I admit that i beat many boys of my village when i was about to enter in my early teens.
My anger for them was due to not only they misbehaved on certain times but as whole i felt bothered from them .They seemed huge threat and pressure to my freedom as equal human being .
It was totally unbearable that being girl i was feeling helpless and confined .That time i could not judge my reactions but when i think now i find my whole behaviour dominated by this particular stress which i released time to time whenever someone gave me opportunity .
My all mad hobbies (running, hiting in sack filled with grain and developing my focusing skills ) are proof that i was unconsciously preparing myself for any kind of oppression ( remember i was just a girl less than 12)
I mentioned already that i was close to my parents specially to mom more than a normal kid. If you remember i posted once about removing a huge rock here with constant effort and fell ill later due to much hard work just to make my mom happy.
My childhood is filled with such events when i tried to give mom pleasant surprises and made her happy with my little steps .
In our village the honour of family is greatly related to the female of house ,and then 25 years before it was even serious and important thing to have girls which have STRONG and CLEAN character .
There was one slight mistake and honour of the family was ruined . Mom was proud that i was following her directions and for this she loved me more as she mentioned this more often when return from any ceremony or even or someone came to visit and praised her daughter who is going school and still has no flaw to rise finger upon .
Once when i was in grade six (almost 14 years) on the way to school i found an envelope with written my name on "for dear Shabana" I immediately picked it up and put in my school bag . In school i did not show it to my friends unlike other girls who get excited with such attempts of flirting boys.
I gave this envelope to my parents when came back .My father read it front of me and mom .It was from some boy who wrote that he sees me everyday and wanted to be friend . Father got angry and asked "do you know him ?" who is he "?
I told i knew nothing about him .My mother supported me and said if she knew she would have not given this to us . But question of my father made me angry .I could not bear that i was being questioned because the mistake of that cheap boy . I was crying and did not eat anything in lunch .Mom thought i will be fine but she could not get the glimpse of springing fire within me which was trying to burst out like a volcano . It took many hours to my mom to make me eat something . I ate dinner with mom late night .This was my first hunger strike !
After that in coming years many times when i got angry on anything i stopped taking meals .Secretly somehow i was obsessed with extra attention of mom that i get when i left eating . Yes this is selfish but i than did not realize that what i was doing .
Time passed and i got married( i was almost 20) but this habit stayed with me. Departing from mom was first hardest part of my life .Marriage was almost arranged or one sided love of my husband (than) i was not ready to leave mom alone ,wanted to do job ,live with her for whole life and support her as her son was not faithful and obedient and her longing for the peace that a mother seeks in the caring of his son was huge pain of my life . I wanted to prove that i am her son .But could not .
It made me more angry . Early years of our marriage are blended with my aggression which took place when my in laws specially mother in law became cruel to me .
Fighting with hubby and leaving eating was my way to deal with situations . Now if i love my life partner ,this is not because he loved me at first sight (never got impressed with such things in real life though i am romantic in my deep corner of heart) but i respect him and love him because he tolerated my aggression and stayed patient .may be this was his love for me.
( though i was told by my very own loved one (blood relation) that no one can love me ever because i have so much anger in me) Her words still echo in my inner world .
Though hubby tried to pamper me to an extent but he seemed fedup with my "hunger strikes . Once when i was fasting in Ramadan (no food or water for almost 17 hours) at the time when i was about to open my fast got upset on his leaving with friends at same time .
Instead of opening the fast (eating something) i remained hungry when he got back he asked did i took my meal proper ? i said yes . I stayed hungry for the whole night and then until next whole day .i did not let him know that i did not eat something somehow .
when he got back from office (afternoon) he found me almost insane .my BP dropped to dangerous level .He took me to the doctor who admitted and glucose drip was injected .
The side effects of that two days hunger last for months as i was already anemic and patient of low blood pressure .
He tried to convince me constantly that i should leave this bad habit of punishing my self for others mistakes .
long story short THAT WAS MY LAST HUNGER STRIKE :)
Some day i will share that when did i realize that either i love my husband !
Now when i am about to enter my 48th year i feel so bad about my previou aggressive behaviours but still i think that could i have to be little more patient and calm if i was not as angry with male domination around me ?
Now i know that anger is expression of helplessness , it is act of weak, who get angry when he feel stuck and find the screaming and fighting only option he can choose .
A wise and confident person knows the reasons behind acts of others , he knows his capacity ,and he enjoys his command over the situations .
He be wise artist who turn his anger into his STRENGTH and POWER.
Which he use with delicacy and brilliance , when it is needed .
Hope all is going fine and PLEASANT in your lovely worlds dear people!
Stay Strong ,make your next day better than previous .
God Bless you All!!!
You are very good in analysing!
ReplyDeletesuch an amazing open hearted post you wrote for us, I admire your strength and honesty! Thank you so much,
ReplyDeleteHello dearest Baili, what an interesting blog post!
ReplyDeleteI think you are right when you write that anger is expression of helplessness. We must not, however, blame ourselves for becoming angry or being angry. The world is so profoundly unfair and we are helpless in front of this.
I'm happy your life is more serene now.
Your culture is different from ours. You were, of course, not to blame for the letter from an unknown boy. Without knowing the facts, I shouldn't say anything, but seen from my culture, the boy might have been sincere in his feelings... and shy. Oh, I hope to see one day a world where boys and girls can be friends!
Big hugs!
The dominant male culture is disheartening in the USA, but not without repercussions...still it is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteHail, You have given us a great lesson with the examples from your own life, yes we make mistakes, and yes we did things when we were younger that we now regret, but those actions make us who we are today, and learning from your actions have made you a very smart woman with a husband who dearly loves you.
ReplyDeleteSometimes when girls or young women feel powerless and cannot control anything around them in their lives, they assert control over the only thing they have -- their own bodies. I think that's often the root of eating disorders. I don't think we should blame these young women or be ashamed of this impulse -- it's a cry for freedom although expressed in a self-destructive way.
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful and insightful post.
ReplyDeleteI do not blame you when you for getting angry at the situations that you describe. Getting angry is human and sometimes it is inevitable that we do. It is a great thing to channel one's anger into positive directions but it is difficult to do all of the time. I certainly do not do so one hundred percent of the time. Of course taking anger out on oneself is not a good thing but you should not be too hard in yourself.
Have a great week!
so glad you quit the hunger strikes!
ReplyDeleteYou obviously have searched your soul to realize truths about yourself. You are fortunate that your husband is also understanding. His calmness and your fire make a good combination.
ReplyDeleteSo good you have found the inner you.
ReplyDeleteAnd a real good life partner.
Everything will be okay.
Our bodies cannot live long without water but I do believe that the fast without food is cleansing and good for our body. When I was younger, I did fast many times for health's sake. Three weeks was my max but I always wanted to go to one month but never made it.
ReplyDeleteI realize you are talking about using lack of food as a rebellion to anger or something that is within us. It is interesting that you now understand your youthful motives and how they have related to your life and marriage. That kind of soulsearching will give one peace. I too, look back upon my life and try to clear my pathway for peace.
Great partnership there. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
We all make mistakes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, hopefully, grow up with tem.
Have a blessed week
Gostei muito do seu texto. A adolescência é um "lugar" de sentimentos muito fortes. Por isso a raiva. Por isso um comportamento inseguro...
ReplyDeleteUma boa semana.
Um beijo.
When we feel helpless, we sometimes hurt ourselves. It is difficult to deal with these situations where you feel trapped. I'm glad you ended up with a partner who was patient and supportive.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this and your previous post with your blogging friends.
ReplyDeleteI think your strength and honesty shines through, and I am pleased that you are with a supportive partner.
My good wishes
All the best Jan
Unfortunately, when we feel this way, in these situations, we tend to hurt ourselves! You are a loving person and I am so happy you found a great hubby!
ReplyDeleteFascinating story, baili. I am very glad that boy turned into a good man. And I'm glad you decided not to keep punishing yourself. It must have been hard to have the feelings you did, but also hard for your husband to watch you fast too severely. I've done some things when young that I shake my head at now :) We generally learn at least a few things as we get older!
ReplyDeleteYou went through so much, Baili, but it did not defeat you. I'm glad that you are blessed with a loving and understanding husband. None of us get through life without making mistakes. I try not to judge my younger self harshly for mistakes or unwise choices. I try to be as kind and forgiving to myself as I would be to someone else. It's taken me a long time to reach this point. I'm glad that you have abandoned hunger strikes! Sending you a big hug, my friend!
ReplyDelete