Yaayy, it’s March – a month for celebrating womanhood. So, what are you going to write this Women’s Day, girl? I asked myself. Immediately, another voice in me replied – you have raised your voice for women a lot of times through ‘She Talk’, you’ve confronted many social taboos that are practised against women, you’ve named and shamed those perpetrators on #metoo issue, you’ve stood for girls when they stood for Sabarimala issue – and now, this Women’s Day – why don’t you take time to appreciate all those men you have come across in your life?
Yes. Not only me, to all the women readers out there, I would like to request you to stop for a minute and think about all the men who stood behind your success, gave you a pat on your shoulders and said it’s OK to be a failure and move on and more.
Twenty-three years as a woman looking for a change, eight years as a woman fighting for change and two years as woman writing for a change, I feel this is the right time to appreciate the men in my life who made me move forward.
THANKS, MEN
“So, it’s JOURNALISM? Your final call?” – The first question that I faced in my life when I was about to take an important decision in my life. When I said yes, seeing the confidence in me, you nodded. Thanks, pa. “So, being a travel blogger is your long-term goal? You think I’d say no to your dream? You’ll scale heights” – These words and boost-up is what they call ‘independence’ – I would say. Thanks again, pa.
In addition to this, I would like to appreciate some men in my life. Right from the man who keeps on insisting that I was born to travel and explore the world by saying – “Usha, believe me, you will make a badass traveller one day” – at the right time whenever I was feeling down; to the man who valued my decision of saying ‘no’ to a proposal and still continuing to be a well-wisher; to the man who had enough confidence in me to give his ‘most-loved’ bike and felt happier when I throttled the accelerator; to the men who always followed my articles and appreciated / criticised me; to the men who always wished good for me – to everyone of them, from the bottom of my heart, Thanks, boys.
It’s time to appreciate all the men in your life: the one who cleaned your coffee mug when you were rushing to office; the one who didn’t hesitate to clean your shelf while you worked long hours to finish your project; the one who cooked for you in the morning when you were busy with your office presentations; the one who let you doze off by taking care of your baby while you were struggling with your little one’s illness all night; the one who stood by the doorstep waiting for you to come after night shift; the one who takes you to relaxing rides after a long and bad day; the one who keeps surprising you with respect for you – let’s appreciate them all.
“So, you basically want your men to be your servant?” – If there are any chauvinists over there asking this question, excuse me? These are the mandatory things that we have been doing for you all this time. *Smiles and winks*.
TIME TO GIVE UP, GIRLS
And I know, there are crimes increasing against women, there is always a relative who wants you to get married before 22, there is always someone calling you over-reacting, too-confident, too-modern, too-dumb, too argumentative and stuff like that. Trust me girls, to lead a peaceful life, just give up on them and start celebrating the positive men in your life. Happy Women’s Day!!