By Pinaly Patel
Preparing myself to enter a womb-
A journey of 9 months.
Preparing myself for cutting the umbilical cord-
A journey of crucial few minutes.
Preparing myself for stepping out of the house-
A journey of rhymes and poems.
Preparing myself for the sweetest 14 years of exile-
A journey of punishments, nicknames, kati and bati.
Preparing myself for the unforgettable triennial term-
A journey of crushes, heartbreaks, and mass bunks.
Preparing myself for the resilient choice-
A journey of career or family.
Preparing myself for choosing the only man of life-
A journey of being a light of two families.
Preparing myself for the seven auspicious nuptials-
A journey of love, compromise, understanding,
And becoming we from me.
Preparing myself for the abuses to be heard-
A journey to be recognised as "own" from a stranger.
Preparing myself for the unbearable to bear-
A journey of bringing a new life to the world.
Preparing myself for the biggest sacrifices of life-
A journey of being a mom from a working woman.
Preparing myself for being the roots of the family-
A journey of becoming a grandparent.
Preparing myself to look at the mirror and smile-
A journey of shivering hands and seeking acceptance
From my own children.
Preparing myself for the final departure-
A journey of melting back into the five elements.
Preparing myself for the Eternal Quest-
For MYSELF...