Tuesday, March 13, 2007

LIVING WITH YOURSELF

Living on your own ain’t easy.

You won’t find the comforts of home, the luxury of a washing machine, the opulence of hygienic food ready at the dinner table, the convenience of an air conditioned car, and the warmth of a sparkling clean home.

The skin on your palms would grow coarse washing clothes every week. You’d find yourself eating trash, which is probably all you can afford. The body would get acclimatized to coolness granted by an archaic, noisy fan. You would also discover that no matter how hard you try, your room still looks like a pig sty, a week after the spring-cleaning spree.

Not to forget, the ‘broke’ status, which you would find yourself in frequently. Borrowing from kind friends is the next resort, and mind you, every penny ought to be repaid. That’s the unspoken rule.

But what an individual living on her own, in a city she cannot completely call ‘home’, needs is emotional support from her family, her oldest friends, and of course, her man. This support and love is indispensable to fight moments of loneliness and home-sickness. It isn’t a piece of cake to start a new life elsewhere, far away from your roots and everything that’s familiar. You’re actually transcending the comfort zone built up through childhood and adolescence, and it takes great courage to walk right out of it into the big, bad world.

It’s scary to live on your own. But, it is the best way to learn how to fly. Independence feels terrific. You decide, you choose, you use your discretion. And you’re responsible for everything.

A combination of loving parents, awesome friends, a caring man, a courageous spirit and the freedom to live in your own ‘random’ style rubs out every inconvenience and predicament that you might face when you’re on your own. It strengthens you. And you go out there fearlessly, certain in your belief that there are many to whom you mean the world.

3 comments:

Babska said...

you've got wings... you've got your freedom, independence, liberty... and you've got you...

and i wish everyone reading this says the following to you cuz you really mean a lot, and probably mean the world (and the moon) to many many... here goes

"Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and ev'rything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings..."

-Wind Beneath my Wings, Bette Midler.

Maryann Taylor said...

That is soooooo very true!!!

Unknown said...

Hello Ragini,
I had always thought sub-consciously about all this at some or the other point of time...
Today when on the verge of staying all alone in a very new city i guess will be experiencing the so-called freedom and the bondage of taking wild decisions most of the while.
Really a very nice write up. I wish you all the very best. Keep on writing.
Take care.