As I wait for Mr Bhaskar to return, my mind drifts back to a certain conversation, I had with a friend yesterday. It made me realise something-I thought I should keep here, as a reminder. That’s the purpose of maintaining this blog, to be able to go back and check out learnings and remind myself, where I was and where I need to be.

Last evening, my friend was saying how people are amazed that we travel alone and I said, well, ‘any woman who works these days travels!’. My 66 year old aunt, who was associated with an NGO , (where they take care of thalassemic patients) travels all over the world by herself, for conferences, where she presents papers. I think recently that she has taken up the role of a top administrator at a hospital has her travelling reduced. I was teaching a female student who went to Ladakh on a bike. I can’t do that.

Some people do feel amazed that I travel alone but I choose not to pay attention to those people because I know that there are more than enough women in this world, who are more than I will ever be. Have you realised how, smart, cool, intelligent, hard working or just plain crazy you think you are depends on who you compare yourself to? Honestly, my trip was that I used to think I am nuttiest person in the room ( barring when my mum was in it) to only realise that people are just better at hiding their madness, that’s all. I just might be slightly more open about it.

This is a reminder, which I mostly follow but incase I forget. If you are the coolest or smartest (whatever your trip is) person in the room, you are definitely in the wrong room. When people tell me I am so brave, I am always amazed. When I was little, I was taught by Sheel aunty, who had polio. She was really brave because she would get up every morning and try to be the best she could under those circumstances. One has met women who have lost their kids, been shot, raped, are acid attack victims, all kinds of very brave women from all walks of life. After doing that, I can assess myself relatively, well. But our love or respect for one’s self can’t come from comparing our IQ, EQ or our cool quotient. It has to come from knowing, one tries everyday to be better.