Trilll.. is the first sound of the morning that I hear because my groggy, sleep addled brain interprets the supposedly serene, morning birds and breeze alarm sound to a cacophony of shrill train whistles. Living in my head for three decades now, it sure understands that nothing less than that could possibly register as a call for action for my befuddled body to rise, as I have to face yet another, oh so woeful Monday. The battle between the mind and body begins while I refuse to acknowledge the possibility that it could be dawn already, I mean, how can it be? I just lay my back a minute ago, didn't I? Whilst I linger in this limbo, my brain, the problem-solver leaps into action trying to do the most complex mathematical computation of all time - how to extract an additional ten minutes from the morning routine? While I languid in my bed in those extra precious ten minutes that my brain traded off for hair conditioning, I ponder all the things I could do in future, from chopping off my locks with the kitchen scissors, to skipping my decadent breakfast of PBJ sandwich, or what if I don't dry my hair and sport a wet dog look, just so I will have an extra five minutes. With all these thoughts racing through my head, I realize I am not utilizing the extra time for sleeping anyways. Opening one eye, I see the toddler, his face with an expression somewhere between the angelic smile of a cherub and the wicked, gleeful grin of school bully, sprawled across the bed, snoring, sounding like a tenacious mosquito. As I take in the serenity in his face I vacillate between sighing in maternal adoration and smirking in envious annoyance, there it goes again, the time's up call. I resign myself to the impeding fate of a long, mundane day ahead resolving stronger than the day before - "Tonight, I swear I will go to bed early!!!!"
My fellow Indian women, All your life, being a girl, you're told by parents, brothers and then husband on what to wear, how to walk, where to talk, how to behave. Everything you say or do is scrutinized and censored because it supposedly defines how traditional you are or what family values you come from. You have always been told to strive to achieve what society dictates on what an acceptable image for a daughter, sister, wife or daughter-in-law is. You could be an engineer, doctor or a scientist, but if you can't cook or clean the house or can't be at your husband's beck and call, you're sub par, you are a disgrace with a poor reflection of your upbringing, you are supposed to consider yourself lucky that you are "allowed to" have a career and carve a niche for yourself in your field?! Who gives someone the right to bestow on you, your basic human rights that you are already born with? Girl, you are a first class citizen too and you are given one life ...
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