The Wise Choice

The cool air from the window was kissing me and chilled my cheek that I shrugged towards Santhosh to make myself little cozier. Realizing that the cool breeze of the morning is colder, Santhosh got up and slid the window. Still feeling the cold I lay my head on his chest and dozed back really not willing to get up at four in the morning. Covering me comfortably with a cozier arm around he patted me to sleep. At around five thirty in the morning, my alarm clock buzzed. Eyes refusing to abandon the sweet sleep it just got to taste but the hour on call is to prepare the breakfast, else we all will be late. Finally pulling myself out of the coziest bed, with closed eyes I made my way to the kitchen.

After drinking a glass of lukewarm water, I finally put on wheels on my appendages to brush up everything on time. Right on the left burner goes the lentils and on the right one rice meal. And how time flies in the morning I know not. Preparing the same boring meals is not my kind of thing. So I have to be innovative as well as time efficient too. It is not a big problem for me for I love cooking and trying new things with great ease. Santhosh is a great admirer, and he loves all that I invent. So trying new things was just not an experiment but a message of love for my hubby too, which he likes all the time.

So the clock struck seven, and I am all done; just packing the last bit of course at the end.

Santhosh is an IT professional in one of the leading company in Bangalore. Working hours are odd, but he balances quite well. His work shift begins at one in the noon. He leaves house by eleven because of traffic.

I am Samira. I too am an IT professional, but after marriage we found that working in leading companies gave us not time that we could spend together. Early two years of our marriage was really gruelling and painful. We literally craved to see each other's face. He used to work at night and I during the day or visa versa. That was the time we realized some decisions are hard but needed to be taken to keep the family run smoothly. So finally I chose to drop out from IT sector. Decision was tough, as I too was at a very good position and quite competent like Santhosh. I had heard in from my friends about the fight that broke out, 'why should I give up, why can't he?' and people have separated only to satisfy their ego.

My mother is a great guiding light of mine always. When this tough round came in my life, I discussed it with my mother. She said, it is good to be independent and confident. There is no match to that freedom and self security. But when you marry, an added responsibility to meet the needs of the family readily tail with the couple. And when kids are added furthermore the duty is added on. You are in this situation now. So you both sit together and discuss all the possible benefits and losses of all the possible choices you all can make. Assess together which is most beneficial, stick to that.

The advise was good and appealing. So we for months we both sat together and discussed every choice and finally we came to the conclusion that my family matters above my achievement and my name and fame. So this is how I gave up my privilege to be most successfull woman and summoned complete responsiblity of family on to Santhosh's shoulder. He readily took over and patiently invested on every opportunity that will add more to our income. He had been very faithful and loyal in taking care of us.

Months have passed now and all through my pregnancy, he cared us above everything. I remember the day, when he was back late from office and those were early days of pregnancy and I was just not able to have a single thing the whole day. He immediately took out the car and drove me to the hospital. My gynaec reviewed my case on call and said that I need to be admitted. He took leave for another two days and cared for me like anything. Those feelings made me really feel like a queen.

As months passed by finally, my day came when a beautiful angel filled our life with immense happiness. The very smile she gave in sleep was our earnest desire to see. And the moment she cried, our toes spinned to comfort her at the earliest. In the starting days, I was not very confident in feeding her later on we learned every little thing that she tries to say to us through different means.

Rearing a child actually began a new lesson in our life. Life totally shifted from achieving, making money, enjoying etc to try to learn how to comfort and keep this little one quiet. The moment she is up neither of us rests, all keep one thing or the other to keep her quiet. Those initial days were really sleepless, but today we all know her much better. Our life totally leaped from a comfort phase to continuous phase of running. No time to sleep, sit, or organize anything. Everything became haphazard, but still we loved it only to see our angel smile.

We named her 'Ahelia' meaning breath. Indeed she is our breath. Every moment we now spend is all for her. How Ahelia speaks?, How she walks? We live only to see her smile and grow. Today, when I stand and look back I feel the decision to leave the corporate sector and enter into family world was just right. If I would have not left there, I would have failed to enjoy this segment of my family life which is totally different from what I had lived till that time. So today I admire and respect the idiom which says,'Losing to gain back is better than just wishing to gain and lose all.' Yes, I lost my self and my identity what I earned over years and months of hard labor but the motherhood, and family I built on the foundation of love that demands sacrifice is much worthier than any other thing.

And today when I see Santhosh with his little champ enjoying and cuddling and smiling, it makes me feel accomplished and complete. There is no more happiness for me now other than seeing my family smiling.

Today I realize every phase of life has its own charm and the one who rightly switches over victors and enjoys all.