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Why does a woman have to be married to be settled? What is wrong in being an unmarried woman having a fulfilling life?
Two years ago all I wanted was to be married and settled. Yes, settled. The “me” of then really thought settled meant husband and babies.
Alas, I refused to be part of the charade – well needless to say was rejected, or better to say I was considered an outcast from my society, as I refused to agree to paying a dowry. Who gets married without dowry that too to an NRI groom?
My near and dear ones still think I live on Cloud Nine and once I fall I will realize my grave mistake. The list includes not only blood relatives, but neighbors as well.
It was heartbreaking at first. I was torn between desire to be a good daughter and sister, and to be myself. There is a social taboo that says if the elder sister is unmarried, the younger sister will find difficult in getting hitched.
And oh before I forget, let me say that I am supposed to live in the era of feminism. I am supposed to live in the era of free speech and gender equality. I am supposed to live in a modern friendly society!
Let me tell you where all this is leading – it all it should have been a pleasant experience for a 30 something me when I recently purchased two bedroom flat.
However I was wrong.
In a recent Society meeting every one present asked my husband’s name and email id! They wouldn’t believe it when I told them I was unmarried. I had to stress that “I am not married/ NEVER been married!” All the people there were all in the same age group as me; hence not even generation gap issue.
It does not affect me at an emotional level but at an intellectual level, I still find it difficult to understand society’s preoccupation with MARRIAGE!
Life is beautiful these days. Indeed it is true that experiences makes us who we are. From a depressed struggling individual to successful business woman today, I strive hard to seek answers which still haunt me.
What is marriage?
Is it a compulsion or is it a choice?
Is it a safety vault where girls can secure their life?
Is it a license to have sex?
Is it union of two body to become one soul?
Is it being settled ?
Is it permission to procreate?
Is it a guarantee of happiness?
I am not against marriage. I am also not a rebel. I believe in love.
I am thirty something woman. But yes I am woman with dreams. Woman with hopes. Woman with desire. Woman with a heart full of compassion and love.
A woman who is still figuring out the answer to the question when asked, “Why are you still not settled?”
Image source: annoyed and baffled woman by Shutterstock.
Founder@AngeTactile ( Angel Touch). Tarot Card /Angel Card reader. Image Consultant An Engineer by Education, Classical Dancer by passion and Writer by Choice. I am passionate about Educating Girls/differently abled children in India and read more...
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
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