AN EMPOWERED WOMAN

I heard someone saying that state government gives pension to widows & divorcees & told my maid Gayatri that she is eligible for this pension. The reply I got from her was surprising. She said, “I am capable of earning enough money for me & my sisters right now. So I don’t need it currently. Some lady in need may benefit if I don’t take it.” I was speechless hearing the answer.

Second incident happened when her younger sister took admission to Computer engineering. We offered her help & brought her sister a laptop. She accepted the help happily. But after some months, she gave me some amount of money & said, “This is part payment of the laptop. I will return you the total money in installments.” When I said that I don’t need the money back, she replied, “I know you will give me any amount of money whenever I need it, but I should have self-respect not to beg for things when I am capable of earning them.” This time also I was speechless.

Her family is of eight ladies. Two of her sisters are graduate, one doing post-graduation, and youngest one will be a Computer engineer in few months.

Gayatri is a complete package of self-respect, strength, wisdom, determination, selflessness, empathy and many more qualities. Her family is an example of woman power. They don’t know about feminism, independence, equal rights, financial security & all such things. But they all are living an empowered life.

Ladies, let’s empower ourselves & ladies around us.