Price of Self- Actualization

This story is written, participating in the Storytellers Bloghop season 4 on the theme "Whispers of Womanhood: Fictional echoes of feminine stories" 

The reporter from “The Times” took leave and left Radhika’s flat. It was obvious whole through the interview,that the girl was in awe of Radhika- a lady who had lived life on her terms, pursued a corporate career of her choice, gave up husband when he appeared to be a stumbling block to achieving her level of ‘Self-actualization’. She had given up old friends who she felt were stuck in a time warp to find new ones. Naturally, the twenty something reporter was impressed. Radhika was just the person many would love to have as a role model.

After the girl had left, Radhika slumped into her favourite couch. A number of faces appeared before her in lightning speed and disappeared as instantly. There was her former husband, Ajay. He was speaking with a lot of emotion “If you had no intention to become a mother why did you marry? At least, you could have told me before hand your priorities before we married!”

“Ajay, ours was a love marriage. You loved me for myself and surely that was the only thing that mattered when we married. Now you are coming up with issues that infringe on my freedom. I also did not know my potential as a financial expert until much later. My career is cruising and I have a bright future in my company. it would be foolhardy to get tied up with motherhood at this time”

This was one of the many arguments Radhika had with Ajay. He was not happy with her frequent travels. When Ajay was transferred to another location over 2000 Kms away, her commitments at work did not allow her to move with him .

Another face that came up before her was that of her father Deepak who had always been supportive of their only child but was seemingly prudent when it came to counsel during important or crucial decisions. “Beti, you can’t have a family life operating from different cities;better you move to Delhi with Ajay and secure a good job in the capital” he had advised. But Radhika was not convinced. She was at a higher position in the corporate ladder and was earning a lot more than Ajay. “Why couldn’t he look for a job in Bangalore instead ?” she had argued.

However, it was her mother Subhadra who stood by her no matter what. “ I was the brightest kid in our family. Only because I was a girl, my parents did not support me for pursuing a career of my choice or realizing my full potential.” She had said. “Your father also did not encourage me beyond a point. You go ahead girl and do what you think is best for you. The sky is the limit for an intelligent and talented girl like you!”

So with the moral support of her mother and listening to her gut feeling, she embarked on the mission to "Be the best she can be". Radhika focused on her career. She agreed to Ajay’s request for divorce by mutual consent and was able to devote full time to her job. The results were for all to see. She saw a meteoric rise in career and became the Director of Finance at the age of 35. Highly acclaimed in professional circles, she was invited to many conferences and meets as the key note speaker or panelist.

In the meanwhile, both her parents had transitioned to the other world. Radhika lives alone with her pet Sonu and a devoted maid Ganga who takes care of the house and looks after the dog, taking him out for a walk in her absence. Ganga is happy most of the time. But sometimes she complains indirectly about being alone in the house for long hours with no one to talk to. "Didi, Sonu also misses you. These days, you are not taking him out for walks even during the weekend." Radhika would make amends for a while but would return to the fast pace of life, sooner than later.

Some would say that Radhika had paid a price for her freedom and huge success both in terms of personal and social life. Her close friends though marvel at her boldness and decisiveness. It is the natural law of life that “We win some and lose some”. Those who claim to "have it all" are pretenders or liars. “You cannot have an omelet without breaking an egg”, her best friend pointed out often and Radhika felt reassured.

Today at 45 years of age , there are times when Radhika asks herself the question, like when the reporter girl had just left home “ In my life journey so far, the price of a little compromise was worth paying for the big achievements, wasn’t it?”

Sometimes an emphatic ‘Yes’ came from inside of her. At other times, like on a lonely evening, she was not so sure.

NB: According to Abraham Maslow, American psychologist, self-actualization represents the highest level of psychological development, where individuals strive to realize their full potential, pursue personal growth, and achieve self-fulfillment.

⭐This story is a part of #Storytellersbloghop season 4, hosted by https://auraofthoughts.com/  and  https://mywordsmywisdom.com/