Drip drip drip... month on month, the menstrual clock keeps ticking in, Tick tick tick... It's a journey of 30+ years and I stand enlightened!
Across the universe, if you put together our experiences during this time, it will be in galore! Right from the age it started, the flow, zilch to excruciating pain, when the clock stops to tick, and the aftermath : each one her own!
Here is my bloody journey that enriched me in its unique way.
Blame it on when I timed my birth (yeh! I had all the option to time it!), back then, 'period' was the biggest taboo. 'Period' sets in, its a different kind of nightmare and if it doesn't then its completely another kind of nightmare... So, its been a journey of discovery through each experience, with none to even talk / share other than the likes of our own.
It did catch me unaware... From the minute the first drops of blood trickled out and through Day 1 it's always been a hell-of-an experience. I used to shudder as I recognized that 'moment', its onset. The countless roller-coaster moments, the un-explainable piercing pain, along with the societal Dos and Don'ts - O Gal! As a top up, you got to hear stuff like 'how can you time to have your periods on a friday morning!?!' - o yeah, if only I could control it (along with the tongues that wagged and the minds that set these rules to make it an entirely uneasy period of your life).
Confined to a corner of a room (or on the stairs because someone is performing pooja) with everything you touched / given to you piled up in the corner of that corner, and worst-of-worst was the endless walk around the back-side of the house to attend to the nature calls / or any other such necessity - so you better learn to control your urges, u c... else walk around the house! With change of times, as we moved to a flat, the difference was you didn't need to walk around the house -phew, a savior indeed!
I still remember some horrendous experiences, one in school when I nearly fainted and had to be cycled home by my friend; another had to stand in chemistry lab for 5+ hours; to another when I had to stand through and help students during their computer lab sessions, and so on and so forth...
Not to forget those Mood Swings... Its like bundles of negative energy trying to find its way out along with the blood and the heat!
And adding a flavor to all these experiences were the doctor visits... bottles of tonic because you are anemic and the all time favorite solution was 'once you have a kid, this pain will be gone' - ya right, at that age if only I could have had a kid and got ridden of this hellish pain!
One gynec gave me a medicine that only ended up adding flab and my aunt nudged me to stop having it. From her experience, only thing that could remotely help is to keep your body cool - have a fistful of feenugreek seeds and butter milk. I walked that way for some years...
Been the same story every since... As years passed by, probably the pain was tired of being with me and now its a rare visitor.
Living through this month-on-month, year-on-year, I discovered a lot... Some of the biggest learning for me has been:
- Embrace pain, especially when its unavoidable. Enduring such pain prepares you both physically and more so mentally to FACE life and the unexpected Pain that it pushes our way.
- Certain things are a Given in life, Accept it and move on... Don't keep fighting it.
- It helped me find my strength from within... My mood swings irritated me to the core as it was a viral. So, I started to find ways to control it, as this is within your control (most of the times). Distract yourself, is the key!
- Stop listening and adhering to societal norms that makes no sense or logic : In this case, don't enter the house, lighting diya is a no-no, visiting temple is a blunder... Ask yourself, do you really feel so? Some strongly believe in this due to years of conditioning, some learn to unlearn (like I did) but whatever be it, let it be Your Choice and not something pushed down your throat.
- Accept yourself the way you are... what is given by nature is for a certain reason and probably the best suited for you... This pain also in a certain way prepares you for your motherhood etc.
- Stretch yourself through this pain and explore your full potential. For the last two months, I stepped away from my belief that I should not exercise during the periods! I make it a point to walk / exercise at least 30 mts and believe me am able to do so... Yes, times your body would signal you to rest, which you must listen to... but don't allow the conditioned mind to restrict you from exploring possibilities in life.
Probably, I could have started these way back and I might have a had a better hang of my pain... but better late than never. Same is the case with life, so far, you may have traveled a certain path, a certain way...but if ever you feel from within the urge to change, to try a new path / way, embrace what comes your way, push yourself through it and you will most definitely be rewarded - either with results or life-time lessons.
As I stand enlightened by the flow of blood from within, a hygienic soul, I hope and believe that this share will make some difference to at least a few out there! even if not, at least am revived and I continue my journey....