Fitting in

Hello,

I have never blogged before but as they all say - there is no time like the present. The title is indeed correct, I look strange - I was born with a cleft lip, palate and hemifacial microsomia… oh, and I’m a single Indian woman!

I do not intend to bore you all with the mechanics of my birth defects, more to perhaps highlight the difficulties living with such defects in the current narcissistic society, where we fit in and how culture plays a role. In all honesty, I too am looking for answers to the above questions.

I have just returned from a holiday of a lifetime, I have been treated to a designer watch, shoes and perfume… (and anything else I wanted!), but what I would like more than anything in this world is to be happy, or rather accept the way I look.

I am currently 33 years of age, a professional and I am happy / successful at work. My family, well they are loud and there is lots of drama; as there always is in an Indian household - especially an Indian Punjabi family!! All said and done, we are extremely close, I adore each and every person in my family.

I have been having surgeries for as long as I can remember, I was also bullied terribly in school and used my sense of humour as a mask. I lost all my safety when my father passed away when I was 5 years old.

It’s pretty grim isn’t it?

I suppose what I am trying to do through this blog is perhaps raise questions that we all have (people with birth defects as well as “normal” people) but are never raised due to the taboo - created by society.

I am not here for popularity but it would be good to air concerns we all may have.

Bye for now,