I think it's empowering for women to be in a relationship or

The words of Ashley Roberts, when she said, “I think it’s empowering for women to be in a relationship or single and have their own independence,” shine like a quiet flame in the temple of modern wisdom. Simple though they seem, they speak of a truth both ancient and eternal — that the strength of a woman, and indeed of any soul, does not come from the bonds they hold with others, but from the light that burns within. In an age where love and companionship are often mistaken for completion, her words remind us that independence is not loneliness, but wholeness — the sacred power to stand tall in one’s own spirit, whether the heart walks alone or beside another.

For too long, the world has woven a false tale — that a woman’s worth is measured by whose hand she holds, or what title she bears beside her name. But empowerment, as Roberts speaks it, is the act of reclaiming one’s own center. It is the knowing that love can be shared without surrendering identity, that companionship need not mean captivity. To be independent, in her sense, is not to reject love, but to meet it as an equal — to walk with another not because you must, but because you choose. In this balance between relationship and self, true harmony is born.

The ancients, too, understood this truth. Consider the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a woman of learning in the ancient world, who lived by wisdom’s light when the world was ruled by men and superstition. She refused the chains of dependence, teaching philosophy and mathematics freely, loved and respected by her students and peers. She was neither defined by marriage nor confined by solitude; she was defined by her mind, her freedom, her integrity. Even when the tide of ignorance rose against her, and her life was cut short, her legacy endured — a testament to the power of a woman who owned herself completely. Hypatia, like Roberts, would have understood that independence is the foundation upon which love and respect must stand.

To be empowered in a relationship, or in solitude, is to understand that love is not ownership. It is companionship — two complete souls walking side by side, not one depending on the other for identity. A relationship, when pure, should be a union of equals: two fires burning brighter together, not one extinguishing the other’s flame. But this truth is often forgotten, as fear and dependence masquerade as affection. Roberts’ words call upon women to remember: you were whole before love, and you remain whole within it. The strength you carry is not granted by another — it was yours from the beginning.

In this teaching lies not pride, but peace. Independence is not defiance, but self-respect — the quiet confidence of knowing one’s worth and walking with it. Whether one is single or bound by love, the same principle applies: to live authentically, guided by one’s own compass, to choose joy not because it is given, but because it is made. The independent woman does not wait to be saved, for she knows she was never lost. She does not fear solitude, for she finds company in her own spirit. And when she loves, she does so freely, deeply, and without fear — because her love is not a plea, but a gift.

The lesson of Roberts’ words reaches beyond women; it is a truth for all humanity. To rely on others for wholeness is to build a house on shifting sands. But to cultivate strength within — through purpose, learning, and self-awareness — is to anchor the soul in bedrock. A person who stands firm in their independence can share their life without losing it. And a love born from such freedom is the rarest and purest of all — one without chains, built on respect, not need.

So, O listener, take this wisdom as your own: nurture your independence as you would guard a sacred flame. Let no relationship, no loneliness, no fleeting desire make you forget who you are. Build your life upon your own strength, not the shadow of another’s approval. And when love comes, let it meet you as an equal sunrise meets the horizon — not to eclipse, but to illuminate. For only when you know yourself as whole can you love truly, live freely, and walk through the world with both tenderness and power.

Thus, the teaching endures: independence is not the absence of love, but the presence of self. In every season — alone or entwined — remember that the heart’s greatest strength lies not in who holds it, but in who it belongs to.