A beautiful feeling called... LOVE...

Dear Revathi

Dear Revathi,

Today, I just wish to let you know that you are a very strong individual and I am really proud of what you have become and I know you are too. I know that life hasn't been easy over the past few years and it will not be a smooth ride in future as well. You have been through your share of hardships from being a girl from the village to being here till this day. I also want you to tell you that whatever happens now, you have to stand-up for yourself and if at any point in time, you feel low or pushed down, just open this letter and read about your own journey and what I feel about you.

You will know how beautiful at heart and soul you are, even more that what people see from outside. I hope this letter would be able to give you the motivation to stand for yourself and speak your heart out at any phase of life. I don't seem to remember much about you right now but you have always considered me as your best friend and shared all your secrets with me, I feel I can summarise your journey for you and I assure you that I try my best to be a source of inspiration for you as you have always stood for me.

I just know that you were born 15 days after Holi, as told by my parents but when you didn't know the exact date, you started celebrating it on April 1, just coz you were termed as a fool for dreaming beyond limits. You were so adamant then, not saying you are any less now. Your parents were illiterates so you made it a point not to stay the same coz of the hardships they faced. You realized too quick of how the world worked and you felt gaining education could make things better. Funny again for you to realize all that at such a young age. Not listening to your parents, you forced them to send you to school and even when your teachers never used to treat you right, you never gave up. You never ever wanted to give up, such a stubborn girl you were then, you still haven't changed much though, the world tried hard but you still always got up to put up a fight. And I feel this has been one of the major reasons for your success so far.

I was not surprised when your teachers also realized that you are not gonna give up however hard you had to try and your results proved nothing different. Some tried to pull you down but you went on. I feel you were the first girl of the village to do matriculation, and you still took to your heels and wanted to study further. This time your parents did not listen at all and fixed up your marriage with someone. The stage was set, the groom was waiting and you were all clad as the innocent bride. But were you ready, you never were made for this so you just managed to become the runaway bride, and although your aunt helped you but it required guts at your age.

You came with her to the city where you knew nothing at all. She ensured that she kept you as house help to make her work easy but still you didn't give up, you were never made to give up that easy on your dreams. You made a deal with her and worked as her servant in her home just so that she paid your school fees and gave you food and even then you kept your head held high irrespective of what the circumstances made you too and you managed both so perfectly.

Everything went on smooth and you went on to get excellent grades in your 12th and secured scholarship for your further studies. Till date it is still one of your greatest achievement but you made your share of mistakes too. Like trusting the guy who wasn't worth it at all and you trusted him long enough for you to experience excruciating pain. Pain which still haunts you but I know you are strong.

You met him in college, you had shifted to the hostel as you were no longer obliged to work for your aunt to pay your fees, you had earned it yourself and so there was nothing that could hold you back. Sometimes being away in a hostel is not the wisest choice one can make, coz you were free from anyone's control and free to make mistakes. You got a little distracted from your goals and merely managed to ruin your scholarship in the first year. You did not care much though as if you were too carried away (another mistake you did). You left your hostel, lost your scholarship and left your college just to stay with the one you loved, not that your love was wrong but the person you loved was. You went ahead to go for a live-in relationship. All was beautiful for you but not for the dreams you had aspired and fought for your whole life, the dreams to pursue which you had ran from the village. You were happy and that was all that mattered to you at that time. There were many ups and downs, mostly downs but you moved on and married him. Not the best thing you did, coz you lost your entity. It was not just a change of surname but you changed altogether. The one who was independent in her dreams became dependent on someone else for her basic needs. You slowly lost who you were. You lost your confidence, self-respect and most importantly yourself. Soon the fairy tale you had expected your marriage to be became abusive and you, you just couldn't do anything about it. This time you thought you couldn't, coz you had lost your confidence, your self-esteem.

Everything was lost for you and you were lost too. Nothing could have happened if I wasn't there, all you needed was a little boost of confidence from me and that was enough. Thank God! You heard me. You just felt that you had had enough and you stood up for yourself against all odds. Little did you know what was in store for you this time? You went on with your gut-feeling and fought for your rights. You took back/snatched what was yours and you snatched back the old you, the complete package with all confidence and that was brave. Maybe the world wouldn't know about it but it was a BRAVE step.

Today, you again start a new life, a new journey or maybe we can say your life will be back on track. At the age of 23, you start a new life, back to college to complete your degree. This time you will manage to pay for it from the alimony you got and also the part-time job you just joined. But you will manage I suppose.

You have faced a lot in life and in these few years it has taken a whole lot of twists and turns. You made it till here and you will go a long way ahead. After you become successful, the world will know your story but for now it is just between you and me. You have to become an inspiration for others, those who lack the confidence and strength to move ahead, those who are going through a rough phase in life and have lost hope and for those who have lost their way and are not following their dreams. It might be coz of an abusive relationship, following blindly someone else's dreams, living for the family or may be any other reason. So many people but you can inspire them to be someone they had always wanted to become and follow their dreams. Also, there is no age limit to be what you want to be. Just show yourself what you are made of so that the world looks up at all the minute details of your journey and what made you.

One last thing I would like to remind you that you are never alone and I am always there for you when you need me. I have always stood by you and you have always been my biggest support system till now and I can assure you that whatever happens in future, I will stand with you in every situation in life.

Regards,

Ravathi. (Your Inner-self)

P.S.- A NOTE TO SELF.