AT THE FEET OF THE MOTHER
Ask Alok da

Dear Alok Da, foremostly, Thank you for the platform. I have a question or may be an observation. Men (or boys) hold a soft corner for women who are Pretty and are (or act) naive and submissive (whereas at times they are manipulative and drawing undue benefits of men in their awe). But there is a visible difference in their behaviour and they act rudely and insensitively with women who are not so pretty, but bold and assertive. They have a presumed idea of her being a spoilt feminism brat and deserves to be dealt with roughly. Also they offer help to pretty women from their side with pleasure but choose to deny help even if the other kind of women ask them for help, taking it to be an unnecessary weight on them. Is it so important to be pretty and act gently (by dropping off boldness) just to win the collaboration of the counterpart especially at workplace😳?

There is possibly a truth in your observation except that it should not be generalised. If we look carefully it is not so much the look or physical appearances but a kind of charm that some women as well as men carry around them which acts as a trigger to draw attention. This ‘charm’ is a mix of the vital as well as certain psychological qualities that gets communicated both through the appearances as a kind of subtle radiation as well as through voice and certain gestures, haav bhaav. However this kind of attraction doesn’t last, especially if it is purely vital in nature and not accompanied by psychological qualities that make a person truly beautiful. In fact a combination of outer beauty with inner very rare because quite often those who are apparently outwardly good looking tend to be puffed up with vanity and attention seekers. On the other hand those who lack it as if in a way to adapt develop beautiful inner qualities that are much more needed for a relationship to endure. So you see there is a recompense for everything. While looks may seem like an imitial advantage they do not work in the long run. Appearances change and generally there is a slow decline with age. Psychological qualities, on the other hand, grow and become even better and more refined with the passing years. This is true of both men and women. Unfortunately, some men and women turn the initial disadvantage of looks into a scar and become full of grudge and frustration which makes things worse since much more than outer appearances, it is the quality and capacity to be pleasant in speech, refined in thought and action, cheerfulness and a capacity to face life with wisdom and strength, above all a heart of love and tender care that matters much more. While appearances are genetics, the psychological qualities are in our hands to develop and become a complete man or a woman. 

Affectionately,

Alok Da

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