by Meena Menezes

Created on: February 27, 2009   Last Updated: February 28, 2009

Thy name is woman...

Two days. Two days of total bliss...that's what I was fortunate to experience on a recent weekend getaway.

Reminiscing about it now, I think I speak for a majority of women when I say that we do the daily chores more out of compulsion.

We never asked for the responsibility, it was just dumped upon us, from generations, without so much as a 'do you mind?' No, we were just given the broom and expected to get on with it!

While it might have seemed acceptable, centuries ago, that the woman stayed home and the men went out to hunt, how much have things really changed? I mean seriously, men still go out and earn to support the family, but now, so do the women, while managing the home front too! And we are expected to do a fine job of both too!

What really frustrate me are those commercials that show a smiling woman, whipping up a meal in a jiffy after a long work day or humming while elbow deep in soap suds washing dishes.

Trust me, it is not fun. We don't enjoy it. The lady in the commercial is being paid to show she is happy. Maybe if I was paid for all the dishes I have to wash I'd be happy too. Better still, I would be able to afford have someone do it for me.

Those commercials are so unreal and definitely the figment of a man's warped imagination.

Maybe if men had to come home to what I consider a second shift of duty and be able to smile through the process of making dinner, cleaning up and other chores, they would understand what we have to go through and give us the appreciation we truly deserve.

That is why, an ideal holiday for many women is when we don't have to deal with a sink of dirty dishes, unmade beds, cleaning and cooking.

Of course there is more to our wish-lists than that, such as holidays in exotic locations, spa treatments, shopping without having to look at price tags and the opportunity to simply laze around and do nothing.

However, until I can afford those luxuries, I am quite happy to settle for a short holiday where I don't have to deal with mundane chores.

Oh the joy of being served a hot meal at a restaurant, eating it undisturbed and not having to clear or wash up afterwards. What bliss it is, to be able to sleep in and then go down to a ready breakfast.

What can be more pleasing to the eyes, after a long day of sight seeing or simply relaxing by the pool, to come back to your hotel, where the bed has been made up for you, the room spic and span and you just have to get under the covers! Undoubtedly it is our successful multi-tasking skills that give our families, more often than not, those hot meals, clean laundry and a neat and clean home to come to.

For ourselves though, it is a luxury that we are not fortunate to experience as much as we would like to, but when given the opportunity we truly appreciate it.

All said and done though, despite the lack of appreciation we get, I think there is one category of women who truly deserves it the most. It is the full time housewife, one who is over-worked, unpaid and on-call 24/7. Whether they take on the role by choice or otherwise, they really are a class apart. It takes a special kind of woman who can cope with the responsibilities it entails, yet unfortunately, they are so totally under-rated.

Finally, irrespective of whether anyone else appreciates us or not, let us as women stand united in the belief, that over the years we have become a force to reckon with!

Learn more about this author, Meena Menezes.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.