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We need positive stories to keep up our belief in the human condition. Here are 5 of the many positive stories we shared with you, our readers, in 2019.
With so much that is going wrong in the world today, we also need to pick out the shining stars, the sunshine, that people can radiate from the goodness of their hearts, or from the inner drive that makes us strive even against odds, affirming our belief in humanity.
So here we bring you 5 of our best heartwarming stories, that focus on this. I do hope they bring the same joy to you that they have brought to so many of our readers who have read them this year.
So, without much ado, here goes.
As women, we all know how marriage can often change the course of our lives, and in a patriarchal society, women are often dealt a sore hand. But there are some among us who do not let a life altering change like marriage and motherhood define who we really are, who we really can be. Because as much as all that is important to us, continuing to follow our dreams and reaching our life goals is just as important.
A go getter who took marriage, pregnancy, and childcare in her stride as she did two professional degrees, and a fulfilling career as a gynaecologist, while also being a single mom most of the time as an army wife, this mom is inspiring!
Aruna Menon, or to give her her full title, Brigadier Aruna Menon begins her piece by giving us this piece of news, “I got married 2 weeks before my Final MBBS exam and that sort of set the pace for the rest of my life.”
Read the whole inspiring story here.
Sisters in law. The very relationship has layers, of various emotions. In a society like ours, women often draw their power from perpetuating patriarchy further, and the husband’s sister could well be an adversary. But some women are bucking this trend.
Tanvi Sinha spoke to 5 pairs of sisters in law, or as we say in daily soaps on TV, nanad- bhabhi. The relationships of these 5 pairs are, however, very far from the average soap opera. These are uplifting true stories of sisterhood, that grows by having each others’ backs, and helping each other through hard times.
Read these stories here.
Very ‘filmy, right? But this is real life! One can only imagine how some everyday situations could have been – mutual respect despite a difference in cultures marks this lovely relationship, which thrives despite the (hilarious) hiccups along the way!
Prerna Wahi writes here about her North-South Indian family. As a Punjabi married to a Tamilian, some mix-ups occur due to a differing life-view that the two families have, but, as the author says, “the answer lies in their mutual respect for each other and acceptance and appreciation of their differences. Mom admires the Tamilian simplicity, rich culture, and appreciation of small things. Amma on the other hand is inspired by the Punjabi larger-than-life celebrations, jovial nature and spirit to live in the moment.”
Read this 2 States type real story here.
Huh?! Selfish people are not nice people, right? But sometimes it becomes essential to be more considerate of one’s self, to draw some boundaries, and be fair to oneself, to really feel happy and fulfilled. As long as this selfishness does not act to do harm to others, we all have a right to look out for ourselves first.
The author, Ruchi, speaks of how it has made life so much better for her, making her a more positive, happier person.
Read her story here.
And the 5th story we share here is a truly extraordinary one.
Being a parent is something special, but every chore related to a newborn is often the responsibility of women. It’s the mom who feeds the newborn, cradles the baby and changes the diapers at certain intervals. Sometimes the role is taken over by a grandmom or maybe a domestic helper, but never a male counterpart most of the times!
The Speaker in the New Zealand Parliament, Trevor Mallard, broke this stereotype in a very impressive way, by holding the baby of one of the law-makers, and even feeding it with a bottle, while the law-maker herself took part in a Parliamentarian debate! If only other influencers around the world followed this example.
Read this extraordinary story here.
Image source: unsplash
Do share your positive stories with us too – to do so, read this.
In her role as the Senior Editor & Community Manager at Women's Web, Sandhya Renukamba is fortunate to associate every day with a whole lot of smart and fabulous writers and readers. A doctor read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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