Monday, March 7, 2016

Manful Women

Three women.
And a man.

He meant a different entity to each one of them.
Yet his influence on their lives was incredibly strong and absolute. 

In spite of each one struggling within their own skin (and with one another), in spite of being wary of one another, and in spite of all the insecurities that sprang up as a result of their entwined interrelation, they lived together in the same apartment, manfully sharing a commitment that was more a result of their mutual pain than all of their other obligations and affection put together .

Who among the three suffered the most? 
Who among them was the most insecure ? 
Who among them was the most vulnerable ?

Was it the mother who had lost her son ?
Or
The woman who had lost her husband ?
Or 
The girl who had lost her father .... ?
Each one living with an irreparable loss.
And coping with it.

The Mother-in-law, alert to the extent of being suspicious, ensured she got her rights without self pity. 

The daughter-in-law, aware of her own constraints and vulnerability, stood firm and confident, and sensitive enough to ensure that her Mother-in-law's last days were as comfortable as possible.

The innocent, youthful and supportive (grand)daughter, in whom the mother-in-law saw a reflection of her son, and the daughter-in-law saw the reflection of her husband, helped them both in their determination every day to sail through their innumerable and most often irritable differences and precariousness.

And as we celebrate yet another Women's Day, here's offering deepest respect to each of these women.

Women's Day is a reminder and an opportunity to understand why one must respect women as individuals, and celebrate them as human beings.

Happy Women's Day :-)
Happy Every Day :-)

2 comments:

Rupam Kumar said...

Well written tribute to women on this auspicious day.

sujata said...

A belated Happy Women's Day, Zohra!! Somehow i never felt like specially posting my wish on FB. I feel that we celebrate each day of our lives. And by 'celebration' i dont necessarily mean festivities. It is the way we persevere, hold ourselves up, stand up for what is 'right' (not what we 'think' is right), taking up our responsibilities without any complaint and there are so many things in the way we celebrate. I am proud that i am a woman, a mirror of inner strength and we deserve much more than what we are given. I am not one of the women's libbers, bcoz my idea of a strong woman is different from what is generally talked about.