THE OVERSIZED TOP: EPISODE 2

The hem of her dress neatly cut below her knees while theirs carelessly danced on their thighs. Their lips burgundy while hers only managed to have just a little traditional oil, that her grandmother presented to her as a gift, smeared on them. She could trace all the rainbow colours on their sleek hair yet hers was always a push and pull game every dawn. Even if they asked, she would have never been comfortable walking beside them.

The culture shock was more than she had ever expected so she adapted to a life where loneliness was her closest friend.

“Hi June,” someone tapped her as she walked up the staircase.

“Hi,” she replied hastily with question marks dancing all around her.

“Had no idea she knew my name,” she whispered to herself.

As she sat on the usual back bench in the lecture hall, thoughts kept pondering in her mind. ‘Why are they the way they are and why am I what I am?’  Even if the best mediator tried, their lifestyles would never be merged as one. Complete opposites they were.

“My daughter, never forget what I have taught you. I learnt all I know from your great grandmother and passed it to your late mother too. Learn to keep the teachings close to your heart and make us proud.” She recalled grandmother’s words.

That’s when it dawned to her. We are all what we are because we are programmed to be just that. Though from time to time we manage to break through, deviating from what we have been socialized to be is always a hard nut to crack.

They say that at birth, our minds are tabula rasa; empty. We then grow in a society where social norms are outlined for us. After being socialized by the people and everything else around us, we internalize the teachings; they get ingrained in our formerly pure minds and they become part of our daily lives.The society shows us what is right and what is wrong and eventually we adapt to the dictated lifestyle and the adaptation process goes on throughout our lives for things change over time. Blessed and poisoned is what we become. Years later we bring forth a new generation, and the process is recurred

We say the new generation has changed. That we don’t understand the way they speak, walk, sing, dance, think…the list is endless. But then, who/what taught them what they know. Is it the television we let them watch all day? Their friends whom we don’t even know their real names? Is it the people that we bring around? Or is it the parents? They must have learnt it either way, they may tend modify it every now and then but someone or something always gives them an idea. An idea that they build around and come up with something that feels more comfortable to practice.

Maybe they are just a reflection of the older generation. Maybe the older generation was too busy chasing life and cared less for them. Maybe we always outcast them when they go astray instead of lending an ear or a helping hand when they hit the rock. Maybe we should quit judging and complaining about them everyday but rather dedicate our time in every stage of their life.

However the society is not fully to blame for what we eventually evolve to be. Yes it molds us, but on the other hand we are responsible of our lives too. For we are free willed beings, who can choose to hold onto the rights and drop the wrongs.

As June stepped out of the class, she was now sure of one thing. The society is a part of her life and will always be, but she is fully responsible of how her life turns out. She vowed not to be too hasty to judge, for we are all from different societies that grant us different perspectives of approaching life.

Top: Mr price.

Black skirt: Woolworths.

shoe can get almost similar from shoeTree_254.

Photo credits Royal Reel Photography.