The past week I have been watching numerous movies and documentaries on women from different cultures around the world. It was not that much of a surprise to discover that many women from different religions and countries share the same fate. In certain regions, religions or cultures in the east as well as west where orthodox way of life is still prevalent in regard to women, some with emerging times may have risen to find some amount of independence and freedom to express themselves but that too is within limits.
Today women from many such places may have found an independent definition of living their lives or so it appears. In fact many such women it seems may be living their choices and dreams in life but actually those so called choices too are dictated by their families and those around them in their conservative society.
These women may be allowed to grow individually only to a certain extent by their society just so as to keep pace with modernity for the sake of appearances but in the end the decisions of their families prevail. Their dreams are still ruled by others. Their families decide everything for them from the direction of their education to the choice of career and from deciding their way of life to the choice of a suitable husband.
These women may be allowed to pursue careers but their ambitions are controlled by others with limited thoughts. They may be allowed to grow but only in moderation. These women remind me somewhat of " bonsai" trees that are not allowed to grow to their fullest potential and their roots are stunted. As beautiful as their lives may appear like that of a bonsai, such restrictions curb their true identity and hinders their growth in the real sense. Their world is shrunk in the miniature pots of age-old rigid beliefs surrounding women. These women may have finally found a voice but they still are not allowed to truly express their needs and wants. Their lives are expected to still revolve solely around fulfilling the desires of others but themselves even in that so called independent journeys they may have been permitted to take.
Everybody has the right to live their choices and not those made by others. Everybody has a right to decide what they want in life as it is their journeys to travel and not that of others. As I say in living your choices does one truly live your life and find a path meant for you. That does not mean that one cannot live a life based on the decision of others but only if it is well within the boundaries of peace, contentment and joy. The day living the dreams of others does not provide contentment, that day life could be burdened with regrets and endless disappointment and pain. There are many modern and highly educated women from conservative backgrounds who may have found an independent path but are still lost in finding the true journey that they could actually live to enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment