Today, let me tell you an old story – two actually.
These are stories of two women – one whom I know personally,
and the other whom I am acquainted with only through a story. Both the stories
and the ladies are real, except for their names, which I wish to be discreet
about. Let’s call them Percy and Mercy.
Mercy’s youth tells the tale of a girl madly in love with
her neighbor – a charming boy for the times. In all circles of the country side
where they lived, she was considered as one of the prettiest and one who was bestowed
with many a talents. Though there was hardly any reason to make a hue and cry
for the elders to permit a fruitful maturity to this relationship, they chose
to unfold a drama. But, the lovebirds stuck to their resolve and eventually it ended up in a fairy tale wedding.
Percy, on the other hand, hails from a family totally
orthodox by nature. Her marriage was arranged and she too settled into her
husband’s home like every new bride does - with hopes and dreams for a peaceful
life ahead.
Except for the fact that both these ladies hail from two different states of the country, their life was similar. Both were home makers merged into a
joint family set up.
In course of their marriage, Mercy, the conqueror of her
dreams, got to deal with physical violence, a forced abortion, an unfaithful
and later bedridden husband, hurricane of financial issues and finally the life
of a widow. In her venture for a meaning and happiness in life, she taught
herself to be comfortable and content with the life she had. She was truly
grateful for the two beautiful children she was blessed with, which was after
all a fruit of her marriage. That was possibly the first entry in her book of
gratitude, which she subconsciously prepared in her pursuit of happiness. Needless
to say, she dealt with all the odds of life in a fashion, which is most
acceptable to the older generation and most often frowned upon by ours. But I
did notice that her serene beauty always remained with her. She always came out
happy and pretty – not a hair out of place - no matter what the situation was at
home. This, according to me, bears the fact that somewhere, somehow she always
resorted to finding peace with herself. She, I know, always lived for her
children and today she has successfully married off both her girls in the best
manner possible.
Percy’s story is more revolutionary, especially considering
the fact that this story is more than two decades old. She, I am told, had to
deal with an entire household, when she learned that she was pregnant. She was
asked to abort the child for it was a girl. When she couldn't take the pressure
anymore, she chose to leave and hoped to find shelter at her maiden home. Her
orthodox father was not very welcoming to this idea. He may have never turned
her out, but he never warmed up to her either. Her mother, thankfully, gave her
all the support that she could possibly give. Percy, I am sure, wouldn't have
had a concrete plan during this unfortunate episode. All she knew was that she wouldn't let any harm befall upon the life that was growing within her. So, during her pregnancy she applied
for whatever jobs her eyes fell on. When she was full term, she received an
interview card from one of the most prominent nationalized banks of our
country. During a period of trial, luck almost always takes a backseat. So
it should be no surprise that on the night that preceded her interview, she
went into labor. In the wee hours of the morning she gave birth to a beautiful
baby girl.
Percy lay in the hospital ward thinking of her life ahead. One can fathom the turmoil that would have ran through her, each time she looked at her baby. Yes, she protected the life this Universe bestowed to her care. But, how will she sustain the little one and herself? She
knew she had to make it to the interview simply as a self assurance that she
had reached some milestone in her search for a job. So, entrusting her baby to her mother, within a few hours of her child birth, Percy set off to give her interview directly from the hospital. .
At the interview, after a couple of questions, she was asked the reason behind her rather
pale and tired appearance. She simply admitted that she gave birth just a few hours back but didn't want to
miss out on the interview. I love the fact that she didn't resort to tears nor did she
relate any sad stories.
The interview concluded with the interviewer admitting that Percy didn't stand anywhere
close when compared to the others lined up for the interview, but appreciated
her spirit, will power and perseverance. The appreciation, thank goodness, was not limited to words alone for she got that job. I believe, to this day, she is a loyal employee at
that bank. Today, her daughter too is happily married off.
I do not wish to give an opinion on who is right or wrong
here. When I broadly look at both their lives, I see the struggle that both had
to put up with. One was submissive to the rules laid by society while the other
chose to break out of those shackles. I do not believe either of the paths adopted offered a
life of roses. The remarkable quality that calls for respect is that both just didn't give up.
My focus is to highlight the inner strength a woman is
gifted with. Living by the rules of the society is not any easier than breaking
out of it. Both serve lot of hidden monsters. In my opinion, Percy and Mercy have
displayed immense strength and I bow down to both of them for their courage to
face the life they dared to live.
What I'd like to highlight is that, it doesn't really
matter how you choose to brave through your adversities. Remember, it is YOU and
ONLY YOU who knows what exactly you are dealing with and each one of us has a
mind and brain exclusively designed for us. Weigh your options and stick to your choice.
However, the damaging part is when a Percy advises a Mercy
to back out from the life she chooses to live, or vice versa. That can lead to
the most undesirable results. Women, ought to be each others’ source of
strength and support rather than be the worst criticizers of them all. Understand
and respect the Percys and the Mercys. Both are very much important to building a great
network.
I’ll stop on a lighter note. When I was dressing up for
office the other day, my son who awes at my jewelry, was insistent on adorning
my neck piece for a while. I most often succumb to such cute requests, but
having run out of time, I had to decline it. I simply told him that it was
girls’ stuff and that it was not meant for boys. Through the mirror, I could see my child in a dilemma of
sorts. After a moment of thought he queried if I were a
girl. Amused at his question, I admitted that I was. Next, he asked about himself. I pleasantly told
him that he was a boy and a rather smart one! That answer drew a dark cloud
over his face and before I knew he came pleading to permit him to be a girl!!!
It's true. Whether it is jewelry, clothes, emotions, inner strength, or
a plethora of skills, women have so much at their disposal.Focus on your strength.
Explore what you have and what you are - take pride that you are a woman.
Happy Woman’s Day!
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