by Évariste Carpentier (1845–1922)
...she doesn't have to choose between being gentle or being fierce. Both exist in nature and both exist in her. That's ok. She'll know to nourish them both and when applicable, use each unapologetically.
― Steve Maraboli
Do not be afraid to bare your teeth - you were not brought into this world covered in blood to become a gentle, tamed thing.
― Nichole McElhaney
Sources:
[1] Original image from Wikimedia.
[2] The Real Victorian's digitally enhanced version of the painting (seen above), downloadable as a 4" x 3" @ 300 ppi JPEG.
Digitally enhanced reproductions of public domain paintings are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.