“there is no ceiling, chase your dreams”, my eyes always lit up when my dad would say this.
he taught me that as a girl there was nothing i couldn’t accomplish and he would raise me the same as if i was a boy. in many cultures, boys are put on a pedestal and girls get second string.
“bande vargi sooch” (“think like a man”) he would say.
girls becoming women and are no less than boys becoming a man.
however, once i grew to be an adult, i came across some situations that demanded i return back into a box. i was told “do something within your reach”, and then i thought ” what is within my reach”. my dad always instilled in me that anything is possible.
so…what reach?
let me give you the groundbreaking answer: there is no reach.
i got a lot of negativity throughout my life about what i should and should not do. if i wasn’t mentally strong, i would’ve caved just so i could get people’s “acceptance”.
the thing is, once we exit the womb society has its set of red pencils sharpened and ready, prepared to mark up our lives. you can either fuss about erasing the marks, follow the marked instructions, or just continue living your life and not allow society to put you in the marked area.
the truth is: that timeline you’re under fire to follow, the milestones you’re stressing to meet is all made up of outside noise
you don’t have to, complete college by 22, get married by 30, have kids by 32, give up your career after kids, etc. etc. etc.
i feel so fortunate that I had so many people to not only encourage me to reach for the stars, but push me every day to get there…
but for those of you who lack that token of encouragement, hear it from me…
you can do anything, and be anything. no matter what your age, no matter what your financial status, no matter your “family background” no matter how many red marks society has drawn over your endeavors.
a side note, on “family background” — if you think you’re better than someone because of the number of zeros in your bank account, or that somehow you “deserve better” you are a part of the problem. that is what i call, the americanized version of the caste system.
anyways, back to my point…
it’s 2021, so fully, unapologetically be yourself, reach for the stars, and shatter the glass ceiling society or any person may place over your head.
empowered women, empower women
