How I Celebrated Women ‘s Day

It was just another day. Of course, it was….was I expecting a red carpet and garlands? Yes, I know every day should be a celebration as Sushmita Sen says. A day like this is only symbolic. But well, what’s wrong with symbols? Symbols are reminders. And I remembered yesterday that the world is changing. Some women somewhere demanded a vote and years later they got it. Somewhere someone decided that education should be made available to everyone, irrespective of gender. We got that too. I am living the benefits of their struggles.

I don’t claim to be driving the cause today. But by making use of the voice that I have today, maybe by making somebody think, it just is possible, I have helped move something. Didn’t someone say…”If one robin should be saved from dying, my life would not have been in vain”. Ah, well big thoughts. Suffice to say I’m so grateful, so very thankful to be alive in the world as it is today, where I can demand and reasonably expect that my voice will be heard.

On another note, the Blank Noise Project has been a success. The organizers informed us that participants were flooding in. My mailbox has been flooded for the past two days with other participants sending in their links and their thoughts on this. I’ve never participated in anything like this, in the blogosphere or the real world…it was a thrilling experience. I’m still reading the posts that have been put up. Here’s my favourite one so far…because it goes beyond talking about the problem and offers some suggestions.

I put up my posts on the weekend since I knew it was going to be a killer week. Yesterday was so busy I almost forgot what day it was. The morning began with an unscheduled yoga class where my instructor made me laugh. Her 17-year-old son has joined a gym, much to the astonishment of the instructor who knows that his mother is a proficient yoga teacher. According to the young man

“I don’t like to sit in one place and say ‘Breathe in-breathe out!!”

Ah well, kids today! Later in the day, his mother gets a call and Mr.Dude coolly announces that he is “in the hospital and the doctor is going to start surgery”. Turned out to be a painful corn on the foot which the Dude didn’t bother informing the family about. Independence is good. And it made me smile.

Only on the train when my cell flashed a missed call from my best friend did I realise it was Women’s Day. Ah…what would I do without my lady Friday, my island of rest, my best friend? I don’t tell her how much she means to me but she understands. Just like I understand what she’s telling me from one missed call alert.

The best moment in my day came from the first lady in my life. A message said “Happy women’s day to the young lady who elevated me to motherhood:-)” Ma, anyplace you are, feels like home.

Just another day. But a very nice one.