What is it to be a Woman?

Is it to effortlessly try to make your own identity in this world, or is it to balance the work at home and one's professional life beautifully? When are these women made? Is it in the blink of a moment, when one becomes enlightened about their responsibilities and commitments, or is it a slow process, understanding the pace of life and mustering more courage with every step?

The eternal truth about a woman’s role in life was discovered by the ancient inhabitants, who in pictorial forms depicted as the ones who abstained from hunting and nourished their children. Since then began the unbreakable chain of cycle, the social reforms happening much slower than the economic ones. From medieval Europe to Asia, from the practices of skin biting corsets to foot binding practices, we have come a very long way, but the road ahead is still long.

People still have opinions about what a girl should do. I still have to think twice before going to a party late at night. My parents are still afraid about leaving me at home alone. I realized that it was never my fault , yet it didn’t lessen the anger. Even if a rape does take place, the least we could do is stand with candles and placards stating justice for the victim, and then it dissolved into something meaningless. One could argue that the laws should be stricter, but there is an extent to which the laws could punish the perpetrators. 

However, there is something that I only recently understood. It’s all in the mind. If you perceive a woman as a play thing or as a human, it is your mind-set. If you ever see a woman alone on a road at night being harassed, it’s your mind-set to help her or walk away. If you feel that your sister or mother or friend is being mistreated, it’s your mind-set to support her or just ignore her opinion. And if you feel that there is nothing you can do, then the next time you finish eating, at least go help your mother wash the dishes.

A woman is the most beautiful component of a man's life. So respect it.

~Vismaya Ashok