Shall we dance has a very memorable quote. Today I realized it in a very different context.
We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'."
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/trophy-wife/article5012715.ece
Premlata's father in law has a huge scrap book of her feats.
This was very touching. It reminded me of the importance of family.
Everyone of us is unique - our stories need to be told. We may seem mundane boring people to others. There may be others who are more accomplished (I don't even understand how you compare two people's accomplishments unless you're running the same race, even then some people may be genetically endowed to win the race). Anyway, now that you get the idea, here's the point. We may not end up like Tagore. We may not become famous or quoted or debated. There are so many people who never got their due. Scientists, artists, writers, teachers, philosophers, actors... For every single person who has been recognized, there are a million who go unrecognized. The innovative women of Rajasthan who use camel dung to cook. Women who put up with abusive husbands. There are tons of unrecorded heroes out there. Even if you've not innovated something or fought a war or written a great piece, your life is unique. It needs to be celebrated. That's where the family comes. Susan Sarandon limits her speech to spouses. I broaden it to include family and friends. We are witnesses to each others lives.. our transformations.. our small achievements..the battles that we've fought and won.. or fought and lost.. of our losses.. our gains..of falling hair... of weight gains..of wrinkles... we celebrate our child's first essay.. their first stage play, your wedding.. your first child.. your birthdays..promotions... My friend rightly said "My son getting into a good school is greater than my brother getting into IIM :-) ". We harp about our parent's or siblings's successes. We are direct witnesses to the lives of those around us.
This encouragement has myriad benefits. We are hugely unaware of the subtle role of family in our lives. Today, I have been enlightened on reading this lady's achievements and her father in law's celebration of her achievements. Everybody's life deserves to be celebrated. An understanding network of friends and families is what nourishes us, roots for us and celebrates our mundane accomplishments. This is the podium in which each of us gets our nobels and pulitzers. This is the audience who will remember us long after we're gone. These are the people who make us immortal, who unknowingly make our lives more meaningful and worthy.
We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness'."
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/trophy-wife/article5012715.ece
Premlata's father in law has a huge scrap book of her feats.
This was very touching. It reminded me of the importance of family.
Everyone of us is unique - our stories need to be told. We may seem mundane boring people to others. There may be others who are more accomplished (I don't even understand how you compare two people's accomplishments unless you're running the same race, even then some people may be genetically endowed to win the race). Anyway, now that you get the idea, here's the point. We may not end up like Tagore. We may not become famous or quoted or debated. There are so many people who never got their due. Scientists, artists, writers, teachers, philosophers, actors... For every single person who has been recognized, there are a million who go unrecognized. The innovative women of Rajasthan who use camel dung to cook. Women who put up with abusive husbands. There are tons of unrecorded heroes out there. Even if you've not innovated something or fought a war or written a great piece, your life is unique. It needs to be celebrated. That's where the family comes. Susan Sarandon limits her speech to spouses. I broaden it to include family and friends. We are witnesses to each others lives.. our transformations.. our small achievements..the battles that we've fought and won.. or fought and lost.. of our losses.. our gains..of falling hair... of weight gains..of wrinkles... we celebrate our child's first essay.. their first stage play, your wedding.. your first child.. your birthdays..promotions... My friend rightly said "My son getting into a good school is greater than my brother getting into IIM :-) ". We harp about our parent's or siblings's successes. We are direct witnesses to the lives of those around us.
This encouragement has myriad benefits. We are hugely unaware of the subtle role of family in our lives. Today, I have been enlightened on reading this lady's achievements and her father in law's celebration of her achievements. Everybody's life deserves to be celebrated. An understanding network of friends and families is what nourishes us, roots for us and celebrates our mundane accomplishments. This is the podium in which each of us gets our nobels and pulitzers. This is the audience who will remember us long after we're gone. These are the people who make us immortal, who unknowingly make our lives more meaningful and worthy.
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