BY KUMAR BASNET
If the uterus could talk during menstruation, it would sound like an overly dramatic operatic diva who’s full of sadness, anger, and insecurity. Every month she starts with the loss of being empty again, “Once more my womb is empty.” This is not a desire to always get pregnant, but the end of a possibility, often coming with psychological and physical pain. This grief soon shifts into anger — expressed as stomach pain you can’t control, mood swings, and fatigue.
The next day this emotional squall is back even stronger. The uterus wants love, warmth and cuddles – hot water bottles, chocolate and soup are no consolation. And between those, she wonders sarcastically, “Are women only for reproduction?” My grandma can’t sleep, she’s afraid of the bad taste of soiling her clothes and other symptoms of dementia, and the mind is trapped by the now up, now down. As careful as she may be, she still adds to that burden on her mind.
The uterus on the third day feels just a bit more soulful. Life choices, passed-over opportunities, past involvements and regrets all bubble up. Questions like these may seem far from practical, but they are typical emblems of the hormonal and emotional roller coasters that rumble on inside the body when menstruation is in full swing, and they are understandable. Slowly, the anger fades down and she also acknowledges that strength and capability in the female body—the uterus feels happy that a woman is going through this journey despite those struggles and the reasons of the society.
On the fourth and fifth days, she thaws a bit. “Maybe I complicated it too much, and you were already preoccupied with the prejudices of your society regarding menstruation,” she apologizes. About making clothes dirty, staying up nights and stealing your feelings, sorry, a little, she adds. But just when it feels like the end of the line, she again leaves behind some weird scars — no promises, no goodbyes. The average woman spends about seven years of her life menstruating, but this is more than just a biological process, it’s an emotional process—a cycle which deserves understanding, respect, and compassion.