Sana Naazli
She was bored, sitting at home
Staring at the wall and counting the tiles
On the kitchen wall.
She somehow persuaded her mother to take her out
In hopes of buying a new action figure toy
That she’s been eyeing for quite a while.
But, she couldn’t persuade her enough to get
That toy she wanted since forever.
“I’ll buy you a kitchen set, said her mother
So that u can cook for your daddy
After his long hours at work”
Or “You can just get a ragdoll
And play her mom and take good care of her”
She could not understand why she wasn’t given
What she wanted
But nonetheless she kept quiet.
Just like how her mother did,
When asked about why she hasn’t quit her job
To look after her kids.
Just like how her mother did,
When asked why she let her career take a back seat
When she just wanted to spend more time with her kids.
Just like how the society expects her to be.
Years rolled by in the blink of eye,
And she finds herself in the home.
Supposedly home.
Where she had to adjust and compromise in all aspects
Be it giving up on her dreams
Or molding herself to fit
In the tailor made pocket of her new home.
If she had a dollar for every time
She put other’s needs before hers,
She would have enough money to stay in her own home.
Alone and free like a bird
With no worries & flying towards all that life has to give her,
So carefree like a child playing in the rain.
Nonetheless she kept mum and went on her life
Just like how she was supposed to.
Fast forward few years,
She has a mini version of herself
So full of life, prancing around
And never settling in a place.
Who lights up the room just with her mere presence
Her room was adorned with the posters of Bruce lee.
One day she approached her mom
And said “I want to take up martial arts, I think it’s my calling”.
Her mother at first hesitated,
As she went through flashes of certain orthodox ways
That she grew up with,
That she saw women around her grew up with.
But then she knew a change was must
Free from conventional ways
Change so that her daughter can be the best of herself,
Change so that her daughter must not go through what she went through,
The voiceless cries and screams that ached for freedom.
So, that night she took her daughter to buy
All that’s needed for her first martial arts class.