How do you hold people accountable? Or the change that comes with time is natural and doesnt need accountability and is a good thing with a positive connotation vs the negative one that comes with not being true to your self and self-accountability.
My friend, my dear and good friend, with whom the younger, the more innocent, and the more principled 'I' shared deep views about feminism and holding our own. Her views far more stronger and deeper and well read than mine. That friend who was very clear that changing one's last name after marriage is a sign of submissiveness to a society that doesnt really allow women their true place. She never understood why some women wanted to do that, just like why some women would want to wear the burqa. I, being a big proponent of 'to each his own', didnt get so jittered by these societal rules as far as it was the women who wanted to abide by it without any outside pressure or necessity. Now whether that want came out of their upbringing and having these thoughts hammered into their head, or lack of education, or truly feeling comfortable with these norms.. it didnt matter to me.. as far as they wanted to agree to it. She didnt. She argued that they must be taught and made aware and that they shouldnt make a choice in the darkness of knowledge that existed in these women's lives. She felt strongly that if they knew, they would chose better... better being not changing their names and not wearing a burqa. Obviously the reason why I write this here is because interestingly two years after her marriage she did change her last name. Well not truly changed, but appended another identity to it. She said, she loves her husband too much and wanted to make him happy.
I was baffled. My strong sense of me started to question me. Am I the only one not changing. Is change good. Is this change good? Is she right? Is she right now? Or was she right back then? She stated simply - it would make him happy. Then why did she judge these women before? I keep up. I have always kept up with this world. Am I lagging behind though now. Or is she lost? How do I ever know. Every human being uses people, things, places, situations, etc to bring about a sense of measure in their lives. And mine just shook itself up.
Another friend - married and happy - goofed around with her ex on a business trip. She didnt talk about it, but her more chirpy, older, and 'been there done that' ex did. She was the epitome of righteousness. She hated being one. But she always was. There is a strong sense of reason here that I am not going to share in this space for why she could have done what is being claimed here. But it shakes up my sense of measure again. How do I calibrate? No. I cant be my own measure. It doesnt work that way. We are the foolish social animals and we all want that sense of comfort knowing, its ok.
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After the break-up last year, which was by far my worst break-up, I have tried to find self. You know that quarter-life/mid-life crisis thing... That. We parted amicably, but it hurt the most. Gym/yoga/reading helped. You know the usual. I had started to find comfort in being by myself...filling that void was becoming a less of a to-do and more of a norm. But this new friend changed the perspective. It always helps when people give you reassurance. He couldnt find anything wrong. Which in itself was a little bit of a stretch but I think I needed that extreme in the interim. Towards the end of our time together, coz he had to move coasts, he said something which turned tables for me. He said meeting me changed his life.. changed him.. that I had influenced and made a dent in the regular that his life was... you know stop and smell the roses kinds. Of course, Im sure it wasnt all of me, but that knowledge...that knowledge was so strong. Even though I was logical and practical enough to not believe it, but sometimes that extreme is needed. We changed a little bit of each other for good and that is rare to find. Im glad it happened. Im also glad it was short lived.. always helps to keep the memories positive.
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Dating men is so much different from dating boys. Doh! Of course, right. Im new to this, I guess. They dont go all out. They are not all over you. You woo them as much as they woo you. It takes forever to become a part of their inner circle. You are just another date to them vs the jar of possibilities. Its refreshing though. It keeps it light and one doesnt have to lose their sense of self. Rather.. there is too much sense of self.. that Im comfortable with. The life that I have lived.. I have been important to people. I dont associate, if I dont think it will take me there. But dating these days is so not that. Its tough to judge intentions, baggage, association, and emotions. They are as complicated as a teenage girl. Man I understand now the young boys' plight in their teenage years.
Im exploring.. as always.
