Dear Amrutha:

Can you imagine, just imagine, being liberated from your parents’ rule?

You don’t have to actually do anything on the matter, only imagine. Imagine that you don’t have to marry your ex boyfriend. Imagine that you don’t have to marry anyone at all, that you can choose who to marry. Imagine you can be with your current boyfriend without hiding, for as long as you and him want to. Maybe for a lifetime.

Imagine you don’t have to fear your parents, that they can’t harm you.

When you submit to your parents, what are you submitting to: fairness, justice? Or are you submitting to injustice?

Injustice under the guise of respect to one’s parents, to one’s culture, is still injustice.

Imagine. And then consider what you value: justice, doing what is right or submitting to unjust power?

anita