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My mother saw me with damp eyes and asked, “What happened?” I started weeping said, “Mummy, why didn’t you teach me to cook? All girls of my age know?”
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
I was feeling a bit low that day. All my friends could cook, while I couldn’t. I was afraid of fire. Over and above that, one of my relatives had made fun of me after knowing that I am not used to cooking.
It was my cousin’s relatives. Another cousin got around 5 kgs of Okra and said, “Please, cut them!” I replied guiltily, “I don’t know how to use a knife as of now!” Soon, the word spread and everyone was making fun of me, “This is the girl who hasn’t used a knife!”
So what if I was just in grade ten! So what if I was just 15 years old! The year was 1984 and during those days, every girl knew to cook. And I didn’t even know how to hold a knife!
She asked, “Did someone say something?”
Upon hearing about the incident, she laughed and said, “If you wish, I can teach you cooking anytime. However, you do wish to be an engineer, don’t you?”
“Hmmm!” I replied.
She continued, “Everyone should do what one feels like, not what society expects out of them. It’s absolutely fine if you don’t know how to cook! Remain focussed on what you wish to do. Cooking is also necessary for everyone, but you will learn it in months I am sure. Obviously, whenever you want to!”
I smiled. Yes, my mom, who was my world, didn’t think that cooking is the most important thing in life!
If all mothers can think ahead of time and let their daughters also follow their dreams, world would be such a better place to live in!
Neelam Saxena Chandra is an Engineering graduate from VNIT and has done her Post Graduation Diploma in IM&HRD and also in Finance. She has completed a summer course in Finance from London School of read more...
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