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Fadzayi Maposah

Correspondent

There are moments when you have private celebrations. 

You really want to tell the whole world but you feel that you are not ready.

A piece of you is not sure how the world will take it. You do not want to be judged. Am I talking to someone or I have lost you completely? 

Let me bring it closer home.

There has been someone who has been trying to date you or someone you are trying to date. It works two way does it not? They or you have tried everything. You or they are just playing hard to get.

Not only are you or they trying hard to get but you or they are also trying to get time to understand the person.

They or you just do not want to make the wrong hurried decision, double trouble. When they or you do make the decision, the celebration before the whole world knows is private. Then there is the going public…..

For my six high school years I went to girls’ schools.

One area of speciality then in that female environment was talking about boys. 

We discussed boys. In some instances, when we had chances to meet boys, the girls observed so much detail that when it came to any other business (AOB) before lights out, one would be surprised when the smallest of details were shared. 

To think that no notes were taken but when it was discussion time, nearly everyone would have something to say, a comment to throw in! 

During our high school years, the way a boy wore a tie showed if he was a gentleman or not. 

Since we also wore ties, our expectation was that boys should do this much easier than us. There were a few who disappointed us and amid the giggles there would be suggestions that next time we met, we could offer to do the ties for the boys! 

There were some boys who seemed to be “the” boys. They excelled in many facets. They were excellent academics. When it came to sports they rose to the occasion like cream. Socially they were pleasant too.

Now you may be wondering where one who went to girls’ schools knew so much about boys and their performance. We met boys during school seminars, dances and when we went for church services we saw them too.

Our school superiors did not mind us walking or sitting with boys as long as the numbers were odd. So it could be two girls and one boy or three boys and two girls. Never were you to be even numbers unless you were ready for punishment!

Now some moments talking about boys were brutal. Comments that were shared were anything but kind.

Occasionally someone would put an end to it by saying how sad would it be if the people who were dishing out nasty comments ended up marrying these people. 

There would be lots of giggles and claims that it would never happen! Never say never! Some ended up dating people that they claimed they did not have any interest in. 

Life skills training is very important. I know of one who is happily married to someone from our high school years yet then she behaved as if she would never date him even if he was the last man on earth. Did she later have a eureka moment?

When the courtship was happening, it was all private. What became public were the wedding bells. These wedding bells were followed by many questions. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Having answers to all those questions was the start of a great journalistic masterpiece.

What keeping quiet about something does; it keeps you a chance to have your own private celebration before it becomes public.

I shared how I really wanted a menstrual cup once and I did not get it. Thanks to a very kind associate I got a pleasant gift of a menstrual cup. Eager to use the menstrual cup, the menstrual period chose to go AWOL!

Seeing the menstrual cup safely in its box was a harsh constant reminder that the menstrual period was nowhere to be found. It also hit hard that as someone who is slowly but most certainly approaching menopause, chances were high that I could have to give it away after menstrual period ceased. 

Sad. The desire to get a feel of the menstrual cup was great. It actually became a gnawing effect. Emotionally I was affected. I really wanted a period yet it was not coming!

Life throws so much at people. At times we seem not to have what we really want at that time. Look at my case, I had a menstrual cup that I really wanted to use yet there was no period.

Someone without adequate sanitary ware somewhere was experiencing heavy menstrual flow! Difficult to understand is it not?

I was happy to get my menstrual period and use my menstrual cup.

Used it so cheerfully that I ignored the occasional cramps that wanted to steal my joy. I had my own very private celebration! Finally, the wait was over! 

The menstrual cup experience was blissful. I enjoyed every moment of it and I am ready to become a menstrual cup advocate! The fact that I can use it over and over again is one thing that motivates me.

I had my private experience and celebration with my cup. I kept saying to myself “cheers “ to the menstrual cup! I could not go around telling everyone” You see the smile on my face, I am using a menstrual cup for the first time and I really love it!”

I was calm and collected to the whole world as my menstrual cup and I went about our business. We did our tasks together, my cup and I; happily, there for one another! 

Today, after the private celebration, my menstrual cup and I go public! I confess, I am a happy menstrual cup user and I will not wait for an AOB session and spring any surprise. 

May 28 is Menstrual Health Day and I am raising my menstrual cup and drumming up support for the day!