Becoming

I just finished the book ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama. This time not reading it but hearing it. More about book reading or book listening in some other blog. But today I am just going to talk about the book.

It is a wonderful book. Michelle Obama talks about everything right from her childhood to now. She talks about her parents, the values they imparted, her school and college life, her job as a lawyer, her married life, her role in Barack Obama’s election campaign, her tenure as the First Lady… everything.

There are some points or some of her views that resonated with me more.

One of the important phases of life that she has spoken about is becoming a mother, being a mother and most importantly being a working mother.

She talks about how her mentors, her friends, colleagues and herself were doing the balancing act of being a working professional and a full time mother. (Being a mother cannot be a part time job). While Michelle Obama talks about it she puts forth a very simple yet powerful point. She says - Don't be guilty for being a professional while you are a mother and don't be guilty for being a mother while you are professional. (Obviously, she writes in a better fashion, I am just presenting the point in my own words).

We all - the working mothers community - are made to feel this guilt at some point of time. When we take the help of a daycare facility or a nanny to take care of our children while we continue to be a professional, our role of being a mother is questioned. Or when we deny a particular assignment at work because it clashes with our child’s schedule our role as a professional is doubted. And this dampens our spirit. It discourages us from being a professional when we become a mother. Becoming a mother is the most beautiful, most blessed experience but that does not come with a prerequisite that you can't pursue your dreams, goals or even your hobbies. I personally feel that you have to be happy inside to create a happy and joyful environment for your child. Yes, a baby does need a mother but then we can balance both - being a mother and a professional. And that is exactly what Michelle Obama wants to tell all the women out there.

Another important viewpoint that she has spoken about is being yourself. She talks about this when she is describing her role of becoming the First Lady. She describes how people expected her to do the role of First Lady in a certain way. But she says that she was very clear about one thing… she was not going to be anyone else but herself. And this so amazing. I personally found myself changing or altering myself just so that people accept me. And I struggled when I was doing so. Just to make people happy, I was not being myself, I was not happy. But eventually I was tired, tired of being someone I was not. Today I am happy and at peace. So just be yourself - you are great just being that. No one else can be you so you do your role of being yourself to the best.

So by now you must have figured out that I am quite impressed with the book. The writing, the way the book flows… everything. I would definitely recommend this book to one and all. Read it or listen to it but do go through the book.