THE word ‘inspiration ‘in itself seems synonymous with ‘woman’ as everywhere you find women inspiring someone or the other around them to do something better. For me too there cannot be but one inspiring lady in my life. I consider myself to be an ardent Venusian with all the positive vibes I get from my fellow Venusians. My life’s first inspiration was of course my mother, who in those days of limited resources gave us all the freedom of thoughts, discipline of living and happiness in all walks of life, next was my elder sister who was a bundle of joy, calm, talented and full of enthusiasm and humour, whom I always looked up to add colour to my life by imbibing her ways. Then there was my younger sister who was all so artistic and prim and proper with a charisma to charm small kids with that twinkle in her eye and patience. My growing up gave me the privilege to learn some great aspects of academics, culture, discipline and perseverance from my school teachers. The bond of love, trust and loyalty for life was engraved by my school girlfriends. The college and profession gave me some lifetime guides and mentors who inspite of all the hurdles in their lives were always there to train and polish me on my professional front. After having a family , my mother -in-law was a constant source of inspiration for balancing ‘Me’ as me and as a wife and mother.

 

While all these ladies were inspiring me and moulding me, my mental influencers were some great writers and women of actions like Agatha Christie, Sudha Murthy, Indira Gandhi, Kiran Bedi, Indra Nooyi, Steffi Graph, Saniya Mirza who all made a special impact on my mind and thought process. So with the freedom of thoughts of my mother, the happiness of my elder sister, patience of my younger one, the versatility taught by my school teachers and perseverance and calmness of my guides and professional mentors, the trust and loyalty of my childhood friends, the family bonds of my MIL and my dreams by my influential women, I think the best person to Inspire ‘ME’ should be the one with all these values in her …….. which could be none other than MYSELF who can herself inspire each day to be the strongest of me, the kindest of me, the unshakable me, the thunderous me and the calmest of me. Like the waters in the rivers starting from the peaks of physical and mental provenance all the strong inspiring women in my life, may I have the capacity to drench at least a few souls in my entire life.

 

Let me, like these waters flow in its purest forms and wash away the dirt and impurities, quench the thirst of knowledge of a few, give respite to those who seek it, let me be the reason for the blossoms around my banks. Adorning all the ups and downs like the rivers, let me ultimately join the oceans of inspirations. All these dreams would come true only if I can start by inspiring our generations to come. ‘I’, I refer to, as of every mother who can teach her child . The daughters have been taught well in the previous decades. Now it is the turn to teach our sons. Let us inspire them to accept and respect women as they are and let us inspire are daughters to just be ‘themselves’. I am reminded of these lines by Nikita Gill for all the inspiring WOMEN in my life : Defined by no man, you are your own story, Blazing through the world, turning history into her story. And when they dare to tell you about, All the things you cannot be You smile and tell them; ‘I am both war and woman and you cannot stop me..’.