“No, we cannot let you go anywhere, you are a girl, why don’t you understand?”, said my mom grinding her teeth.
I always dreamt of going out of my city but my parents never allowed me to, reminding me every time, that I was a girl. My mother has turned down, every request that I have ever made, to join my friends for an outing; she was not being rude but she could never really understand me. My brother, who is two years younger than me, has been out many times with his friends, and nobody stopped him. I am a well-educated and independent woman, placed in a reputable MNC, yet I never found myself to be strong, just because I am a female.
I was devoid of ambitions and aspirations, I stopped dreaming and was left with no hope. My life was like a black hole, and I could never escape this prison. I became too feeble to react to the situation. I was dull and lifeless.
I locked myself up in my room and began crying. My heart was full. I called up my best friend to seek her advice. She picked the phone, but I could not speak for the following two minutes, I just cried and cried. She was patient and calmly listened. She then soberly asked me, “What happened dear?” I erupted like a volcano and told her every single detail of what I was going through. It took me full thirty minutes to pour all the information out of me. She listened carefully and said “I don’t know anyone who’s road has been paved perfectly for them. I guess there comes a time when one gets sick of trying, tired of getting the same response, the same silence, and the same feeling. But, there’s certainly something very liberating about not pretending that you are fine with everything in front of you. So, don’t break, have faith and dare to be yourself”. I tried to understand her words, whatever she wanted to convey. I kept the phone down, picked up my bag which I prepared hastily and walked out of my room. I was hopeful, this time, I would go and make my dreams come true. It was time, I took decisions for my life. I have every right to dream and to fulfill them, for I am my own responsibility. I stepped out of my home with my bag. And that was a day when I realized, I AM STRONG. I moved out, not because I wanted to leave my home, but my fate in there.
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