“The story explores the complexities of family relationships, including the influence of parents and the contrasting perspectives of relatives.”
Every girl desires to enjoy her life without any restrictions, but this can happen only for a few people. Still, most girls are restricted from using any social media platforms, and they have no right to make their own decisions.
Now, let me share a real story about a girl who writes a letter to God. The narrative unfolds as the girl makes her own decisions with her parents’ support. However, her relatives consistently discourage her, imposing numerous limitations that cast a shadow over her college life and dreams.
Dear God,
I believe in you unwaveringly, and I will continue to pray whether I’m happy, sad, or moody. I confide in you, sharing everything about how I feel in each moment. You are the one with whom I share my innermost thoughts. You listen attentively to every single word, without missing any, holding them in secret. I refrain from sharing these things with my friends because the future is uncertain. Sometimes, those we trust the most turn against us, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Dear, I’m now 20 years old, and I find it difficult to comprehend why people differentiate among us in so many ways. Upon entering this world, some express happiness at our arrival, while others may perceive us as a burden. Until the age of 5, we receive love from everyone. However, as we begin school, there’s a common refrain: “Study well, you are the one who will excel.”
Now, turning to my situation, God, I haven’t faced any marriage issues, but there are other challenges I’ve encountered. Let me share those experiences. I successfully and happily completed my 10th grade. When it was time to pursue my secondary education, my parents didn’t impose any specific choices on me; they simply left it up to me, stating, “Your choice is our choice.” This made me happy, and I completed my secondary education.
After completing secondary education, I had to assess my family’s financial situation and make a decision about my educational path. Although I aspired to study engineering, our financial status didn’t support that choice. Considering this, I contemplated pursuing a regular degree. However, my relatives disapproved of my decision, stating that it was a poor choice and wouldn’t hold much value. In the end, I made the critical decision to pursue engineering. This became a challenging and problematic situation for me as my relatives visited various colleges, undermining my confidence along the way.
I contemplated withdrawing from pursuing engineering, but my parents provided crucial support. They reassured me, saying, “Dear, don’t worry about the money. Just focus on your education. If you study well, you will find success and happiness. Your well-being is our greatest achievement.” This encouragement strengthened my resolve, and I decided to cancel my previous decision. Finally, I received a call from a university, and I enrolled.
Honestly, every girl wishes for her father to accompany her to college, trusting his judgment for the best choice. However, in my case, a relative accompanied me to the college around 4 pm. The campus was located quite far away, resembling a forest area. I began my college journey, but the daily commute was extensive, taking me four hours in total. I had to wake up at 5 am, prepare food, and reach my stop before 6:30 am. This was a stark contrast to my previous experiences; during my school and college life, I only had to walk for about 15 minutes. Now, reaching home around 6 pm became a routine in the evenings.
I often felt fatigued, but I had to complete my tasks as quickly as possible. Frankly speaking, I wasn’t keen on staying with my relatives because I didn’t feel comfortable there. Every decision I needed to make required their approval, and unfortunately, I consistently received negative responses from them. This discouraged me, leading to a realization that I shouldn’t seek their advice. On the contrary, my parents always provided positive support, encouraging me to follow my decisions. Unfortunately, my relatives consistently discouraged me and compelled me to backtrack on my choices, making it challenging to assert my independence.
I find it difficult to comprehend; it’s my life, and I should be able to lead it based on my decisions. However, it seems that I’m not truly leading my life with my own choices. I’m constantly pressured to heed the words of others and ignore my own decisions. This has led to a loss of happiness. At an age when everyone is supposed to enjoy life, my experience has been different. I distanced myself from friends due to various restrictions, and I haven’t been able to meet them since my secondary and primary school days when we planned to reunite.
Apart from what I’ve shared, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. You’re aware of how college life is and how it usually unfolds. However, during one of the fresher’s events, I returned home at 11:30 pm, and my relative imposed restrictions, instructing me not to attend any parties, not to enjoy time with friends, and not to engage in casual conversations with them. They concluded that I should refrain from enjoying myself and just focus on my work.
God, I wonder why they restricted me. You know I’m not one to dance, but in our minds, we all desire to spend some time with friends, enjoying and watching their dances. Unfortunately, this experience was denied to me, and I didn’t attend any college fest for the first two years. Now, a double game has begun. As I entered my third year, exhaustion set in. I considered staying in a hostel and commuting to college, hoping it would reduce stress and the overall journey.
I shared this with my parents, and initially, they opposed the idea. However, I managed to reveal some truths that helped them understand my perspective, and eventually, they agreed with my decision. We went to look at hostels, but my relative disagreed with my choice and successfully convinced my parents to go against it. I felt deeply saddened, but I had to control my emotions.
After two months, a series of incidents on Friday and Saturday nights compelled me to escape from the situation. Additionally, I was suffering from viral fever and dizziness, so I decided to return to my hometown and seek medical attention at the hospital. During this time, I shared with my parents what had transpired during those fateful nights. My mom became emotional. I conveyed to them, “If you allow me to stay in the hostel, then I will continue attending college; otherwise, I will drop out and pursue another field.”
That’s the entire story. This made my parents ponder, and exactly after a week, on a Friday, we went to check out the hostel. One of my juniors informed us about the hostel and provided the address. We visited the place, finalized our decision, and chose to stay there.
On Sunday, just two days later, I went to my relative’s house with my father. His face looked entirely sad, but he remained composed. I packed my belongings, ready to leave. As I was about to depart, my relative considered not accompanying us. However, my grandfather persuaded him with a single word. That settled it, and his wife insisted he come with us. So, in the end, my relative joined us on the journey. Finally, I reached the hostel, marking my first day in hostel life. I felt elated as if I had escaped from confinement and entered into a haven.
After a month, during Dasara, I visited my hometown. Surprisingly, my relatives neither called me nor spoke with me. They were upset with me. It hurt, but I chose to remain calm. At this point, I realized it was my life, and I had to decide what to do and what not to do. However, my decision to stay in the hostel conveyed to them that I had made the wrong choice, and they felt I didn’t value their opinions. Consequently, they decided not to speak with me. That’s it, they haven’t spoken to me or even called me since.
I make an effort to call them once a week. Honestly, I’ve encountered some problems with them, but I haven’t faced any issues with the owner. My decision led to a strain on our relationship. It seems that if a girl makes her own decisions, relationships tend to break. If she stays silent, and endures suffering, she can maintain relationships, but the moment she speaks up about her choices, it can lead to a break. This raises the question: Why? What is the use of this? Despite people praying to and respecting gods and goddesses, there seems to be a lack of respect for a girl’s decisions.
It’s disheartening that they proclaim that “every girl is a goddess,” yet fail to adhere to their own words and overlook the significance of a girl’s decisions. This reflects the changing dynamics and the strain on relationships within society.
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