Waiting for Godot
My interpretation of the play “Waiting for Godot” is like this. Many keep waiting for the perfect time and environment that will facilitate them to take the next step forward. While all energy is directed towards waiting for Godot, we become too tired to take stock of our present and identify our strengths and opportunities.
A friend of mine got married very early, became a mother and also lost her husband in a short span. She was offered employment (based on her qualification) on compassionate grounds. She kept waiting for Godot ….. a conducive environment at home and someone who will take care of the little child if she goes to work. Godot never arrived. And that was her excuse for remaining unemployed. Her husband’s pension gave her the financial security and she convinced herself that she doesn’t need to work. What she did not realise was that by not working, she lost out on passing critical skills and knowledge to the growing child.
Another friend who was working in a college never found the perfect time to work on her PhD. It was always…let my son complete his board exams. By the time son completed his boards, PhD became a tough option. Had she put in effort to work on it when the son was in school, she would have sent a message to her son about the importance of hard work and stretching oneself.
Another young mother was unable to go back to work because her family said it was her duty to raise children. She too was convinced that she would be the perfect mother. So she gave up her job, focused on cooking meals, driving kids to school and extra curricular activities, tutoring them at home and further on started breathing down their neck and insisting on high academic scores. The children did not give her the respect she deserved because they saw her as a maid and driver. She is yet to come out of her toxic comfort zone and create an identity for herself. She is also waiting for Godot.
Did my friends never experience that deep desire for having one’s own identity and the financial independence? Or were they trapped in some pseudo safety thoughts? Or did not believe enough in their capability to take up challenges? Or allowed external validation to control them? Or lacked the vision to see their own future? Or never learnt how to delegate or create a support system? Or failed to recognize that they are no longer that bright and intelligent girl who had meaningful intellectual conversations?
To all those young ladies, let me assure you that Godot will never come. You have to be the Godot that you are waiting for. You have the power to move out of your comfort zone. No woman had it easy. Arundhati Bhattacharyya, who joined the State Bank of India, got married and had a child who had learning disability. To top it, there were transfers which disrupted family life. Never for a moment did she consider quitting and ended up being the first woman to be the Chairperson of State Bank of India. Indra Nooyi did balancing, juggling and compromising while managing relationships and responsibilities. She too wrestled with the conflicts of a working mother, but ended being the CEO of PepsiCo.
It calls for creative solutions and you will find your own only when the desire to progress is very very strong. No husband will lay out the red carpet for you to move on the path to progress. However when they see your determination, they will definitely team with you.