Today is International women’s day and I wanted to use my time to talk about my hero. Or my shero. (she-ro? s-hero?)
To find the women who have significance around you, you often don’t have to look too far. And indeed that is so in my case. I am proud to say, that she is my wife.
I have spent the better part of my life with her and actually, I don’t remember much of my life without her. It is a classic story of yin and yang. She is my glass half full when I was half empty and my glass half empty when I was full. She is my eternal pessimist to counterbalance my optimism and a grounded doer to my daydreams and fantasies.
In the first part of our life, she had to spend a lot of her time bringing up our kids, especially with a lazy husband like me playing the patriarchy game, I am sure I did not pick up an equal load in that child-rearing game. Though in my defense, I spent a better part of my lifetime dragging her from India through various cities including Singapore, New York, San Francisco, and Fredericton before we found our footing in Toronto.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8540ec1e-0c02-4d0f-af1c-0c5f36963cbc_3264x2448.jpeg)
Canada was good to her and with the kids growing up, it helped her blossom in her professional career. In recent times, as I have been fighting some physical and mental pandemics of my own, she has stepped up to take a leadership role at home balancing her growth at work and the needs of her family.
I know dearest, I have not been an easy one to live with - as even I knowing me, would not marry someone like me, so I have lucked out this lifetime that indeed you did and that I found you.
So, I just wanted to take the time today to say “Thank you” to my lady. And without any doubt celebrate you on international women’s day. You are indeed my hero.