Shaadi Mubarak 8

Silhouette or a pregnant woman and her partner. The woman is in advanced pregnancy at about 39 wks gestation. The flickr photographer reports that this is an edited image. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our fascination to be  productive!

Like always, I was chatting with a friend of mine, woes of a single girl. My friend has just quit her job, and is staying at home, focusing on self, going to gym classes, meeting friend and taking some time off to think, about the meaning of life, what she wants to do with it, how she wants to live it.

I am currently in San Francisco, living it- atleast that is what the world thinks, and I like it that ways. I have a job, my own place, friends and my share of classes- from yoga, meditation to swimming, calligraphy. Everything that i need to explore and find myself.

As I was speaking to Fora, cribbing about pressures of life, how i was not feeling my full potential was being used, Fora drew a comparison and said, " my dear, atleast you are working and being productive, i am not doing that too"

This struck me! The need to be productive.

Why is it hard for people to take time out of their own lives, to live it. When they do this, there has to be another reason like (a) retirement (b) life changing situation. What is our fascination to be productive. Why can't we just say happily, we are doing nothing. Why is exploring life, at its pace, not a big enough and respectable job.

The concept of productivity, raised another interesting thought- the easiest way to be productive for a woman is to be 'literally' productive- i.e, bear children. Apologies, this is sounding crass, and derogatory, but  for a minute, think about it, there are women in the world, who are just children making machines. Think of people like Kate Gosselin, of Kate plus Eight. Producing eight kids! This woman, did become a kid popping machine.

I wonder, how many women actually become mothers, because they want to get that feeling of motherhood and love and care. What is this feeling of motherhood? Is this a feeling, where you feel good/ bad/ responsible, for someone, you actually feel needed, as there is someone, out there who is totally dependent on you. A feeling of self validation, that I am actually worth something to someone.

Like an architect said- every brick wants to be something.

Every individual wants to be needed. wants to be productive, and as much as we like the esoteric concepts of motherhood, feelings of love and care, they key driver can be traced to a need of every individual to be something.