Today, i officially turned 21.
21 = access to booze/ALL movies/opening a phone line, other legal matters,etc,etc...
From last time, i only knew that turning 21 means that u r given a key..a key to what?
What does the key represent? Freedom?
While it seems to make sense in a western context, im not sure if it does apply to an Asian context, particularly in an Indian context. To me, i dun see the point of receiving a key on my birthday, just for my parents to collect it back the next day from me. An Indian girl no matter how many 21s she goes thru in her life, 21...42...63...., she will always be confined in sme way or another...
21 - under her parents' shelter
42- under her husband's shelter
63-under her children's shelter..
At each stage, there will be some restrictions, implicit or explicit..they all still exist, regardless of how fast modernity may progress..
Perhaps, 21 just means that u r an adult which just means that u are fully responsible for ur actions in a legal way.
Or maybe, it's just about reflecting or pondering on life and its lessons...
So, henceforth..i have decided to spend a few mins each day to write down 1 lesson that i learnt for the day.
Here goes..
My very 1st lesson as a 21 year old - #1 " Not all things/events should be interpreted, cos not everything that happens or doesn't happen is a sign of something."
I got this cos today when i went temple, my mum got prasadham(sweet pongal) after we finished praying and even though i was beside her,i didnt get it. It felt to me like her prayers were answered but mine wasn't. I also cld not buy the garlands for my ayya n amma that i had envisioned. I also didnt get any "thing" per say from the gods.. the other time my sis went and she got bangles from amma.. i knw it sounds damn stupid to compare myself with her..but smehow the green eyed monster tends to pop out now and then..it's not very 21ish..but i cannot help it...altho,i think being honest abt it is pretty adult...
then my usual grouse about the flowers i get..i always have this concept that orchids are bad while jasmine and yellow flowers are a good sign. But exactly 3 yrs ago, i was chided by Uncle who said " poo pothaa mattum pathaathu. so what if u get the flower" n things like that. so i have learnt to drop that thought. but cannot seem to help it when i do receive an orchid...haiz..there are loads of self-schemas i have got to alter..hahaha
So well, i cannot interpret or figure out what the gods' are thinking.. So i should stop worrying about it and think positively i guess... Here's to Positive Thinking!!
Yedhu Nadanthatho,
Adhu Nandraagavae Nadanthathu.
Yedhu Nadakiratho,
Adhu Nandraagavae Nadakirathu.
Yedhu Nadakkavirukkiratho,
Adhuvum Nandraagavae Nadakkum!!!
10 years ago