WOMAN

I hesitated for a long time writing this one because I don’t want it to be misconstrued as a comment on India’s culture. In fact, this is an issue that, sadly, is far too common in the world in which we live. So please, simply take this as my tribute to one woman.

She is patient while she teaches me my first letter of her mother tongue. Again, and again, she patiently listens to my honest attempts at making such a foreign sound and repeats the correct version for me. She stops her sweeping. She is bent over with age that is probably not nearly as old as the wrinkles on her tired face.
For years she has been beaten by her husband. Still, she remains by his side. His health is poor, broken by a stroke. She attends to him still and is faithful to his needs. In spite of his sickness - and from his bedside - he continues to beat her.