Cherish the girl child, God’s gift to parents
No matter how perfect the picture and how positive the social campaign, the birth of a girl child does not augur well in a majority of Indian homes.
People stubbornly stick to their regressive conditioning and don’t even congratulate the family. On the contrary, they pityingly encourage you to get over the ‘anguish’ and hope that your third or fourth offspring will be a male. The girl child, a beautiful blessing of the Almighty, may not receive the care and love she deserves, yet she grows up with a stronger sense of commitment towards the family in general and life in particular.
Girls have a natural ability to forge bonds, build bridges, lay foundations, and improvise relationships while sacrificing self interest. Thank God, there are women in the world, otherwise the world would lack in both colour and warmth.
Decades ago, it was a great deal harder for a woman to battle her circumstances. The ones who did, unspooled generations of women of substance. My grandmother was widowed at 30. Illiterate and subdued in her feudal set-up, she showed her grit by ensuring good education for all her children. When the men-folk in the family showed displeasure over the education expenditure, she silently pawned her jewellery to the village goldsmith and proceeded to pay for it. Walking several miles, she escorted her daughter to the high school in the neighbouring town. She did not give up, till each one of her brood, had a feather in their caps.
To date, I cherish her precious words, “Lishk kirdar di hundi hai, zevaran di nahi.” Simple homespun logic that holds relevance even in today’s material world. The spark emanates from one’s persona, not one’s possessions.
My daughters are my lifelines. Since I never had a sibling, I learnt the art of bonding from them, with them. They filled up my world with laughter, love and chit-chat. When I was blessed with these angels, I wished to sew up the insensitive tongues that would ask me, “Accha, munda hai nahi?” Time silenced these barbs, as both of them grew up to be affectionate, and well-bred human beings, who achieved much more professionally than many mundas around who were probably welcomed with laddoos.
As the elder one left for Warwick business school to complete her masters, like any other overprotective mother, I voiced my million apprehensions. She reassured me smilingly and said, “Relax ma, your sermons over the years have not gone waste. Dad and you rest assured, I will come back with not just a degree but lots of goodwill too.”
The younger one has the energy of seven brats left to their devices. She surprised us by excelling in the medical profession. When it came to doing her post-graduation, she opted for paediatrics. Her doctor father was impressed. Of course, the mother knows that she has chosen the stream to ensure that academics don’t kill the eternal child in her hardworking brain.
How can anyone miss out on a son? Any child is welcome, as his or her presence is the Almighty’s way of blessing the family with completeness. Children have no way of deciding their gender, colour, health or ability. Their family must ensure the best comes their way. Our society needs to do away with these self-imposed shackles on happiness and learn to adopt a healthier attitude towards children.
Happiness comes in various forms. Believe me, daughters are probably nature’s most benevolent form of happiness.
GIRLS HAVE A NATURAL ABILITY TO FORGE BONDS, BUILD BRIDGES, LAY FOUNDATIONS, AND IMPROVISE RELATIONSHIPS WHILE SACRIFICING SELF INTEREST