Being a woman

Being a woman is so darn difficult. 
'Beauty with brains' - as if finding one with another is a rarity.
'Women empowerment' - as if we needed to be empowered.
'Career oriented woman' - because that is so against the norm.

My mum is a 'working woman'. I have seen her run all her life. After coming back from work, most days she would go straight into the kitchen to cook dinner and wouldn't have the time to even wash her face. With 2 kids at home, she did it all. When she was pregnant with me, she recalls that she had to travel by the bus to reach her school, where she might have to teach continuously for hours without even getting water to drink. Naturally, she seldom got time to take care of herself. Finding time for parlours and kitty parties was hard. But somehow she still managed it all. But where is the credit where credit is due? 

We want our daughters to study, but we don't want them to work. If we want our wives to work, we still want want them to look like 'homemakers' with that perfect hair and skin. However, we want the homemakers to be more educated because being just good at cooking is very 'gharelu'. Also we want an educated daughter in law, but we might just base our whole opinion of her on how good she can cook. 


As a society we just don't make sense when it comes to the expectations we have for a woman. Off late I have been 'trying to find the right balance' between work and personal life. With my wedding only a few months away, the expectations are high. On how I will look, my hair, my weight, my face expressions. I have to ensure that I don't look too worked up even though I am working really hard at office. I should plan for my promotion now I have been told, because after my wedding I may not have time immediately. But also I shouldn't stress too much about work and enjoy life. I should also find the most suitable wedding attire with the right price points so that its value for money, but then they say that you only get married once so I should go for whatever I really want.

If you are a woman reading this, you might think I am crazy, but here are my two cents - don't even try. You will never be able to pacify everyone. Just take your own decisions and don't ask for anyone's approvals.

If you ever feel that you have to choose between health and career, or between family time and career or between self care and family time know that all these are fundamental to you and you shouldn't really have to choose. You mostly just need more helping hands. So invest wisely, your money and time, and live all you want!

Cheers,
-T 

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