All our lives we have been told that we need to look a
certain way to be a RESPECTED an “ACCEPTED” person of the
society. You are short and that is no good, you are too tall and whoa that is
not good too. Then at some point (very
early in life), we are introduced to the word “APPROPRIATE”. The most
subjective word I have ever come across in my life. Who gets to decide what is
apt? Really?
Ever come to think of it, our deepest and strongest
insecurities are an outcome of our physical appearance and how we are perceived
by our society. We make the society; we do not have to think about if we made
the cut.
A lot has been written and spoken about how we need to
appreciate our bodies. But I ask, when did
it stop being a natural phenomenon and a “To DO” instead?
We go straight to what is not as per norms or is not in a
certain way. Well, I should know I am an auditor; we auditors are groomed to
scavenge for deficiencies and exceptions. Our fate depends on these
capabilities. But we all project such nitty- gritty we pick up growing up on
our physical appearance too soon.
A kid born is judged at the very second of his/her birth.
Too dark? Meh? Why are such thoughts so perennial and why do we feel that it is
right to do so.
There is no better, no best when it comes to us. We, humans, we're supposed to stick together. Instead, we took the reins and went ahead and
defined “BEAUTY” and God isn’t too happy about it. Further, we went ahead and
committed another mistake of redefining it, when it does not need to be defined
at all.
Look GOOD. FEEL GOOD. BUT DO NOT DEFINE “LOOK GOOD” to be
just one big façade. It is ok if your hair does not flow in the air when you
want. They are dancing to their own music and they love it, you need to love
them too. It is ok if you cannot reach that top shelf. You can still reach the sky. It is ok if you
got the greys. My dad always calls mine “Silver Streaks” and I always respond
to him with a smile and say “we all need some silver linings in our lives”. Well,
to others who very graciously used to tell me “You got grey hair”, I have
always said “Thank You! Would you be
free tomorrow and maybe forever, to just hang out on my bedroom wall as a
mirror, please? Because apparently, you think
I do not have one. Why do we do that? Spotting such things for others. Stopping the
same needs to be a mass movement. :P Just saying!
Keeping myself honest, I sporadically become this person,
who is conscious about the looks. I snap out of it real quick but only to go
back to the same rut again. I am getting better and recovering. Hope the same
for you too.
Please see this one was written at 3am, on my balcony, in
the company of my mosquito friends. Those arms look pretty eaten up, but pretty
nonetheless.
Love, Peace, and Words (if they were able to reach you).
