Message for woman’s day

Dear friends ,

Mrs Kodian asked me to write down a few words for women's day for her group.The steady work she and her association have been doing in the last couple of years to make Dwarka a safer and cleaner place is truly inspiring for all of us. It makes one realise that there is a lot one can acheive if we put our mind to it. Here is the message which I shared with the group :

Wouldn't it be most rewarding for all of us women if we could discover our full and true potential some day ? But how are we to make it happen ? Reflecting on this brought out these thoughts which I put before you.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been” – is an inspiring quote attributed to George Eliot .

Well , I thought, what if someone had a sports trophy in mind ? Agewise, it may be much past the time where one can truly excel  as an athlete . But then, it occurred to me that one could instead just play the game of life with excellent sportsman spirit. It gives as much satisfaction as momentarily holding up a shining cup does.

In his book “The last lecture”, Prof. Randy Pausch talks about his childhood dreams and explains in a delightful manner how he came to achieve some of them. I thought about my childhood . At a very  tender  age I dreamt of being able to play with water for unlimited periods without being scolded or stopped by any adult. Now, as a doctor, I see one childhood dream coming true every time I have to thoroughly scrub my hands with soap and water before a surgery!

Perhaps one of you always wanted to be a professor and are currently a busy, harried housewife.Try  to remember why you wanted to be a professor in the first place. Did you enjoy reading or love a particular subject ? Was it the thought of moulding young minds or just the academic atmosphere? Once you are able to answer this question correctly to yourself, the rest becomes easier. If you  already have a thorough knowledge of your subject, but don’t want a conventional job ,you could sign up with an NGO in the teaching field ( they are almost always looking for skilled volunteers.) If you want to brush up your experience before embarking on the task, many schools offer learning programmes where you can observe the teachers at work. If not looking for a formal training, you can request a friend who has a school/NGO to let you observe other teachers for a few days. Any combination is possible to ease you back into your chosen field.

Some people wanted to be at the best institutes  and interact with the “brightest minds” in a particular field.  They just didn’t get the chance . I would urge you not to fall into the trap of thinking that good theories are formed only in elite institutes. The most pathbreaking ideas have come from uncluttered minds of diverse backgrounds and inspiration can come from anywhere. A simple question asked by a simple mind may lead to the discovery of the most profound truths. Some women enjoy what they are doing but want to be paid much better for what they do. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 90% of men and women feel that they are underpaid for services rendered. Join the gang !

A friend always wanted to be a nightclub singer.  She was now past forty and had never managed to get behind a mike. Two fears she had prevented her from doing so. According to her , her voice was too raspy and her figure slightly plump . Only her love and knowledge of music matched the glamorous club singers she had grown up hearing and seeing. It was pointed out to her that most singers had predictably melliflous voices , hers being slightly husky, would be a refreshing change. Also, age had lent some gravitas to her comportment which most people would find attractive . As far as tyres around her middle went, there were two aspects. Firstly, it showed how well she represented nature. After all , even trees showed off  their age by adding rings around their trunks ! More to the point, one of her designer friends could easily make her suitable dresses which concealed the bulges. Most importantly, her target audience had also aged alongside her.Our friends were more refined in their tastes, a lot kinder and some, deafer. All this made for a great audience. I think what really clinched it for her was watching the video of Susan Boyle who was ‘discovered ‘ at the age of 47.

So friends, on the occasion of woman’s day, I ask you to just express yourself in any way that makes you happy. Don’t let age or fears or circumstances hold you back. Work with them or around them and achieve what you want to . Or at least live with the satisfaction that you tried !

Wish you all a wonderful woman’s day !!