Feeling GOOD about feeling GUILTY
Updated: Sep 27, 2018
It was Feb 2nd, 2005:
My 7th anniversary was around the corner
And my husband came in to announce that he had to go to Hong Kong on the date of our anniversary
I was devastated…this was going to be the third time in 7 years that he had not given importance to this special date for me
I was upset, very upset
My parents were going to America to help my brother move from Michigan to San Francisco
And they were going to drive across America for 10 days
I made a decision to join them
A very tough decision because I had two little kids
A joint family
“What will everyone think?”
“What will they say?”
Puneet’s Hong Kong trip got cancelled last minute
But I went anyway 😝😝😝
And I realised for the first time in 7 years I had done something for myself
I had stood up for myself
And though I felt really guilty
Missing my anniversary
Leaving the kids
The guilt in me changed my equation with Puneet
Instead of the usual anger
The guilt made me use better tonality
The guilt made me behave better with him
As well as everyone else
(He never missed an anniversary again nor did I remain desperate around that thought)
By taking simple decisions
I stopped making unnecessary sacrifices
I decided to study
I decided to work
I decided to earn my own money
I decided to travel for my courses
I decided to respect myself
I decided to look after myself
I decided to be honest about my feelings
Trust me, it took all the courage I had
For I realised no one else was going to do it until I did it for myself
And now I want every woman in India to have Guilt
That basically means she puts herself first when required
For we are supposed to be the ones to always adjust so no one else is inconvenienced