Youth returns in 60's!!!

Dear Ladies,

60 is the age where you retire from all the responsibilities of your life.

But for controversial and media fame writer Shoba De, the life starts only from 60.

Yes! the writer Shoba De celebrated her 60th B'day very recently. Amongst the women who feel shy of disclosing the age, this writer feels proud and happy for announcing her age.

She says

"Age is like a cage for women. This world is very glamourous. Women who touches 60 loose their fame and existence. But you need to see women who shine in various fields including Politics.....Hillary Clinton, Sonia Gandhi (and my own addition Jayalalitha - not Shoba De's).

I wrote an essay on "Attaining 60" in a famous magazine. The feedbacks and the hounour I received was hilarious. Many women wrote to me that earlier they all felt that they were shrunk even at the age of 40, but this write up had opened their eyes.

My school senior who is 3 years elder to me, said that she would join the Gym the very next day. That she would wear dresses of her choice. That she would not sit at home as a grandmother but would do lot of things that would make her happy. "

Shoba says she feels very happy for this and after celebrating her 60th B'day, she had listed out her plans.

She says -

"I feel a great change in myself in 60 which I did not experience till my 59th. I may feel like learning "Salsa" dance. I may learn Cinema. I may go to Harvard and learn "Communications". So I told my family that I may do whatever I have listed and told them not to get shocked.

May be at the age of 30 I did not have much opportunities to do all these. I had kids to take care of and my economic condition was not that good. But now my children are grown up and they are prepared to stand on their own legs. Now I have lot of strength to perform what I think and feel. So I do."

Though Shoba has many faces like a writer, journalist and small screen fame - she likes the responsibilities of being a "Mother".

She says - "The relation with the children is everlasting and never ends with just cutting of the placenta. The responsibilities of a mother changes as they grow. This relation gives them a confidence that we are there for them at all times."

Shobha has two daughters - Avanthika and Arundhathi.

You may feel that women who speak about women's liberation would have had lot of restrictions like male chauvinism. But Shoba's husband and father are not of that kind.She says proudly - "My father not only made me happy with his kind words, he gave his shoulders for my growth. Even my husband and daughters are like that.

Now my next book would be on "India". This book is very dear to me as it would speak about my country. After India got independence, during these 60 years many books have been published. How is my book going to be different? I am also of same 60. I write on India from a woman point of view. I am not just going to fill up the book with only statistics. I am going to write about the other side, the affection and feelings that I have for India."

It is really a surprise when Shoba's books do not create controversies. She writes "Imaginary Stories" a lot. Mostly her stories are compared to her real life by readers and people.

She says -"When you write these kind of stories, you may create a character according to your own imagination. The imagination has no barriers. It is not necessary that we have met those characters in real life and may even write which is not possible in real life. It is a facility to we writers. But people and readers think that those characters and incidents are related to our (writer's) real life."

"For example - Kushwant Singh a male writer, writes a lot of crime stories. Can we question him like how many murders he had done to write crime stories? So, I never bother about the controversies that arise out of my writing." says cooly.

Her other plans are - Small Screen events, Fashion designing, acting and goes on.....

Its a truth, that she is going to have a great life after 60.

What about you all?

 

Dear Bhooma,

I really overwhelmed seeing your spirit.

As said by you, those "finished" women got inspired by Shoba's writing and have taken new decisions. And I have put up this thread only for those "finished" women.

Ilites who have crossed 60 and nearing 60 please come out with your endeavour(s).

 

hi sriniketan,

understood yaar. you are doing the same thing what i did for you. ok, ok, let us wait together to hear from other ilites.

 

hi SS,

thanks for the reply. thought provoking topics......i have started few games threads too.

we are sailing in the same boat regarding the age.

thanks for sharing info on your parents. is your mother too member of IL? if so, she can write here. if not, she can become one. (just felt like saying, not trying to take liberty)

....and we ilites would exhibit the showcase in IL, may be to the world.

you have given a beautiful reply. thanks a lot.