104 December 2013 www.womanthismonth.com The day I failed a driving test, I gave in to my paranoia about speeding cars on gigantic highways; thus started my frustrating tryst with scarce transport options in Bahrain. But walking into the cruelty of one scorching August afternoon, I’d had enough. It was high time I took the bull by the horns (or should I say the car by the wheel). After my fair share of tribulation in the driver’s seat, I added a shiny new driving licence to my wallet’s copious collection of various gaming zone cards. This self-reliance gave me a breath of fresh air. No endless waits for trips to and from the school, salon or supermarket. Hurray! Society regards women who earn their own money as independent. True, she who buys herself diamonds is queen of her castle. At least that’s what Beyoncé seemed to croon about in her song Independent Women. But what about the one who consciously gives up her career to care for her young? It’s not always about the money, honey. Independence has different connotations. Independence is an attitude. It is in your belief and in your gait. It is in measuring your own self-worth, when you don’t need to be constantly reassured that you are pretty, smart and important. A woman living life on her own terms, making the best of what she’s got, accepting the outcomes of the well-informed choices that she makes is truly independent. Not bound by her own or others’ inhibitions, she is brave enough to forge her own path and take responsibility for her own actions. Independence is also in knowledge. Keeping abreast of social, economic and political issues empowers you to hold your own opinion, not influenced by your peers or the know-all around you. Your unique experiences, good and otherwise, let you have your own take on life. Yes, I still say a little prayer as I turn on the ignition and grind my molars whilst changing lanes amidst whizzing cars, but I’ve made it alive thus far. I’m independent. she says Are You Independent? by Behnaz Sanjana Ask yourself today if you are truly free from the shackles of your own mind.
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