Women…Where
would the world be without them? Nowhere, in my opinion, because, let’s face
facts, we’d be pretty nonexistent without them – no women would mean no one to
bear the pains of pregnancy, no one to offer a welcoming shoulder to cry on, no
one to pass on those juicy bits of gossip, no one to be the pillars of strength
for the different people in their lives and no one to laugh, cry and do mad
things with. Fresh on the heels of International Women’s Day, which we
celebrated on Sunday, I’m glad to say that I am blessed to have women in my
life that fill all these roles and then some! While I’ll save the praise for my
mum and the various other mothers in my life for another day, I will pay
tribute to the other stars in my world…
Firstly,
my sister Anjali – growing up I always aspired to be just like her even though
I got nowhere close. Straight A student, polite, charming, talented, friendly,
lady like, neat and tidy – basically she was just everything I wasn’t and
practically perfect in every way. Over the years, not much has changed in our
relationship even though she has added a few more feathers to her cap – she’s
now a sought after speech therapist, wonderful wife and a marvelous mother too.
Despite all that she has going on she still finds time to accommodate me and
all my madness. She’s the calm one in our equation, always offering sane, sound
advice and an objective point of view whilst I’m fuming, ranting and raving;
she’s the one who comes to my rescue when I’ve planned a party and find myself
in over my head with all the planning, setting up and (most importantly)
cooking.
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Then
there are my ‘besties’ and soul sisters – Rach, Ally, Sa and Lee. Even though
they live ever so far away (in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New Zealand and
Calangute/Bangalore respectively), they are there for me in more ways than one.
We don’t speak for days at a stretch thanks to our varying schedules but that’s
never an issue – we always just pick up where we left off the last time. Also,
this makes for our reunions being that much sweeter. They never give me grief
for not being in touch as often as I should be; they call me out on stuff just
when I need it; they assist in and add to the madness if not lay the grounds
for it; they know when I need a chat or a listening ear; they laugh as loud as
I do and crack up at the same stuff I find hilarious. In short, they just get
me. And lastly (though definitely not in the least) there’s my sisterhood –
that includes Aislinn, Dianne, Neha, Rosette, Rumilla, Selma, Shaila, Skitter,
Stacey and Suruchi – the women I call family.
Although these women are ever so different in so
many varied ways, they share a whole lot in common –they are amazing
individuals who lead by example and constantly make me want to better myself;
they are strong, independent, beautiful and fierce and I consider myself lucky
just to know them; they are honest and upfront with me but this is backed by a
whole lot of love and respect; together they are an extension of me, each
bringing something unique and different to my world and making it all the more
richer, better and beautiful. So I thank you ladies, from the bottom of my
heart and a million times over. I know I fall short in many ways and on many
counts but (as you’ve guessed by now) that’s just me. And even though I know
for sure that I will continue to mess up in the days and years to come, please
know I love and respect each and every one of you ever so much and wonder (ever
so often) what I did right to deserve each of you in my life. You’ll are my
rocks of Gibraltar, my confidantes, my advice panel, my conscience, my guiding
lights, my stars and my fireworks, my world and my everything. Because you’ll
live, laugh and love, I am.
