Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl from Somewhere Else

by Maeve Higgins

Secondly, my overwhelming wish for these girls is autonomy. And how can they really achieve that if I am always there, grimacing at every slight, fingers hovering over my throwing stars, ready to defend them? I don’t want anybody to control them, not even me. Independence is a muscle, one that needs to be stretched and challenged and broken down a little in order to get good and strong. I understand that. I won’t cast this creeping shadow of caution over their brightness. I will fight the urge to tell them to slow down. I will absolutely stand guard, but from a distance. I want them to be fearless, so I won’t tell them to be careful.