(doch wie so oft: ausnahmen bestätigen die regel)

EVERY 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 ...

EVERY 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