see and know that fear is a grand illusion. When I feel fear I will go within and remember that I am a courageous woman.

Every smile that I cast, every step that I take exudes confidence. I am a majestic queen and today I move beyond my old borders and rip down my old barriers.

My valor inspires my brothers and sisters on earth to reach for the bravery within them. My sword and my shield I lay down today by the riverside knowing that I need neither to conquer the wolves that appear to yip at my gates. I only need raise my powerful arms to quiet the restless beasts for I am a queen. I express my anger and discontent freely and wisely because a courageous woman who honors her emotions. I need not even raise my voice. I look my foes in the eye and they are subdued. I am more courageous than I ever thought possible. And so it is, as for this, I am so grateful.