My intimate encounter with Red was when i had my menarche at my godmothers home while on vacation oh when i saw the blood i was so afraid i was 11 nobody told me about menses before i thought i was going to die because I had read dads nursing textbooks which spoke of bleeding so i played the most with my friends as if my days would end soon my petticoat fully stained with holy womb blood and then I prayed to mother Mary for it to stop since I didnt know it was normal and then after 2 days it stopped and my godmother noticed it she told me some stuff and said your mother will explain it to you.
All the message I got was You are now a woman be responsible
In no way was it celebrated or deemed sacred It felt like a burden when I was told you will have this for the rest of your life every month sad na That day I lost my childhood…and I’m still finding that bachpan in many ways But there is hope.
We just commemorated world menstrual hygiene day on 28th may the theme being ‘menstruation matters to everyone everywhere.’ I envisage celebrating menstruation I remember doing a little.ceremony formy daughter to her horror of course but letting her know it’s the beauty of mother nature and her sign for you that someday you will be mother too What’s your story with your own menarche?
