Hearing Day!
The hearing day is here!
Her emotions were all over the place since the night before. Her vision blurred, her thoughts were haywire, and her stomach rumbled.
She decided to take a day off from work to manage her emotions.
She was up much before the alarm clock — her heart racing. Sweat trickled down her forehead, and her walk was visibly wobbly.
She set out on her journey towards the family court.
Rain decided to pour as frantically as her thoughts today. Her reactions and the traffic on the road were similar — jammed. Honking and her mind were loud. Breath and the car brakes — at the extreme.
Staring at each raindrop trickling on the car’s windowpane, her thoughts formed a similar pattern: a bigger drop, followed by smaller ones, and finally merging at the bottom. Her thoughts raced back twenty years to when the courtship began, and how he had been madly in love with her when she was a fragile, fair, and bubbly college girl. Those endless meetings, waiting for the classes to end, scooter rides, and finally convincing parents to get married and live a beautiful life with the birth of two kids. Her hands were full. She didn’t realise that when she shifted roles from a carefree girl to a responsible mother and a housewife. Her life was dedicated to her family. She was following the footsteps that she had seen since childhood. Her decision to set aside her career aspirations was well received, and her dedication to the family was much appreciated.
She never craved “me” time, nor did the word “space” ever enter any discussion; moreover, there were never any discussions.
By now, she was a housekeeper, driver, nanny, emergency doctor, cook, counsellor, troubleshooter, cleaner, and pleaser — and she never complained!
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As the years passed, she wanted to explore her other side. She admired the well-dressed women going to the office, driving a car, attending office meetings, and engaging in intelligent conversations, whereas she often talked about diapers, the price of vegetables, recipes, or ranted about a maid on leave.
She has been a flawless, trained dancer, a national winner in debates and elocution, a panache in the theatre, and, most importantly, an ambitious girl.
She decided to take a leap and be HER.
Things have never been the same since then.
At the age of 40, she sensed something was not right, and she started to firm her feet with a stronger grip than ever before; she was right. At 43, she was left to manage herself, her kids, and the household, with all financial support withdrawn, a zero bank balance, no savings, and no emergency fund.
“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight
Risin’ up to the challenge of our rival”, screaming in her head. She rose from the ashes. Holding the reins tight, she settled on the horse, arched her back at the exact angle, her head tilted in the right direction, and her eyes focused, taking the longest stride.
Today, as she drives to the court in her red, fiery car, registered in her name, bought by her at the age of 45, she needs not justify anything to anyone.
She is Disha.
She is YOU.
She can be anyone who wants to rise to her full potential.
