Giddy up gals! Help yourself

   Remember the saying ‘God helps those who help themselves?’  Its high time women made this their thought for the day!  Blaming social norms, too many women take cover under the excuse that they can’t do this or that.  This naturally keeps them where they are.  Either due to apathy or timidity or ignorance it’s the fate of some women to have a rough time in life.

There is Nalini who is a young widow with a son.  She is financially comfortable and spends most of her time at home, reading, watching TV and cooking for her teenaged son.  The son feels morally obliged to stay home with the mother when he should be otherwise playing tennis or swimming.  She does not want to work, as she feels no necessity for it.

So, what does she do?  We’ve been suggesting her taking up some voluntary work in a school for poor children.  This will open up a satisfying experience besides taking her out of the house for a couple of hours.  The son too, will feel less stifled.  But Nalini prefers to be on her own and wallow in self-pity and misery.  Unless she decides to give some meaningful direction to her life, there is little others can do for her.

 Prema is a submissive daughter-in-law who takes all the bullying she is subjected to.  She is smart, educated and capable of fending for herself if a contingency should arise.  Yet, she submits to her mother-in-law’s cantankerous ways.  Why?  Because she’s afraid – she has no moral courage to fight for her right.

If we analyse the blight of the exploited woman, we find the underlying cause—a passive acceptance.  It takes spirit to fight for one’s right.  No one can put up a fight for your cause by saying, “blessed are the meek for they get a seat in the local train!”  There is no time to help anyone but oneself.

So, my dear women forget the myth that has been built around you and wake up to the present.  Set a goal in life, work towards it, stand up for your rights and don’t be cowed down by bullies.

Remember that a bully is labouring under some psychological vacuum, which is a weakness.  Strengthen your moral fiber.  Do everything to improve yourself – physically, intellectually and emotionally.

     Mould yourselves on the lines of women you admire.  Start by imitating the person in privacy and slowly gain enough confidence to develop your own stature.  Every time you feel afraid to resist, ask yourself this question “what is the worst that can happen to me?

Death?  So what?  Isn’t death, a better proposition than the slow and painful poison of repression?  Whenever you feel diffident or weak, repeat this to yourself: “it is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor!”