Being Woman

I've been working hard so long
seems like pay has been my only friend
my fragile heart's been done so wrong
I wonder if I'd ever heal again..

Being a girl has been an obstacle for me sometimes, yes; but never, a regret. Living in a society where politeness and chauvinism are just millimeters apart, I have, fortunately, always been surrounded by people who respect my views and help me feel proud of being a woman. Today, when the New Year is just days away, I wonder if I would ever manage to be seen as a person, and not just a woman.
One of my friends told me not to dream too big, because according to her, the bigger the dream, the more it will hurt me when it shatters. She too, I guess, is against my dream of being seen as a human being with feelings and ambitions, and not just a woman.
Someone told me I could not get a sports bike, because, I would never stand its weight and anyway, who has ever seen a girl ride a sports bike in a society like mine? As the part of a people who don't let you dream, how can one expect to accomplish them?
But, I am a believer in miracles, and I believe that prayers do get heard. I have always got what I wanted, and I know I will make my dream come true. Maybe I won’t get to ride a sports bike, but I will make sure my daughter will. Maybe I won’t get to work at the post I deserve, but I will make sure I make my mark there and show the world how unstoppable determination can be. Maybe I won’t find the courage to face the whole world, but I sure will muster up the courage to speak out against chauvinism anywhere near me. Maybe I won’t live my life seen as a person and not just a woman; I will make sure women after me are.
I pray Allah gives strength to women, and their families, to face the societies they live in. lets pray for courage, for not only women, but for their families too. Let’s hope, that one day, just as we got the right to vote, to get admitted to colleges and universities, and to become administrators, we also get the right to be ourselves.
I feel I can change many lives, if I change my own first. It takes one person to step out in order to start a revolution; and this will be a revolution for the rights of half the world's population.

I will break these chains that bind me,
happiness will find me
leave the past behind me,
today my life begins!
A whole new world is waiting
it's mine for the taking
I know I can make it, today my life begins.

Wish you the courage to stand up and face the crowd, and the strength to be yourself... :)
Happy New Year. :)

Huda Jilani: A Biography

Huda Jilani is an aspiring short story writer n poetess, who plans to become a successful businesswoman after completing university. She also has hopes of becoming a documentary journalist, as she has been taking an active part in speaking and debating competitions, and has a flair for photography.
Huda's first stage appearance for a speech was while she was still in Montessori. She believes that had it not been for the encouragement of her teachers and parents, it might have been her last. She went on to compete in speech and debate competitions at the primary level, and beat many high school students at it. Her friendship with the pen also flourished in those years, as she went on to recite her poems to the audience at her school functions. Her teachers encouraged her to write, and this gave her the courage to write everything that came into her mind, however controversial it may be. Although Huda considers that all her teachers had a big hand in making her comfortable with writing, she believes her English teachers Ms. Meher, Ms. Samina Naz, and Mr. Maharvi helped her have full faith in herself.
Huda took part in her first 'proper' speech competition at the age of 7. The oldest competitors were up to 16 years of age. By bagging the first prize in her first speech in a competition, Huda got the encouragement to get her name enrolled in every competition that went her way. She participated in many inter-school speech and debate competitions, getting mostly first and sometimes the second place in all of them. She did her first ever Urdu debate too at the age of 12, and got herself a first place and special encouragement from the judges.
In the same session, the Principal at her school, Sir Col. Najam Hameed, saw the aggressive speaker in her and encouraged here to face her seniors in a competition that had students as old as 18 years, which she did. Having been taking part in all the possible speeches and tableaux, stage fright was not an issue with her. Once she entered her teens, Huda was taken by an interest in writing poems along with prose. Meanwhile, she contributed to a Romanian project about school life in different parts of the world, by representing Pakistan.
She started participating in essay writing competitions as she reached high school, and was frequently awarded as the school's best English essay writer. She frequently compared her school function. She later wrote a movie review and articles that got published in the DAWN Newspaper. Huda also got the privilege of making the farewell speech on behalf of her year at her school's farewell function.
While in college, she participated in the Chief Minister's Essay Writing competitions and got 50,000 as prize money for standing first and second at District and Divisional levels respectively. Some time after that, her writings got published in a Romanian magazine.
Apart from writing and speaking, Huda has a flair for reading too. She has read classics by Charlotte Bronte, Agatha Christie, Emily Bronte, Mary Shelley, Somerset Maugham, Mark Twain, J. M. Barrie, and the like. Her favorite poets include Byron and Emily Dickinson.
Huda is crazy about music. Any Michael Jackson number can make her stop in her tracks and start listening. Contrary to her 'apparently' serious side, Huda loves bhangra, and is the life of the crowd at concerts and college gatherings. She believes in freedom of speech, and is often seen voicing her opinions wherever she sees injustice.
Huda believes that everything is fine as long as its not against your religion, law or the feelings of the people around you. She spends a lot of her time making jokes and caricatures, and believes everything is possible if you just believe.
Huda hopes to become a high achiever in writing and speaking and wants to become a documentary journalist to advocate the cause of the suppressed. All she needs is more encouragement and prayers. :)