Breaking The Invisible Cuffs

Rajni was tired of her life, she is a housewife and mother of 2 kids, her husband is always out of town and her teenager kids stay out of house all the time, her daughter and son don't care for Rajni as they think she is illiterate.

Rajni's husband is a Software Engineer and he never respects her and treat her as if she is a slave and orders her always.

Rajni is illiterate but she knows to respect and care unlike her husband and kids, she used to go for old age homes and look after the old people, on sundays as nobody would be at home and she would get bored.

And old lady named Sudha asked Rajni about her life and she said about her kids and husband's achievements but she didn't ever complaint about them to anyone. Sudha understood that she wasn't happy with her life and always had to be alone and would get bored. She asked Rajni to learn something she wanted to from her childhood. Rajni laughed and said at the age of 45 I cannot think of learning anything and I'm an illiterate. Sudha laughed back and said I'm 67 and still learning a foreign language and also computer. Rajni was amazed at this and she gave thought on this, she went home and was thinking about her dream and she finally thought she would want to learn dancing as she was wanted to represent her country at the International level, she went to Sudha and told her about this. Sudha was happy and gave her address for a dance trainer and said her to remember that "age is no bar, anyone can learn anything at any age if they wish too", Rajni went to the dance trainer and took admission for the bharatnatyam classes with her savings which she had made by selling agarbattis when her husband didnt return home for 5 months, his husband used to send her money to take care of the expenses but she used to sell agarbattis as she wanted to earn her own money.

Rajni saw women and men all the age of her daughter and son. She was feeling shy and didn't want to step in but she remembered what Sudha had told and she went in, People started laughing at her but she didn't give up, she practised daily and slowly all started loving her dance.

Rajni would speak with Sudha and tell her what happened and would go to the classes every day.

One day her daughter Kavya had returned after months and couldn't find her expensive watch anywhere and also couldn't find Rajni and she shouted and called her and spoke rudely to Rajni.

Rajni when returned couldn't find Kavya and was in tears. She thought they all wanted her to be a slave and not a mother or wife.

She continued her dance classes and also participated in many competitions. She was given a chance for state and national level and she won ranks as well. Her husband never returned home and one day she got a divorce file and she took it to Sudha as she couldn't read. Sudha read it to her and Rajni started to cry. She didn't know what was her mistake. Sudha smiled and said "break the cuffs, which always held you back", Rajni signed the divorce papers and her husband also gave her a blank cheque asking her to fill the amount she needs to take care of her for the rest of her life. Rajni returned the blank cheque back to her husband.

After a year, Rajni had been invited to dance at the U. S for a competition. Sudha helped her to get her passport and accompanied her. She also taught her English and Rajni could speak well but not yet fluent.

She danced at the International level and won as well. Her daughter and son were shocked to see her in the newspaper and couldn't t believe it. Rajni always thanked Sudha for guiding her.

Her husband got a huge amount in his bank and was surprised and didn't know what was it. Rajni called him and said "Hello, I'm Rajni, I hope you remember me, I know you couldn't ever imagine me speaking English, okay leave that! I hope you have received the amount I have given you for filing divorce and don't worry I'll give you the tips as well as you had taken care of me once", her husband couldn't believe and was shocked.

Rajni broke her cuffs and lived her life, age can never be a bar.