The Gift of Time

The announcement of a blogging contest at Indus Ladies has got my creative juices flowing. Its been a long time since I wrote a commissioned post and this seems like the perfect opportunity. The contest is a prelude to the International Women’s Day celebration and therefore, centers on women. The topic is ‘A perspective on roles of Indian Women’ and this post is my entry for the contest. I tag Tanvi, Chandni and Ritu to participate in the contest.

Indusladies 2nd Annual International Women's Day Blog Contest

I love Saturdays. Well, who doesn’t! But my reasons for loving Saturdays might differ from yours. I love them for a very simple reason that my husband is at work on Saturdays and I get the ME time I so look forward to the whole week. Don’t get me wrong here – I looove spending time with him and family too (whenever they are around) but there’s a greater person that itches for a fair amount of undivided attention – That’s Me!

 

I won’t call it self-love (though I admit I’m quite vain! :P) but I love spending time with myself for a simple reason that ‘Me-Time’ is liberating, exhilarating and peaceful all at one. Spending quality time with myself has always been therapeutic for me. Making activity almost irrelevant does that trick. I could spend that time doing anything from curling up in bed with a book or flipping through my favorite channels or facebooking endlessly to pampering myself in a spa or indulging in retail therapy without having to care much of the responsibilities that awaits me when the Me-time ends.Over time, it has become my quick fix for an instant rejuvenation.

And its heartening to know that it isn’t just me. I find more and more women appealed by this idea of Me-time. Women today, Indian Women to be particular, do realize (and definitely should!) that there is something beyond the labels that the world has metaphorically pinned upon their torso - homemaker, nurturer, mother, daughter-in-law and wife. Each responsibility, of course, constantly entails being a constant physical presence in the lives of others. Not many of us can look beyond these responsibilities even for a fraction of time without feeling guilty or selfish. 

My two cents to all the women reading this and on the brink of getting convinced of Me-time – your spending time with yourself is not being self-centred, it's self care! Irrespective of what role you play in life, care for yourself first so that you care for others better. There’s something magical, fun and empowering about spending time with oneself. You will always return with a renewed sense of gratitude for what awaits you. Discover yourself. Let your hair down. Turn up the volume. Croon louder. Laugh harder. Nobody will sue you for that!!! :)

Happy Women’s Day and a toast to your new-found freedom!