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An open letter to Indian parents from their unwed daughters

Heya readers!

First of all I would like to wish "Happy women's day" to all the beautiful ladies reading this. And to all the gentlemen reading this, its women's day today so I am wishing them. Well I'll wish you guys too on 19th November!

Today I'll be sharing a beautiful article shared by VijayaDeshmukh4. 

The article is : 

❝An open letter to Indian parents from their unwed daughters❞

Written by : Ira Trivedi

Dear Indian parents,

I know that you me your daughters and you care about them deeply. Before I begin, I want to thank you for lavishing love on me, and to tell you that we know that everything that you have done for me, and all the protection that you have given me is because you care about me deeply and greatly. I know that me, your daughter is probably your most prized possession in the world (maybe even more than my brothers, your sons.)

Mummy and Papa, your biggest concern for me, since the day I turned 18, has been my marriage. Since the day that I left home for college, your interest in my marks, in my hobbies, and in my job prospects began to wane, and suddenly—too suddenly—the concern turned to marriage. When I came home for my holidays, instead of insisting that I study for exams, or take extra classes, I was whisked from one family friend's house to another, I was taken to buy jewelry and to buy saris, and I was taken for regular de-tan facials to make me fairer for my upcoming marriage. In the beginning, all this was fun but after a while, it got tiring... and annoying too. I wanted things to go back to the way that they were in the old days—I wanted you to bug me about my marks or shout at me for doing poorly on my exams. I wanted you to once again encourage me to win the races I used to run. It pains me that now you look at me with disapproval when I say that I want to race, and you laugh at me when I want to win. You tell me that being in the sun makes girls dark, and that no man wants to marry a girl who runs around in shorts publicly.

I know that you want me to settle down. I know that you were happy but also sad when I got my MBA from a top school. I know that after my MBA you badly wanted me to get married, to say yes to one of the many matches you had so painstakingly made for me. I know that you were so desperate for me to get married that you were even open to love marriage. Mummy, I know you had my best interest at heart when you asked me whether I had a boyfriend. Yes Mummy, I was never comfortable telling you, but there were always boyfriends. Still, my career remained my priority above anything else—how could I let go of a top job offer? Wasn't it you, Mummy, who made me coffee when I was studying for my board-exams late at night? Wasn't it you, Papa, who told me that I was no less than a boy, that I was smarter than my brother, and that I should never let go of my dreams? Wasn't it both of you, Mummy and Papa, who were overjoyed when I came first in the 12th? Then how can you suddenly change tracks? How can you suddenly expect me to dump all the/my dreams (that you helped me dream) and marry a man who I don't even know?

I know that I am approaching my 30s and it worries you. I know that you think that my options are becoming narrower; I know that the one thing that you pray about is that I settle down with a nice man of my liking—and of yours. I know that more than anything else—more than a job promotion or a salary raise—you want me to become a mother. You worry that I will remain unmarried—it is your worst nightmare. I am sorry, Mummy and Daddy. It is not my intention to hurt you, to cause you pain or embarrassment. But I am an adult now and my life is my own. I take full responsibility of my decisions, marital or otherwise.

There is a chance (a small chance) that I won't get married and become a mother. But that doesn't mean that my life will end. And neither will yours. I will remain your daughter, I will still love myself, and more than anything else, I will always love you.

So please, dear Indian parents, wherever in the world you are, understand today that your daughters are your sons, and that your sons are your daughters. Today, gender boundaries are blurred and boys and girls are equal—or almost. I do hope that as you raise your daughter into adulthood, you cherish and respect her choices, her life, and most importantly, her dreams.