It was Swarnima's first day at work after a six year self imposed hiatus and clad in a turquoise shirt and a white trouser she stood in the metro among the milling crowd hurrying to their destinations. But she was quiet and perhaps very conscious, engulfed by a perpetual self doubt of not being in touch with the industry for a devastatingly long period.
She was far better in the morn waking up her eight year old princess Saisha and her husband Anmol implanting a kiss on their foreheads each, hurriedly, after preparing their dabbas of lunch and then quickly readying herself. The couple had decided to take a stroll to the sector 10 metro station of Dwarka to board for their respective offices after dropping the little one to the school and hence they started fifteen minutes early.
Swarnima was a brilliant and confident woman with a wonderful heart. She had experienced the zenith of success before she had decided to give it all up to nurture her little lily. It was a thoughtful decision she has taken after a lot of contemplation of what her heart desires and what was best for her family at that point of time without any support. She could no more rely on maids for her kiddo and more so because both she and her husband had travel based jobs.
Swarnima was a brilliant and confident woman with a wonderful heart. She had experienced the zenith of success before she had decided to give it all up to nurture her little lily. It was a thoughtful decision she has taken after a lot of contemplation of what her heart desires and what was best for her family at that point of time without any support. She could no more rely on maids for her kiddo and more so because both she and her husband had travel based jobs.
Six years with the little one were absolute bliss and as she was, she gave her best in the role of the mother too. It's only when her little sunshine asked her to get back to her dreams did she prepare herself to start all over again. She reworked on her CV and polished it to the tee and mind it, it did look impressive from multiple angles except for the gap which was aided by the most valid reason conferred on her by God as a blessing. She was meticulous in her preparations, she brushed the latest in her field and worked on her weight to look as presentable as she did before.
A couple of interviews did immediately come her way and her daughter and husband were very supportive in all the efforts she undertook to nail them. Her happiness though was ephemeral. While the interviews went fine she only got rejection as a reply and for two long years this became a routine. The organisations though impressed with her achievements would often offend her sanctity by asking personal intruding questions like...
Are you planning a second child? Incase you have a second child will you again take a sabbatical of six years?
...and so on. She was so tired of being judged. Motherhood now felt like a crime. One day out of frustration, she rebuked all such people publically on LinkedIn on their appalling behaviour. While the post went viral in just a couple of hours, she was astonished to find there were thousands who were in the same boat.
Also, that very day, her ex-boss invited her to join his new organisation which she willingly accepted. She was overwhelmed she has won one battle and was readying herself to face the world, she had quit one day.
Her doubts were obvious and she didn't realize when she reached her stop. Shirking all the pessimistic thoughts, she held her head firmly on her shoulders and decided to focus only on the road that lied ahead. As she entered the reception, she adorned herself with her most precious jewel, her smile and completed the joining formalities. Her boss and her team welcomed her with open arms and she owe them a lifetime of gratitude for being so good to her.
Though she resumed at a position and a salary she had left, in no time with her impeccable command on her tasks and ability to work better than the best, she climbed the ladder of success managing well at home too with the two loves of her life trying their best to balance out the pressure on her.
A little warmth, a little love and a little acceptance only makes this world a better place for her.
(This is a fictional adaptation of a real tale, true for so many of us and holding a deeper lesson than what it says)
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Also, linking this post to #FridayReflections by Sanch Vee and Everydaygyaan.com
Also, linking this post to #FridayReflections by Sanch Vee and Everydaygyaan.com
Have you read our earlier True Tales in the #FoodforThought series? Find them below.
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