Neera felt as if she is just a body left with no soul, after coming back from Tina 's kitty party. How excited she was before leaving. She had bought a new dress with matching shoes and jewellery as it was a theme party . She had looked into the mirror and praised herself while looking into the dress.
She had reached the venue on time . The party was one with food, wine and games, and a bevy of gorgeous ladies. Suddenly she realised a new member in the group, when enquired she came to know that the lady was a guest of the host.
As her nature was, she went and introduced herself to that lady and came to know that lady is a professor in a university and has bagged many awards for her literary work.
Neera was highly impressed by that lady . After a short introduction that lady asked Neera about her job and hobbies. Neera told her that she is a house maker and her hobby is to live the life to the fullest . "Good, very good," came the prompt reply from the professor and further asked her how she lives her life to the fullest . Neera was baffled and then after hesitation she said, "I mean I don't have to worry for anything. I have my support system to do my house jobs and my kids are now grown up enough to be taken care of. So I am living my life according to my wish."
"But you didn't mention your hobby Neera," said the professor . "But I just told you that this is my hobby," Neera told her firmly. "No dear, this is the fun part of your life, the entertaining part not an achiever part." "Hmm, but that is what I like to do, party and enjoy my life."
Professor continued, "See Neera, what your are doing right now is just killing your time by entertaining yourself, so much so that you have forgotten your hobby, which was a creative and a satisfactory one . I don't blame you, as house makers generally have so many responsibilities on their shoulders while raising kids that they just forget the 'real them'. Go back today and try to find 'yourself' within you."
Neera came back confused, she realised the professor was correct .
When she was in college she was an average student doing all co-curricular activities in an average manner. She was not an extraordinary one.
After completing her education she joined a pre-primary school entertaining herself with the toddlers and getting paid too. Yeah she enjoyed her job as a teacher .
After two years she got married left for Australia and became a good wife handling everything that a perfect wife needs to.
Then her kids were born and the life continued like that.
Neera felt a vacuum within her, how true the professor was . What she was doing all these years were just her duties towards her family, and now she is just killing her time .
Going to the teaching field at this age is a big no, what else can she do with her life?
However next morning she called the lady professor whose card she had taken before leaving . Professor was not surprised by her call and invited her for a meeting the next day .
"I knew you were going to visit me," professor said. "How come?" asked Neera . "Well I love psychology and love to read human brains, the day we met I could easily make it out that the reason you are enjoying this phase of life is because you have not explored the other ways of entertaining yourself, which could be more satisfactory and creative too."
"But professor..." "No you can call me Didi," interrupted professor. "Yeah that sounds better," said Neera and continued, "I am not an expert of any field. I am an average person." "But isn't it amazing," said professor, "being an average person you know almost everything whether cooking, teaching, arts, craft, driving, dancing and so on. Which I think an expert can't do. Look, I am an expert in my literature field but can't even make a cup of proper tea. I am restricted to my field but you have explored all the fields of life. We don't always need experts, as sometimes the average person performs far better than an expert in the daily routine of life. Like you did in your life handling your responsibilities so well."
"So Did,i what can I do now? I mean from where to start?" asked Neera. "Well why don't you start by helping underprivileged teen girls with your skill of cooking, knitting and crafts etc. I know an NGO which needs volunteers to help these girls to become good mothers for their kids, as their childhood was deprived of normal healthy upbringing."
"Oh! that will be great, if a Jack like me will be of any use then that will make me feel great," exclaimed Neera .
"Ha ha ha!" came the loud hearty response from the professor as she got one more volunteer for the NGO. Going to the parties as a guest is sometimes beneficial too.
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