Mala was ecstatic as her parents had allowed her to go with me for her Christmas shopping. I reached her home on time. My ears were assailed by girlish chatter punctuated by giggles. She was chatting with the next door girl with the garden wall between them, blissfully unaware of my presence.
“Mala, hey Mala.” I screamed as their devilish dog came pouncing.
She was at my side in a jiffy. With a goodbye to her mum we walked towards the shopping complex. We got in and out of shops and my patience was wearing thin.
“Aunty, look at that dress. Terrific, isn’t it? We’ll have a look at it.” She pulled me by my hand. Sensing some resistance she turned and looked at me.
“Aunty what? You don’t like that dress ah?” Her face darkened to a scowl.
“No.” I answered point blank. That dress will be too tight and too short for you. Don’t dress to kill.”
“I never dress to ‘kill’ anybody.”
I knew if I let this opportunity slip by I may not get another one to talk about dress.
“Let’s finish the Christmas purchase and talk on our way back home.” That seemed to relax her.
After the hunt she came out hugging her purchase. The river beneath us was singing a serenade. I dreaded to open the topic as we walked along the bridge discussing her Christmas churidar. But she saved me the trouble.
“What did you say aunty? About dresses? We should not wear short dress ah?”
“You should not expose your body too much and kindle the lust of men, Mala. Don’t follow the immodest fashions of the world.”
Mala opened the gate and we entered in, still engrossed in conversation.
“So you want me to wear a six yard sari.”
“I understand sari is inconvenient for active young girls. But you look like an angel in salwarkameez. It gives you the comfort, the freedom of movement and the feminine look. Why don’t you wear them? Go get your Bible.”
She fell for my flattery. She went in, not before throwing another question, “What will I do if I go to America?”
She returned with her Good News Bible and sat down beside me.
“Turn to first Timothy, chapter two and verse nine... What’s the matter? Where are you searching? Turn, turn,... um... still...it is in the New Testament...after the Gospels... go to the end...bus, bus. You must become more familiar with your Bible. Try to finish the entire Bible in one year by reading four or five chapters a day.”
“I am in Psalms now.”
“Good. Read now.”
I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly.
She was stumped.
“Dress regulations! I would expect to find that in a college prospectus, not in the Bible!”
“Mala, you probably don’t know it, but in provocative dresses you are as deadly as a live wire.”
Mala yawned and eyed me with a bemused twinkle in her eyes.
“Alright, show me the chapter and verse in the Bible which gives accurate measurements for “modest” dress. I will take it to my tailor.”
“A woman’s clothes should be appropriate for her age and the society that she lives in. If by your dress, you invite a man, you could be digging your own grave.”
“At times you are a real bore, aunty. Don’t dress me up like a matron on my wedding day.”
Typical teenager. I liked the way she reacted — honest!
“Dress with decency, modesty and beauty. Be smart and presentable. On the whole you must look like a woman.”
Her face relaxed with a cherubic smile.
“What about jeans then?”
“I don’t want to condemn anyone, Mala, but it doesn’t look feminine to me.”
I felt the atmosphere tense and wished to lighten it.
“I saw a cartoon recently. A little boy opens the door and asks the waiting creature, Are you my sister’s boy friend or my brother’s girl friend?”
With that she doubled up in laughter and I felt light too.
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
Mala was ecstatic as her parents had allowed her to go with me for her Christmas shopping. I reached her home on time. My ears were assailed by girlish chatter punctuated by giggles. She was chatting with the next door girl with the garden wall between them, blissfully unaware of my presence.
“Mala, hey Mala.” I screamed as their devilish dog came pouncing.
She was at my side in a jiffy. With a goodbye to her mum we walked towards the shopping complex. We got in and out of shops and my patience was wearing thin.
“Aunty, look at that dress. Terrific, isn’t it? We’ll have a look at it.” She pulled me by my hand. Sensing some resistance she turned and looked at me.
“Aunty what? You don’t like that dress ah?” Her face darkened to a scowl.
“No.” I answered point blank. That dress will be too tight and too short for you. Don’t dress to kill.”
“I never dress to ‘kill’ anybody.”
I knew if I let this opportunity slip by I may not get another one to talk about dress.
“Let’s finish the Christmas purchase and talk on our way back home.” That seemed to relax her.
After the hunt she came out hugging her purchase. The river beneath us was singing a serenade. I dreaded to open the topic as we walked along the bridge discussing her Christmas churidar. But she saved me the trouble.
“What did you say aunty? About dresses? We should not wear short dress ah?”
“You should not expose your body too much and kindle the lust of men, Mala. Don’t follow the immodest fashions of the world.”
Mala opened the gate and we entered in, still engrossed in conversation.
“So you want me to wear a six yard sari.”
“I understand sari is inconvenient for active young girls. But you look like an angel in salwarkameez. It gives you the comfort, the freedom of movement and the feminine look. Why don’t you wear them? Go get your Bible.”
She fell for my flattery. She went in, not before throwing another question, “What will I do if I go to America?”
She returned with her Good News Bible and sat down beside me.
“Turn to first Timothy, chapter two and verse nine... What’s the matter? Where are you searching? Turn, turn,... um... still...it is in the New Testament...after the Gospels... go to the end...bus, bus. You must become more familiar with your Bible. Try to finish the entire Bible in one year by reading four or five chapters a day.”
“I am in Psalms now.”
“Good. Read now.”
I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly.
She was stumped.
“Dress regulations! I would expect to find that in a college prospectus, not in the Bible!”
“Mala, you probably don’t know it, but in provocative dresses you are as deadly as a live wire.”
Mala yawned and eyed me with a bemused twinkle in her eyes.
“Alright, show me the chapter and verse in the Bible which gives accurate measurements for “modest” dress. I will take it to my tailor.”
“A woman’s clothes should be appropriate for her age and the society that she lives in. If by your dress, you invite a man, you could be digging your own grave.”
“At times you are a real bore, aunty. Don’t dress me up like a matron on my wedding day.”
Typical teenager. I liked the way she reacted — honest!
“Dress with decency, modesty and beauty. Be smart and presentable. On the whole you must look like a woman.”
Her face relaxed with a cherubic smile.
“What about jeans then?”
“I don’t want to condemn anyone, Mala, but it doesn’t look feminine to me.”
I felt the atmosphere tense and wished to lighten it.
“I saw a cartoon recently. A little boy opens the door and asks the waiting creature, Are you my sister’s boy friend or my brother’s girl friend?”
With that she doubled up in laughter and I felt light too.
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
