By Poornima Marh, TwoCircles.net
Mehnaaz, 21, is a psychological counsellor and a career guide at Blue Nile counselling.
She says, “This is my passion, something that I really wanted to do. I really wanted to help people. The kind of place we are living in now, there are so many emotional issues that people face. There is no one to talk to. Sometimes all you need is just someone sitting with you and listening out to you patiently. That’s like the biggest cure, and if I can do that, it really makes my day. When you talk to people, hear there problems out, you realise that your problems are nothing. People are going through so much. It makes you grateful for the things you have.”
She is born and brought up in Bangalore.
“I got married last year, and that is like a different phase of life for me. Now I’m in my new house, meeting so many different people, getting to know them, its really nice and a happy month.”
"Ramadan is like a add-on for me after marriage because its making me a responsible person as well. This by default is a special month of the year for all of us, for me personally it is special because it changes me, my emotions, my thoughts, everything is in control. Even if I’m angry or frustrated, I tell myself ‘ok, calm down, everything will pass.’ I don’t know when you’re fasting you don’t let your negative emotions come out. You spend so much time with yourself. There is so much contentment. Otherwise you have no time for yourself. this time you are there with yourself and your Creator and you know he is listening.”
“I remember, during my childhood, the most difficult task was waking up my brothers for Sehri. (laughs). you know how difficult it is to get up early in the morning, and children are the most difficult in that case. My mom would be the first person to wake up, she would wake my dad, dad would wake me up, and ask me to wake my brothers and come down for sehri. I tried but many times they would just not wake up, and at times I would end up sleeping next to them. But now, it is much easier, and I have also realised, that waking up early really helps plan the day better.”