Welcome to the beautiful month of March, a month that brings many meaningful moments of reflection and celebration, including International Women’s Day on March 8. A day we celebrate the achievements of women, reflect on the progress made toward gender equality, and reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing it.
As we approach International Women’s Day, I recently completed The Urgent Life, the memoir by Bozoma Saint John, and I couldn’t wait to share a few reflections.
Why The Urgent Life? Because the message of urgency feels deeply connected to the spirit of this moment. Progress whether personal, professional, or societal requires intention and action. It requires us to move beyond reflection and take meaningful steps toward change.
In many ways, the book reminds us that life itself calls for urgency, to live boldly, to pursue our purpose, and to contribute meaningfully to the world around us.
About the Book
Let’s start with the color of the book itself Purple. One of my favorite colors that symbolizes royalty, strength, wisdom, and bravery, qualities that resonate deeply with Bozoma’s story. After completing the physical book, I felt a strong urge to listen to the audiobook as well. Considering the message this book carries, there is something deeply powerful about hearing the author tell her own story and reflect on the lessons she has drawn from her life. Listening to Bozoma narrate her experiences makes the journey feel personal, as though she is speaking directly to you.
From its title to the stories within, the book offers powerful reflections on love, family, cultural identity, leadership, career, motherhood, and grief. What struck me most was Bozoma’s clarity about the urgency of life, how every moment matters, and how grief, loss, and success can coexist in ways that shape who we are and how we lead.
Her memoir is raw, inspiring and phenomenal. She shares deeply personal experiences, including the loss of her husband, Peter to cancer. These profound losses became a catalyst for living life intentionally and urgently.
Her reflections are about choosing to live fully, authentically, and purposefully, even in the face of uncertainty.
CHIDINMA UMAHI NWANKWO 
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