Shakti // noun // the female principle of divine energy, especially when personified as the supreme deity.
Or what I simply like to call female energy. I always catch myself studying the Nepali women every day. The way they compose themselves, the strength in which they exude, and the playfulness they find in every situation. Twice a day I am squeezed in tight spaces in my favorite magic bus, that happens to resemble a giant, rolling pickle. I come more in contact with complete strangers than my closest friends (s/o to Moki!). If I am lucky I am jammed right in the middle of a gaggle of didi’s (older sisters). No matter the age they all find humor in the uncomfortable bus and always keep an eye out for fellow didi’s and bahini’s (younger sister’s) because here, everyone is truly pariwaar (family). In other foreign countries I would keep a tight grasp on my backpack, but here they swoop up your load and hold on tight to allow you to better yourself from flying across the long aisle. At home, my aamaa considers everything. She wipes down each dish with a fresh napkin to further my chances of contracting some horrible illness. She walks me down the four flights of stairs to ensure I depart with well wishes and luck for the day. She installs new batteries for the lamp in my room so I can read my many books during the nightly power outages. Shopkeepers that sell me fruit in the morning ensure I get the ripest bananas and never overprice anything. The more I observe the more I come to realize that everyone here is looking out for everyone else. Above all, I have come to admire the bountiful energy each Nepali woman has. As my close friends and family know, I often have a paucity of energy and have trouble sustaining it . In Nepal, I strive to imitate my fellow Nepali sisters and with the rhythm of the day, it surprisingly isn’t hard. From rising to collapsing back in bed, each day is a whirlwind of experiences. I am honored to learn and shape myself after the Nepali women and happily, I find myself starting to change for the better. -Hira
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NepalHi, I'm Helen. Welcome to Lifted ~ I write to lift myself up. Archives
December 2015
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