“To bathe is a luxury”, murmuring she rushed out of the bathroom, worried in her heart about the baby whom she had left unattended to grasp the ten minutes of placidity; a much wanted reward that needs a lot of patience and hard work.

She softly tiptoed towards the crib. Her wet hair still wrapped tightly in a towel; her effort at not letting even a drop to escape. Looking at the baby sleeping peacefully is one of the most wonderful experiences for moms. With a sigh of relief she bent to kiss the baby when a hasty drop made its way from from her wet hair, falling on the baby’s cheeks.
Almost quickly, realising what could have happened, she briskly stepped aside. The baby opened her eyes. “Oh no, not now.'’ Her heart pounding at the thought of what could happen next. She could not afford to loose her much desired serendipity. With her entire force she jumped back at the baby and patted her back until she was deep asleep again.

She turned to the computer almost at a lightning speed and turned it on to catch up with her friends and ex colleagues; her connection with a world that she chose to leave for the baby. Her heart fills with remorse to have left her career for a happy family and children. Her children who deserved her. It was a difficult decision; to choose family over career. The feeling of getting back to work overpowered her each time she would switch on the TV watching her juniors in the limelight that could have been for her.

Her schedule has been as busy as ever. Brain storming sessions still remained the same. The difference however was quiet dominant. Instead of busy newsroom, it was now the house. Researching ideas for news and feature stories had been substitued by changing nappies and a daily long session on the internet for the baby’s health.

She did it all with a feeling in her heart, a feeling of doing nothing. She grieved for her career and struggled to find value in things that dont lead to earning money or an yearly appraisal. “Nice execution of changing the diapers”, I might write in my self imposed career analysis.

It sounds so familiar doesnt it! Leaving your career just at the time when things were straightening out for the joy of being with the family which was choosen to be ignored till excellence in career was achieved. Then just leaving it so that she could concentrate on her new family and later on feelign so lost and aching to go to the professional heights again and not being able to decide which way to choose. For any young mother, who gave up her career for family and kids, this may sound pretty familiar. But why this guilt then? This sense and feeling that nobody appreciates the sacrifice. It is as difficult for a woman to be sitting home without a job just as a man. The difference however is that the woman here manages the house, a very important career indeed which is given little or no appreciation by self and those around.

Why is that a woman feels so underappreciated for the wonderful job of managing a household? Is this what a woman aspires for? Do they really need a professional purpose and satisfaction?

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