NO HOLDS BARRED

 Talk about glass ceilings, and the attention is riveted on women breaking the shackles and barriers to come out of the mould defined or rather ordained by the society. A term which was used by US feminists in the 70s and 80s, with  Marilyn Loden credited with its first usage in 1978. What is interesting is that the usage of the metaphor “glass” and not any other material, after all ceiling can be cement, concrete or thatched hut or just a tin shanty and come to think of it the homeless literally have no ceilings whatsoever, ‘sky is the limit’. Obviously this entrapment is similar to a cage which prevents the individual from taking wings, in ideas or in deeds. Why is it glass, I think because that is transparent and provides a view and kindles aspirations as against the other opaque ceilings, where they are not lucky enough to even get a glimpse of the world of possibilities.

Ceilings are gradually giving way, not only for the ladies but all marginalised sections of society. We have the President of the country, a tribal woman who has risen to the epitome of her political career, we have businesswomen who have set up their own ventures and have joined the ranks of the billionaire entrepreneurs. In the Armed Forces too now they have won their battle for permanent commission. Soon we shall have them in higher ranks, as evidenced in UK where  Lt Gen Sharon Nesmith the first woman Chief of Army Staff is due to assume the appointment soon. An interesting aside is that she happens to be a Signals Officer, so she is going to shatter not one but two ceilings, as a lady and as a Signal Officer. With General Pande, we have taken our first step as he is the first Sapper  Officer to have risen to the exalted post of the Chief of Army Staff, which was denied to even General Prem Bhagat, VC, a sapper, in the 70s, who was an exceptional soldier himself. If it is Engineers today can Signals be far behind!!

We all have our own ceilings, some laid down by us, some by the society and some even imposed by nature and most of us stick to them religiously. It is only the nonconformists who dare to take the risk and succeed. After all the fear of failure and ridicule keeps most of us down, as the saying goes “nothing ventured nothing gained”. 

Ceiling and sealing are homophones, pronounced in a similar way but have different meanings, although in one perspective they are also similar, i.e. to close something, in the former it is the ‘vision’ and in the latter the ‘access’. Both are essential at places and may also prove to be an obstacle, depending on the circumstances. While a career being sealed is negative but a leakage being sealed is obviously a necessity. Similarly a ceiling is a must in our homes else we will be vulnerable, as merely having a roof sans plaster apart from being aesthetically jarring it will also devoid of structural support and security apart from increasing the cost of environment control as the total volume is reduced by having a ceiling in place. But imagine, if we were without this artificial ceiling, out in the open, then we get the full view of an open sky with limitless options, it also provides us with an opportunity to look out for the stars.

US Navy SEALS are their special forces, who can operate in sea, land or air, anywhere and everywhere, no ‘sealings' or ‘ceilings’ restricting them whatsoever. So the moral of the story is be “special” in whatever you do, ceilings will automatically give way, “No holds barred!”.