I’M ALIVE !

Entry for ‘Stay Free & Healthy Day Contest’

यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवता

 यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः

(Gods reside where women are respected,

Where they are not, all efforts go futile)

This quote from the ancient Hindu text, ‘Manusmriti’ seems more like a joke in today’s scenario! However, if looked closely, it describes the importance of women in a society and relates their happiness and well being with that of deities! Awesome! Now the issue is that most of the time, women themselves step back to be taken for granted. This is the root cause of all troubles, mental physical and social. It is high time we change this attitude and spark a change by imparting due importance to our mental health and well being.

A woman is the eternal giver that’s why she has been compared to mother earth since times immemorial. She is the one who sustains life and carries a family forward, one who imparts character in the generation to arrive. She has also been called the most beautiful creation of God. In Hindu mythology it’s believed that after hundreds of births, one gets the female body. However, practically, a girl is considered either a machine for household work and childbirth or a punching bag capable of absorbing all the negativity without any protest. Housewives, tired and bored often suffer from low self esteem. They have accepted that taking crap from everyone around including their own children as a part of their lives or fate. All these things like the endless drudgery of a banal household life, low self esteem, uncared for body lead women to take themselves for granted and suffer silently all the unwanted and rather invited insults and abuses from unsophisticated people around them. Most women ignore their rights and focus solely on their responsibilities and hence are sucked into an endless cycle of unpaid enslavement in the form of a bad marriage.

If we do not wish to spend a lifetime suffering from this problem or that, it is time for change, to come out of our little suffocating cocoons that are incapable to accommodating our self-respect. Not compromising on your dignity is the best gift that we, women, can give ourselves in this short and unpredictable life. There is no point in sacrificing our health and happiness daily for those who do not value us.

Here is what we can do to spark a change overall:

Ø STOP taking unnecessary crap. Assert yourself and learn to say NO. It is important to have sharp claws, though hidden.

Ø Care for your looks for self confidence. Also, stay happy and make it a habit, a way of life and a part of your basic attitude. It helps, it really does.

Ø Buy quality and well fitting lingerie Also, use good sanitary pads like Stayfree instead of old rags that can be very harmful as they are an open invite to dangerous infections.

Ø Get yourself a new trousseau! Doesn’t matter if you are working or not, good clothing do gives confidence.

Ø Socialize. Travel and meet new and interesting people.

Ø Have an online presence and do not forget to read news papers.

Ø Pursue a hobby seriously and keep on learning.

These things will help for sure and prevent paid trips to a shrink later in life!

Our regressive society is equally responsible since girls are forced to be ‘good’ which means letting others control your life, focusing on superficial graces and charms to land up rich husbands and believing that a good marriage is end of the world. Most of the young women are pushed into this ‘pati-parmeshwar’ trap and their voices are silenced behind the dirty veil of ‘Indian culture and ‘sanskaars’. This repression of real feelings and opinions gives rise to an obvious rage which, if not vented, takes the form of depression and ‘n’ number of physical issues. Psychological factors, especially repressed emotions, negatively affect the equilibrium of a healthy body leading to several psychosomatic disorders, which may manifest as serious physical ailments including cancer. Research also shows that women who suffer a bad domestic life have more chances of getting cancer and dementia.

If you find any woman with unnatural symptoms like

Ø Premature graying of hair

Ø Constant headaches

Ø Skin eruptions

Ø Phobias

Ø Manias

Ø Compulsive disorder or

Ø Behavior disorders

Please try to talk to and sort her issue out.  It important to avoid our tendency to gossip about each other’s secrets since such things can seriously backfire and are unethical too. Hence, like a true lady, please try to pull another one out from neck deep troubles. You can also involve yourself in social work or support any good cause like girl-child education. Thus, a change is needed in this direction to make women completely i.e. mentally and physically healthy and happy.  

It is time to stop brooding over our miserable fate and dump that box of tissues. We need to realize that God has gifted us with a very strong spine and a will of steel. We are the spark! We are the change! So, it’s time to say loudly and proudly-

‘YES! I AM ALIVE!

                                                            For ‘Stay Free & Healthy Day Contest’

Image from http://womenarewe.com/happiness-%E2%9C%BF/