She’ll put a smile upon your face, and take you to a higher place... So don’t you underestimate the strength of a woman
This song by Shaggy, coincidentally titled Strength of a Woman pops into my mind every time I think of anything related to the magic of a woman. And today being INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, it’s the best day to remind ourselves of the sparkle that the women in our lives bring in, every single day. So, today’s column isn’t just about one day, but rather what we can do to make our women feel special... EVERY DAY!
If it wasn’t for a woman, her child bearing and child rearing ability, we would have ceased to exist. And ironically in most places, we’re yet to ensure their safety! My resolution for 2021 is to spend this year and beyond with the people who truly matter to me and reciprocate the same feelings with the same depth as I do to them.
As Children
Yes! It’s our birthright to be pampered and taken care of by our mothers, but when will we take care of them? The one thing that we all learn the hard way is that things don’t go according to plan. We learn it only when our children do the same with us. Yes! We as kids plan to take care of our parents once we grow up. But we hardly realise that by the time we grow up we’ll have children of our own and it becomes a cycle. My appeal to all the youth is to make your mom your BFF. Trust me, she’s the one whom you want by your side when things don’t work out and it’s always better to confide in her about anything under the sun rather than trust others and either get manipulated, exploited or in some cases even blackmailed. It’s not going to be a Herculean task either. Just imagine how you’d be eager to do anything to gain the approval of your friends who are popular in a social setting and replace that with your mother, sister or grandmother. Channel those efforts and energy that you’re ready to expend elsewhere here and help them with small tasks to begin with.
Another mistake we tend to make is to plan for a vacation to give our Mom’s a break... and it just doesn’t happen. Hence the best thing to do is for all the other family members to compulsorily relieve her of all her duties, one day a week and just let her freak out! Even if you manage one day a month to begin with, trust me... You’ll have made a BIG difference.
As Husbands
‘Behind every successful man is a woman’ is a well known saying. But I add to it and say that behind every successful woman is a man who supported her unconditionally and ensured that his family did too! It’s a complete ecosystem of emotional support that shall push a woman to not just achieve, but excel! We often think that they have one life, but seldom realise that they are leading many lives in one. One of a wife, mother, homemaker, caretaker, nurse and a friend ALL ROLLED INTO ONE which makes it quite challenging for a woman and makes her FORGET her OWN IDENTITY in the process. My appeal to all husbands is to ensure that your wife hasn’t lost her own identity. We need to APPRECIATE them for everything they do, handle all our tantrums and still function.
With Regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
‘The Coach’
