Learning to live

Sudha ,a Gujrati lady worked in the library of a reputed school in Kolkata.The librarian , a friend of mine narrated her life story to me. Belonging to a poor family Sudha was married off to a widower with children from his first marriage. She married him on the condition that she would not have her own children. She got a husband , a home , so called security in lieu of love and happiness. In other words she was hired as a housekeeper. Sudha’s step -children grew up and left home .They had hardly any respect for her. Meanwhile she discovered that her husband was in a relationship with another woman for years. The only saving grace for her was this job . For years Sudha suffered silently , honouring her part of the marriage contract. Her friends and colleagues in her workplace were sympathetic. They kept on advising her to stand up against this exploitation.
Sudha did finally find courage .She found a job in a Dubai based international residential school. Sudha has taken her life in her own hands and learnt to live for herself at last.