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THE THIRD GIRL CHILD Her Dreams Were Never Hers Alone BHOOMI MUREKAR
COPYRIGHT The Third Girl Child by Bhoomi Murekar. Copyright © Bhoomi Murekar, 2026 All Rights Reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the author, except as permitted under applicable copyright law. This book explores the feelings, responsibilities, dreams and reflections associated with the experience of being a daughter. While inspired by personal reflections, certain details and expressions may have been shaped or arranged for literary purposes. First edition — 2026 Author: Bhoomi Murekar Published by PageVerse by Bhoomi
To every daughter who has ever wondered if she was enough. And to my parents, whose journey with me taught me that love, expectations, and understanding can all exist together.
CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: A Girl Nobody Was Waiting For… 1-11 Chapter 2: The Responsibilities She Never Asked For 13-18 She Becomes the Understanding One When Everyone Sees the Mistake, But No One Sees the Struggle Responsibility Should Not Become a Cage Chapter 3: The Feelings She Doesn’t Say Out Loud 19-24 She Thinks More Than She Says She Cries When Nobody Is Watching She Wants to Be Understood, Not Fixed She Has Feelings Too The Feelings She Keeps Inside She Deserves To Be Heard Chapter 4: A Girl with Dreams of Her Own 25-32 The Dreams She Keeps to Herself She Dreams Beyond What People Expect Sometimes Her Dream Has Many Names Dreams Can Become a Pressure Too
She Is Allowed to Change Her Dream The Dream She Almost Gave Up She Deserves a Life She Chooses Her Dreams Are Not Too Much Chapter 5: When Everyone Expects Her to 33-38 Understand Who Understands Her? Understanding Should Not Mean Accepting Everything The Day She Learns to Speak She Can Understand Them Without Forgetting Herself Chapter 6: The Comparison She Never Asked For 39-45 When Someone Else Becomes the Standard She Starts Comparing Herself The Girl Who Feels Left Behind The Pressure to Prove Herself Her Pace Is Still Progress One Day, She Stops Comparing Chapter 7: The Weight of Being “A Good Daughter” 47-50 When Being Good Becomes a Pressure She Wants to Make Her Family Proud A Good Daughter Can Make Mistakes The Girl Behind the “Good Daughter”
And Maybe She Finally Understands Chapter 8: A Girl Who Wants to Give, But Also 51-57 Wants to Live She Wants to Give She Wants to Live Too The Guilt of Choosing Herself She Deserves to Enjoy the Life She Is Building She Is Allowed to Want More She Wants to Give Without Disappearing Chapter 9: The Girl Who Chooses Herself 59-64 She Learns to Say “No” She Stops Seeking Permission for Every Dream She Learns That Self-Respect Is Not Selfishness She Will Still Feel Guilty Sometimes She Begins to Trust Herself She Chooses Herself Without Loosing Her Heart One Day, She Understands Chapter 10: She Doesn’t Want to Leave Them 65-73 Behind She Remembers Where She Came From She Wants to Give Back She Wants to Change the Family Story
Her Success Becomes a Door She Can Rise Without Leaving Her Roots And When She Finally Reaches Her Dream Chapter 11: Her Dreams Were Nerver Hers Alone 75-79 She Becomes The Person She Once Needed She Finally Understands Her Beginning To Every Girl Reading This Her Dreams Were Never Hers Alone A Letter Beyond the Pages 81-82 1. A Letter to Every Daughter 2. To the Parents of a daughter 3. A Message to The Girl Who Feels She Is Not Enough 4. Final Note from the Author About An Author 83
1 INTRODUCTION “I am not writing this book only because I am the third girl child. I am writing it because Being the third girl child made me see things differently.” What does it mean to be the third girl child? It is more than being the third daughter in a family. It can mean carrying responsibilities, expectations, feelings, and dreams that are not always spoken about. This book is not only about one girl's story. It is about many girls who want to make their families proud while also wanting to build a life of their own. It is about the girl who wants to give, but also wants to live. She wants to make her family proud, build a future of her own, and become someone she can be proud of. She wants to rise without forgetting the people she loves. And most importantly— Her dreams were never hers alone.
3 Chapter 1: A Girl Nobody Was Waiting For… “Sometimes, a child enters this world surrounded by cries of happiness. And sometimes, she enters a world where her arrival is not celebrated." I was born as the third daughter in a family that had hoped for a son. I don’t remember the day I was born. I don’t remember the faces of people who stood around me, the conversations that took place, or the expressions on my parents’ faces. I was too young to understand any of it. But as I grew older, I came to know the story of my birth, and it made me wonder whether I had ever truly been wanted. When I was born, I was not welcomed in the way every newborn deserves to be. Even my mother did not hold me close. For the first three days of my life, I was kept away from her. For some, those may have been just three ordinary days. But for me, they became part of a story that I would carry without even remembering the beginning of it. I was told that some people suggested killing me simply because I was a girl. Even before I
The Third Girl Child 4 had opened my eyes to the world, there were people who questioned whether I deserved to live. Yet among those voices, there were also people who stood up for me. They tried to convince my parents that a daughter was a blessing, that a girl was like Goddess Lakshmi, bringing prosperity and happiness into a home. Even the nurses at the hospital reportedly said, “Give the baby to us if you don’t want her.” Imagine being so small that you cannot even hold your own head, yet your very existence becomes a matter of discussion. I wonder what it would have been like if someone had simply held me close, looked into my eyes and said, “We are happy you are here.” I did not ask to be born a girl. I did not choose to be the third daughter. I did not know that my arrival would come with expectations I could never fulfil. I was just a baby who needed warmth, love, care, and a place in her mother’s arms. As I grew up, I began to feel that perhaps I was not loved in the way I wanted to be. Perhaps it was because of the circumstances surrounding my birth, or perhaps it was the way I understood the world around me as a child. Whatever the reason, the feeling
A Girl Nobody was Waiting for… 5 of being unwanted became part of my childhood. And somewhere inside me, a little girl continued to wonder: “Was I not enough simply because I was a daughter?” This is where my story begins. Not with the dreams I had, not with the responsibilities I carried. But with a question that I wish no child ever had to ask. “Was I Wanted?” But the story did not remain that way forever. After those first three days, things slowly became normal. My parents accepted me, raised me, and treated me like my sisters. As I grew older, I did not feel that they were deliberately treating me differently from them. Life simply moved forward. I grew up with my sisters, shared the same home, the same childhood, the same little fights and the same laughter. I was not constantly reminded that I was the third daughter. Yet the story of my beginning stayed somewhere inside me. I knew that a son had been expected and that my arrival had been difficult for some people to accept. Although my parents eventually accepted me, raised me, and treated me like my sisters, the story of my beginning stayed with me. I could
The Third Girl Child 6 understand that life had moved forward, yet I still wondered how those early circumstances had shaped the way I saw myself. I knew that my birth had come with expectations and pressure. Perhaps my parents were also dealing with disappointment at that moment. But children do not always understand circumstances; they understand feelings. Sometimes, the story they hear about themselves becomes part of how they see themselves. I grew up normally on the outside. I laughed. I fought with my sisters. I went to school. I made friends. I dreamed. Life continued. Years passed. Then one day my mother became pregnant again. This time I prayed for something with all my little heart. “God, please give me a baby brother.”
A Girl Nobody was Waiting for… 7 I was still very young, but had already started imagining what it would be like to have a little brother. I prayed for him, waited for him, and hoped that my wish would come true. And then, he came. A baby boy. He was the fourth child in our family—the younger brother of three sisters. I still remember the happiness surrounding his arrival. There was something different about the happiness on my mother’s and father’s faces. My sisters were happy too, and so was I. Looking back now, I think I was happy for more than just having a little brother. Seeing the happiness on my parents’ faces made me even happier. At that age, I was too young to understand what all those feelings meant. I didn’t understand the expectations attached to being the third daughter. I didn’t understand what it meant to grow up in a family where my father was the only earning member and my parents were carrying the responsibilities of four children. I was simply a child who loved her family. But as I grew older and became more mature, I started looking back at those years differently.
The Third Girl Child 8 began to notice things I had never understood as a child. And sometimes, that thought became: “Am I a burden on my family?” “Am I burden on my family?” It wasn't because my parents ever told me that I was a burden. They didn't. In fact, they gave us everything they could. My father worked hard to provide for us. My mother stood beside him, taking care of the family and putting our needs before her own. There was no extra support to depend on. Whatever they had, they tried to give to their four children. They gave us the little things that made our childhood beautiful. They gave us education. They gave us care. They gave us opportunities. And many times, they sacrificed their own happiness without telling us. They didn't think only about themselves. They thought about the four of us. As I grew older, I began to understand those sacrifices. And something changed inside me.
A Girl Nobody was Waiting for… 9 I didn't want my parents to spend their entire lives sacrificing their happiness for us. I wanted to become someone who could give something back to them. After my two elder sisters got married, I noticed another kind of care from my parents. Their attention toward my education and my future became even stronger. They wanted me to study. They wanted me to learn. They wanted me to become independent. And somewhere in their hopes, I could feel an expectation: They believed that I could make them proud. I felt that expectation. And I carried it. Not because they forced me to carry it, but because I loved them. I wanted to become the daughter who could fulfil the dreams they had for their children. I wanted to become someone, my parents could look at and say, “Everything we sacrificed was worth it.” I wanted to become a strong daughter. A successful daughter. A daughter who could stand on her own feet. A daughter who could take care of her parents.
The Third Girl Child 10 And perhaps, most importantly, a daughter who could give them some of the happiness they had sacrificed for us. Today, I work hard for my own dreams. But I also work hard for theirs. I understand their sacrifices more than I did when I was a child. I understand their expectations. I understand why they wanted me to study, learn, grow, and become independent. Yet sometimes, that old thought still comes back. “I'm the third girl child.” Sometimes I don't even know why that thought still affects me. Maybe because being the third daughter became more than just a fact about where I stood in my family. Maybe, somewhere along the way, I started attaching a responsibility to it. The responsibility to prove that I was worth every sacrifice. The responsibility to make my parents proud. The responsibility to build a better future. And the responsibility to make sure that their sacrifices do not remain sacrifices forever. But I am slowly learning something too: I don't have to become successful only because I am the third daughter. I can have dreams because they are mine. I can work hard because I want to grow.
A Girl Nobody was Waiting for… 11 And I can still carry my parents' dreams alongside my own. Because when I imagine my future, I don't see myself standing alone at the finish line. I see my family standing there with me. And maybe that is what being a daughter means to me. Not simply carrying the weight of expectations—but turning love, sacrifice, and dreams into something meaningful.
13 Chapter 2: The Responsibilities She Never Asked For A girl learns responsibility long before she learns how to describe it. Sometimes, nobody tells her, “You are responsible for this.” She simply watches. She watches her mother wake up before everyone else. She watches her father leave home early and return tired. She watches her parents worry about money, education, health, the future, and the needs of the family. She watches her older siblings grow up. She watches her younger ones need care. And slowly, without anyone announcing it, she begins to understand. She should help. She should adjust. She should understand. She should care. She should not make things harder for her family. That is how responsibility often enters a girl's life. Not as a decision. But as a habit. A habit of thinking about everyone before thinking about herself.
The Third Girl Child 14 She may be studying for an important examination, but she will still notice that her mother is tired. She may have her own problems, but she may hesitate to talk about them because someone else in the family seems to have bigger problems. She may want something for herself, but before asking for it, she may think: Can my parents afford this? Will they worry about me? Do I really need it? Maybe I should wait. And sometimes, she learns to say “I don't need it” even when she does. Not because she doesn't have dreams. Not because she doesn't have desires. But because she loves her family. And love can sometimes make a girl carry responsibilities she never asked for. She Becomes the Understanding One When there is an argument, she is expected to understand. When someone is upset, she is expected to adjust. When the family needs help, she is expected to be there. When her parents are worried, she tries not to add another worry. People may call her mature.
The Responsibilities She Never asked For 15 They may say: “She understands everything.” But sometimes nobody asks: “Who understands her?” That is the question many girls carry silently. Being responsible does not mean she never gets tired, and being understanding does not mean she has no needs of her own. She is allowed to ask for help, admit that something is difficult, and make mistakes without feeling that she has failed as a daughter. Understanding everyone should not mean forgetting that she deserves understanding too. She is allowed to have difficult days. She is allowed to cry. She is allowed to say, “I need help.” She is allowed to make mistakes. She is allowed to have dreams that have nothing to do with anyone else. And she is allowed to want a life of her own. When Everyone Sees the Mistake, But No One Sees the Struggle Sometimes, a girl can do a hundred things right, and people will still remember the one thing she did wrong. She can help everyone, support everyone, adjust for everyone, and stay quiet
The Third Girl Child 16 when she is hurting. But the moment something goes wrong, somehow, the question comes back to her: “Why didn't you do this?” “Why didn't you understand?” “Why did you make this mistake?” “You should have known better.” People see the result. They see the mistake. They see what she could not do. But they don't always see everything that came before the mistake. They may not know how tired she was, how much she had already done, or what she was trying to manage silently. When people become accustomed to her strength, they may forget that she has limits too. So, when she finally struggles or says no, they may wonder what has changed. Perhaps nothing has changed except that she can no longer hide how much she is carrying. Sometimes, she needs someone to look beyond the mistake and ask, “Are you okay?” She should not have to break down before her efforts are noticed. Even the girl who appears strongest deserves to hear, “I see how hard you are trying.”
The Responsibilities She Never asked For 17 Responsibility Should Not Become a Cage A girl can love her parents and still want independence. She can care for her family and still build a career. She can dream of giving her parents a better life and still dream of travelling the world. She can want to support her family and still want to buy something simply because it makes her happy. She can carry her responsibilities without carrying everyone's entire world on her shoulders. Because responsibility is beautiful when it comes from love. But responsibility becomes painful when a girl starts believing: “If I don't do everything perfectly, I am not a good daughter.” She is more than a good daughter. She is a person. A person with a mind. A heart. A future. And dreams that deserve space. She can love her family deeply without losing herself in the process. Because the daughter is not born only to carry responsibilities. She is also born to live, to dream, to choose and to become.
19 Chapter 3: The Feelings She Doesn’t Say Out Loud There are feelings a girl carries that she never learns how to explain. Not because she doesn't have the words. But because sometimes, she doesn't know if anyone will understand them. She may look completely fine from the outside. She studies. She works. She laughs. She talks to her family. She helps others. She makes plans for her future. And yet, somewhere inside her, there may be a completely different story. A story that nobody sees. Sometimes, she is tired. Not just physically tired. Emotionally tired. Tired of thinking about everything. Tired of trying to make everyone happy. Tired of wondering whether she is doing enough. Tired of being strong when she simply wants someone to tell her, “You don't have to handle everything today.”
The Third Girl Child 20 She Thinks More Than She Says A girl can hear one small sentence and think about it for hours. Sometimes, even days. Someone may say something without meaning to hurt her, but she may keep asking herself: Did I do something wrong? Did I disappoint them? What will they think of me? Maybe I should have done better. She may replay conversations in her head. She may remember someone's expression. She may notice a change in someone's voice. And sometimes, she creates answers to questions nobody ever asked. That is what overthinking can do. It makes small moments feel bigger. It makes silence feel like an answer. And it can make a girl question herself even when she has done nothing wrong. She Doesn't Want to Disappoint Anyone For many girls, disappointing their parents can feel like a failure much bigger than a simple mistake. She may have her own dreams. Her own choices. Her own idea of the future. But somewhere in her mind, another question appears:
The Feelings She Doesn’t Say out Loud 21 “Will my parents be proud of me?” She wants to make them happy. She wants their sacrifices to feel worthwhile. She wants them to look at her one day and say, “We are proud of you.” And sometimes, that desire becomes so strong that she becomes afraid of making the wrong choice. She starts measuring her decisions by everyone else’s expectations. What if I fail? What if I choose the wrong career? What if I cannot give my parents the life they dreamed of? What if I am not enough? These questions can become heavier than the dream itself. She Cries When Nobody Is Watching Sometimes, she doesn't cry because she is weak. She cries because she has been strong for too long. She waits until everyone is asleep. She closes the door. She wipes her tears. The next morning, she returns to her routine, carrying feelings that nobody may know about. Her silence does not mean that everything is fine; sometimes, it simply means she has not found a way to explain what she is going through.
The Third Girl Child 22 They see her moving forward. They don't see how many times she almost gave up. She Wants to Be Understood, Not Fixed Sometimes, she doesn't need advice. She doesn't need someone to tell her what she should have done. She doesn't need to hear, “Don't think so much.” She simply wants someone to listen. Someone to sit beside her without judging. Someone to say, “I understand.” Because sometimes, being heard is more comforting than being given an answer. She doesn't always need someone to solve her problems. Sometimes, she just needs someone to remind her that she doesn't have to face everything alone. She Has Feelings Too A girl can be responsible and still be emotional. She can be strong and still be scared. She can be independent and still need someone. She can love her family deeply and still disagree with them. She can be grateful for everything her parents have done and still want something different for her own life. These parts of
The Feelings She Doesn’t Say out Loud 23 her life do not cancel one another out. She can be grateful for her family and still have feelings that deserve attention. Being strong does not require her to hide every emotion, and being a daughter does not make her feelings less important. The Feelings She Keeps Inside Perhaps the hardest part is that she often doesn't say what she really feels. She says, “ I’m Fine.” When she isn’t. She says, “It’s Okay.” When It Hurts. She says, “I don't need anything.” When she does. She says, “I'll manage.” When she secretly wishes someone would help. Sometimes, she keeps her feelings inside because she does not know how others will respond. She may fear being misunderstood, judged, or told that she is overthinking. But silence cannot always protect her from pain; sometimes, it only makes the pain harder to share.
The Third Girl Child 24 And slowly, she learns that hiding her feelings does not make them disappear. It only makes her carry them alone. She Deserves to Be Heard A girl should not have to become successful before her feelings matter. She should not have to achieve something extraordinary before people listen to her. She should not have to break down before someone realizes that she has been struggling. Her feelings are important even when she cannot explain them perfectly. Her fears are real. Her dreams are real. Her sadness is real. Her happiness is real. And she deserves a space where she can express all of these things without being judged. Because, behind every girl who says, “I'm okay,” there may be a thousand things she has never said out loud. And perhaps the most beautiful thing someone can do for her is simply to say: “You don't have to hide it from me.”
25 Chapter 4: A Girl with Dreams of Her Own A girl can carry many responsibilities and still have dreams of her own. She may be a daughter, a sister, a student, a friend, and sometimes the person everyone depends on. But before she becomes all these things for everyone else, she is simply a girl with a heart full of dreams. Some dreams are big. Some are small. Some are about a career. Some are about travelling to places she has never seen. Some are about becoming independent. Some are about buying something with her own money. Some are about giving her parents a life they never had. And some dreams are so personal that she doesn't even know how to explain them to anyone. She just knows that she wants them. The Dreams She Keeps to Herself Sometimes a girl dreams quietly. She doesn't announce every dream she has. She doesn't tell everyone what she wants to become. Because the moment she says it aloud, questions begin.
The Third Girl Child 26 “Is that really possible?” “Will you be able to do it?” “What if you fail?” “Why do you want this?” “Isn't there an easier option?” And sometimes, one person's doubt is enough to make her question a dream she has carried for years. So, she stays quiet. She studies. She works. She plans. She imagines. And she keeps the dream somewhere safe inside herself. Not because the dream is small. But because it means too much to her. She Dreams Beyond What People Expect A girl may be expected to simply become a “good daughter.” But she may want more. She may want an education that makes her independent. A career that gives her confidence. A life where she can make her own decisions. A home where she feels peaceful.
A Girl with Dreams of Her Own 27 A chance to travel. A chance to explore. A chance to become someone she once only imagined. She may want to make her parents proud. But she may also want to make herself proud. And there is nothing wrong with that. A daughter's dream does not become selfish simply because it belongs to her. Sometimes Her Dream Has Many Names For one girl, the dream may be to become a doctor. For another, a pharmacist. For another, a teacher, scientist, engineer, officer, artist, entrepreneur, writer, or anything else she can imagine. For some girls, the dream may simply be: “I want to stand on my own feet.” And that dream is enough. Because independence does not look the same for everyone. For one girl, it may mean earning her own money. For another, it may mean making her own decisions. For another, it may mean having the courage to leave a situation that no longer allows her to grow. And for another, it may mean becoming strong enough to take care of the people she loves.
The Third Girl Child 28 She Doesn't Dream Only for Herself There is something beautiful about the way many girls dream. They don't always imagine success as something they will keep only for themselves. They imagine their parents smiling. They imagine buying something for their mother with their first salary. They imagine taking their father somewhere he always wanted to go. They imagine giving their family a comfortable life. They imagine becoming the person their younger siblings can look up to. Their dream becomes bigger than a job. It becomes a promise. A promise to themselves. A promise to their family. A promise that one day, all the hard work will mean something. That is why some girls work so hard toward their goals. They are not pursuing a position or a salary alone; they are imagining what those achievements could make possible for the people they love. For them, success can mean finally being able to say, “You don't have to worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself, and I can help you too.”
A Girl with Dreams of Her Own 29 The feeling of finally being able to say:“You don't have to worry anymore. I can take care of myself. And I can take care of you too.” But Dreams Can Become a Pressure Too Sometimes, a girl wants so badly to make her parents proud that her dream becomes mixed with fear. She starts thinking: What if I fail? What if I disappoint them? What if all their sacrifices were for nothing? What if I cannot become the person they believe I can be? She may study late at night while everyone else is sleeping. She may continue working even when she is tired. She may hide her failures because she doesn't want anyone to worry. And sometimes, she forgets something important: Her parents may want her to succeed, but she is still allowed to learn through failure. A failed attempt does not make her a failure. A delayed dream does not make her unsuccessful. Taking a different path does not mean she has disappointed everyone.
The Third Girl Child 30 She Is Allowed to Change Her Dream A girl is not required to choose one dream at eighteen and carry it perfectly for the rest of her life. She is allowed to change. She is allowed to discover new interests. She is allowed to realize that something she once wanted is no longer what she wants. She is allowed to begin again. She is allowed to say: “This is not the life I want anymore.” And choose another path. Because growing up is also about discovering who you are. Not just becoming who everyone expected you to be. The Dream She Almost Gave Up Sometimes the biggest obstacle between a girl and her dream is not a lack of ability. It is fear. Fear of failure. Fear of judgment. Fear of disappointing people. Fear of being called selfish.
A Girl with Dreams of Her Own 31 Fear of being different. Fear of hearing: “You should have choosen something else.” So, she stands at a crossroads. One path is safe. The other path is the one her heart keeps calling her toward. And she has to decide. Not everyone will understand her choice. Not everyone will support her immediately. Some people may laugh. Some may doubt her. Some may even tell her that her dream is too big. But a dream does not become impossible simply because someone else cannot see it. She Deserves a Life She Chooses She can respect her family while making thoughtful decisions about her future. Her life can include love, responsibility, ambition, and personal happiness. She does not need to erase her own identity to prove that she cares about the people around her. She is also someone worth choosing. Her Dreams Are Not Too Much Sometimes, all a girl needs is one person to say: “I believe you can do it.”
The Third Girl Child 32 One person who doesn't laugh at her dream. One person who doesn't make her feel guilty for wanting more. One person who reminds her that she is capable. But even when nobody says those words, she must slowly learn to say them to herself. I believe in myself. I may be scared. I may fail. I may take longer than others. I may have to begin again. But I will not stop dreaming simply because the journey is difficult. Because dreams deserve effort. Dreams deserve courage. And dreams deserve a chance.
33 Chapter 5: When Everyone Expects Her to Understand A girl is often taught to understand everyone. Understand your parents. Understand your siblings. Understand your family. Understand the situation. Understand that things cannot always go your way. And slowly, “understanding” becomes something everyone expects from her. When her mother is tired, she understands. When her father is worried, she understands. When her siblings make mistakes, she is told to adjust. When someone speaks harshly because they are stressed, she is expected to forgive. When something doesn't go according to her wishes, she is told, “You should understand.” And most of the time, she does. She stays quiet. She adjusts. She compromises.
The Third Girl Child 34 She tells herself that maybe the other person has a reason. Maybe they are tired. Maybe they are worried. Maybe they didn't mean it. Maybe tomorrow will be better. But sometimes, she wonders: Why am I always the one who has to understand? She says; Who Understands Me? People may know that she is responsible. They may know that she is mature. They may say, “She will understand.” But sometimes, those words become a burden. Because when everyone believes she will understand, nobody thinks they need to explain themselves to her. Nobody asks what she wanted. Nobody asks whether she was hurt. Nobody asks whether she was tired of adjusting. They simply expect her to accept. And she does. Until one day, she doesn't. And suddenly, people may say: “You have changed.”
When Everyone Expects Her To Understand 35 But perhaps she hasn't changed. Perhaps she has simply reached the point where she can no longer keep putting herself last. Understanding Should Not Mean Accepting Everything Being understanding is not the same as accepting every hurtful thing. A girl can understand why someone is angry without accepting disrespect. She can understand her parents' concerns without giving up every dream. She can understand her family's difficulties without ignoring her own needs. She can forgive someone without pretending that nothing happened. She can love someone and still set boundaries. Understanding others should never require abandoning herself. She Has Difficult Days Too Sometimes she doesn't want to be the mature one. Sometimes she wants someone else to take care of things. Sometimes she wants to say, “I can't do this today.” Sometimes she wants to cry without having to explain why. Sometimes she wants someone to notice that she is tired before she has to say it.
The Third Girl Child 36 But because she has always been the one who understands, people may forget that she needs understanding too. She may be everyone's safe place. But where does she go when she needs one? The Day She Learns to Speak There comes a time when she realizes that constantly adjusting is not the same as being kind. Always saying yes is not the same as being good. Keeping quiet is not always peace. And putting everyone before herself is not always love. So, she begins to speak. She says: “This hurt me.” “I need some time.” “I don't agree.” “I need help.” “This is important to me too.” And perhaps some people will not like it. But that doesn't mean she is wrong. She is simply learning that her voice deserves space too.
When Everyone Expects Her To Understand 37 She Can Understand Them Without Forgetting Herself Understanding others should not require her to silence herself. She can listen, show compassion, and consider other people's circumstances while still expressing what she needs. Healthy understanding makes room for both people—not just the one who is expected to adjust. She deserves to be heard, too. She can be caring without becoming responsible for everyone's happiness. She can be patient without allowing people to take her for granted. She can understand others while still asking others to understand her. Because she deserves the same patience she gives. The same kindness. The same forgiveness. The same space to make mistakes. The same opportunity to say what she feels. And perhaps the most important thing she needs to understand is this: She does not have to earn love by constantly adjusting herself. She is worthy of love even when she says no. Even when she disagrees. Even when she makes mistakes. Even when she chooses herself.
The Third Girl Child 38 Because being a good daughter does not mean being an invisible daughter. She deserves to be understood too.
39 Chapter 6: The Comparison She Never Asked For A girl can grow up hearing comparisons before she even understands what comparison means. Sometimes, it comes from family. Sometimes, from relatives. Sometimes, from friends. And sometimes, the hardest comparison comes from herself. She may hear: “Look at her. She is doing so well.” “Why can't you be like her?” “She studies better than you.” “Her career is already settled.” “She is more confident.” “She is more responsible.” At first, she may simply listen. But when she hears the same things again and again, she may slowly start believing them. She begins to wonder: “Am I not good enough?” “Why am I not like her?” “What am I doing wrong?”
The Third Girl Child 40 And without realizing it, she starts measuring her worth against someone else’s life. When Someone Else Becomes the Standard Every girl has a different story. Different parents. Different circumstances. Different opportunities. Different struggles. Different dreams. Yet people often compare their results without knowing their journeys. They see the girl who scored higher. They don't see how many hours she studied. They see someone getting a job. They don't see the years of preparation behind it. They see someone's confidence. They don't see the battles that person may have fought to build it. They see someone's success. They don't see the failures that came before it. A girl may be doing her best and still feel like she is falling behind simply because someone else reached somewhere before her. But life was never meant to be a race with one finish line.
The Comparison She Never Asked For 41 She Starts Comparing Herself Sometimes nobody needs to compare her. She does it herself. She looks at someone her age and thinks: “She has already achieved so much.” She opens social media and sees people travelling, graduating, earning, starting businesses, building careers and living lives that looks perfect. And suddenly, her own progress feels small. She forgets that she is seeing only a part of someone else’s life. She doesn't see their fears. She doesn't see their failures. She doesn't see their difficult days. She doesn't see what happens when the camera is turned off. Yet she compares their visible life with her entire life. And that comparison can be unfair. The Girl Who Feels Left Behind There may be a time when she feels that everyone is moving forward except her. Her friends may get jobs. Her classmates may achieve their goals. Someone younger than her may succeed. Relatives may start asking questions. “So, what are you doing now?” “When will you get a job?” “What is your plan?” She may smile and answer politely. But inside, she may wonder:
The Third Girl Child 42 “Am I too late?” No. She is not too late. Some people reach their dreams early. Some take longer. Some have to stop because of family responsibilities. Some fail and begin again. Some change their path completely. And some take a little longer because they are trying to build something that takes time. A different timeline does not mean a failed life. She Doesn't Have to Become Herself There will always be someone who is better than her at something. Someone may be more confident. Someone may be more talented. Someone may have better opportunities. Someone may achieve something before her. She can admire them. She can learn from them. She can celebrate their success. But she does not have to become them. Because her life was never supposed to be a copy of someone else’s. She has her own strengths. Her own weaknesses. Her own dreams.
The Comparison She Never Asked For 43 Her own pace. Her own story. Another girl's success does not make her less successful. There is room for more than one girl to shine. The Pressure to Prove Herself Sometimes comparison creates another kind of pressure. The pressure to prove herself. She wants to prove that the people who doubted her were wrong. She wants to prove that she is capable. She wants to prove that her dreams were not foolish. She wants to prove that she can make her parents proud. And there is nothing wrong with wanting to prove yourself. But she must be careful. Because if her entire life becomes about proving people wrong, she may forget to ask: “What do I actually want?” She deserves to build a life because it makes her happy—not only because someone once told her she couldn't do it. Her Pace Is Still Progress There will be days when she moves quickly. There will be days when she moves slowly. There will be days when she feels motivated.
The Third Girl Child 44 And there will be days when she simply needs to rest. That does not make her lazy. It makes her human. She should not hate herself for taking longer. She should not feel ashamed because someone else reached the destination first. A seed does not become a tree because someone tells it to grow faster. It grows in its own time. And so does she. One Day, She Stops Comparing One day, she may look back and realize something important. She was never behind. She was simply walking a different road. The years she thought she was wasting may have been the years she was learning. The failures she was ashamed of may have taught her strength. The delays she hated may have prepared her for something she could not yet see. And the girl she kept comparing herself to was never supposed to be her. She was supposed to become herself. So let her grow. Let her learn. Let her take her time. Let her change her mind.
The Comparison She Never Asked For 45 Let her begin again. Let her become successful in her own way. Because a girl's worth cannot be measured by how quickly she reaches the life someone else imagined for her. She only needs to keep moving toward a life that feels true to her.
47 Chapter 7: The Weight of Being “A Good Daughter” A girl grows up hearing what a good daughter should be. She should listen. She should respect everyone. She should understand her parents. She should adjust. She should study well. She should make good decisions. She should not create problems. She should make her family proud. And slowly, without realizing it, she starts building an image of the “perfect daughter” in her mind. She begins to believe that being a good daughter means never disappointing anyone. But is that really what being a good daughter means? When Being Good Becomes a Pressure She may want to say no, but she says yes. She may disagree, but she stays quiet. She may be tired, but she keeps going. She may have her own plans, but she changes them because someone
The Third Girl Child 48 needs her. She may make a mistake, but instead of forgiving herself, she immediately thinks: “I should have known better.” Because somewhere inside her, there is a fear: “What if they think I'm not a good daughter?” And that fear can become heavy. She Wants to Make Her Family Proud A daughter often wants to see pride in her parents' eyes. She wants her hard work to mean something. She wants them to say: “We are proud of you.” So, she works harder. She studies when she is tired. She keeps trying after failure. She tries to become someone her parents can depend on. There is something beautiful about wanting to make your parents proud. But she should also remember: Her worth does not depend on how perfectly she can fulfil their expectations.
The Weight of Being “ A Good Daughter" 49 A Good Daughter Can Make Mistakes She can make the wrong decision. She can fail an examination. She can choose a different career. She can disagree with her parents. She can change her mind. She can have a bad day. She can lose her patience. None of these things make her a bad daughter. She is a human being before she is a daughter. And all human beings can make mistakes. She Doesn't Have to Be Perfect She does not have to prove her love through perfection. She can be a caring daughter while admitting that she has limits, needs, and dreams of her own. Being there when she can. Respecting others while also respecting herself. And understanding that sometimes, she needs herself too. She doesn't have to sacrifice every dream to prove that she loves her family. She doesn't have to say yes to everything to prove that she cares.
The Third Girl Child 50 She doesn't have to hide her feelings to keep everyone happy. The Girl Behind the “Good Daughter” Behind every responsible daughter is still a girl who wants: To laugh. To travel. To dream. To make mistakes. To fall in love with life. To build a career. To have her own choices. To discover who she really is. She can be a loving daughter and still have a life of her own. She can make her parents proud without making herself disappear. Because being a good daughter should never mean forgetting that she is also a person. And Maybe She Finally Understands Perhaps what matters most is that she grows into a happy, confident, independent woman who understands that being a good daughter does not require her to be perfect.
51 Chapter 8: A Girl Who Wants to Give, But Also Wants to Live A girl can love her family deeply. She can dream of giving her parents everything they deserve. She can want to support her siblings. She can want to make her family proud. She can dream of becoming successful enough to change the life of the people she loves. But somewhere inside all those dreams, there is another dream. A quieter one. A dream that belongs only to her. She wants to live. Not just survive. Not just fulfil responsibilities. Not just become the daughter everyone expects her to be. She wants to experience life for herself. She Wants to Give Many girls grow up with a beautiful desire to give. They imagine earning their own money and buying something for their parents. They imagine taking their family on a trip. They imagine making
The Third Girl Child 52 their mother's life easier. They imagine giving their father something he once wanted but could not afford. They imagine becoming independent enough to say: “You don't have to worry about me anymore.” For some girls, success is not only about a designation or a salary. It is about giving back. It is about turning their parents' sacrifices into something meaningful. It is about seeing happiness on the faces of the people they love. And there is nothing wrong with that dream. But sometimes, while thinking about what they can give others, girls forget to ask: “What do I want to give myself?” She Wants to Live Too She wants to travel. She wants to explore places she has never seen. She wants to buy something without calculating whether she should spend the money. She wants to sit somewhere peaceful and watch the sunset. She wants to laugh loudly. She wants to make memories. She wants to build a career she is proud of.
The Girl Who Wants to Give, But Also Wants to Live 53 She wants to discover new things. She wants to have friendships. She wants to enjoy the years she is living right now. She wants to wake up one day and feel: “This is my life, and I am happy to be living it.” These wishes do not make her selfish. They make her human.. The Guilt of Choosing Herself Sometimes, a girl feels guilty for wanting something for herself. She may think: Shouldn't I save this money? Shouldn't I be doing something for my family instead? Should I really take this opportunity if it means being away from home? Am I thinking only about myself? And sometimes, she gives up what she wants before anyone even asks her to. Because she has learned to think about everyone else first. But choosing herself sometimes does not mean choosing against her family. It can simply mean remembering that she is part of the family too. Her happiness matters.
The Third Girl Child 54 Her dreams matter. Her experiences matter. Her life matters. She Doesn't Want Her Life to Become Only Sacrifice There is a difference between sacrifice and losing yourself. A girl may willingly make sacrifices for the people she loves. That can be beautiful. But she should not feel that her entire life must be a sacrifice to prove that she is a good daughter. She should not have to look back one day and realize that she spent her youth only fulfilling responsibilities while forgetting to live. She deserves memories too. She deserves experiences too. She deserves moments that are not connected to duty. Because one day, when she looks back at her life, she should not only remember everything she did for everyone else. She should also remember what she did for herself. Giving And Living Can Exist Together Giving and living can exist together. This does not mean she must divide every moment equally between herself and others. It means she can make room for both in the life she builds. She can help her family while making plans for her own future. She can
The Girl Who Wants to Give, But Also Wants to Live 55 save for important responsibilities while allowing herself small joys. She can be present for the people she loves without believing that every personal desire must wait. A balanced life will not always be easy to create. But she does not have to treat her own happiness as the price of being a loving daughter. She can work hard for her future and still enjoy her present. She can care deeply about others and still care about herself. Giving does not have to mean disappearing. Love does not have to mean sacrifice every time. Responsibility does not have to mean giving up every desire. There can be space for both. There can be space for her family. And there can be space for her. She Deserves to Enjoy the Life She Is Building Sometimes, a girl spends so much time preparing for the future that she forgets she is already living her life. She keeps telling herself: “After I become successful.” “After I get a good job.” “After I become independent.” “After everything is settled.” But life does not always wait for everything to become perfect. She deserves to enjoy the journey too. She deserves small
The Third Girl Child 56 celebrations. She deserves peaceful evenings. She deserves laughter with friends. She deserves new experiences. She deserves to look around and realize that she is living moments she once prayed for. Her life should not begin only after she achieves everything. She is allowed to live while she is becoming. She Is Allowed to Want More Wanting more does not mean being ungrateful. She can be grateful for what she has and still dream of what she wants. She can love her home and still want to see the world. She can appreciate her family and still want independence. She can be proud of how far she has come and still want to go further. There is nothing wrong with wanting a life that offers more opportunities, freedom, and room to grow. Gratitude for what she has does not require her to stop dreaming about what she could become. Gratitude and ambition can exist together. Love and independence can exist together. Family and individuality can exist together.
The Girl Who Wants to Give, But Also Wants to Live 57 She Wants to Give Without Disappearing Perhaps this is what she needs to learn most: She can give without forgetting herself. She can love without losing herself. She can support others without forgetting her own needs. She can be there for her family without becoming responsible for every problem. She deserves to give, but she also deserves to receive. She deserves to care, but she also deserves to be cared for. She does not have to disappear inside her responsibilities. She can give to the people she loves—and still leave enough of herself to live.
59 Chapter 9: The Girl Who Chooses Herself There comes a moment in a girl's life when she realizes something important. She has spent so much time thinking about everyone else that she has forgotten to ask herself: “What do I want?” She knows what her parents want. She knows what her family expects. She knows what society considers right. She knows what a “good daughter” is supposed to be. But what about her? What does she want her life to look like? For some girls, asking this question can feel almost selfish. Because they have been taught to adjust before they have learned to choose. Choosing Herself Doesn't Mean Choosing Against Them A girl may fear that choosing herself means hurting the people she loves. She may think: If I choose my career, will they feel neglected? If I move away for my dreams, will they think I don't care?
The Third Girl Child 60 If I say no, will they think I've changed? If I choose a different path, will they be disappointed? But choosing herself does not mean abandoning her family. It means recognizing that her life belongs to her too. She can love her parents and still make her own decisions. She can respect their opinions without making every decision according to them. She can listen to advice without losing her own voice. And she can choose her future without feeling guilty for having one. She Learns to Say “No” For a girl who has spent years adjusting, saying “no” can feel difficult. She may worry about disappointing someone. She may explain herself again and again. She may even apologize for having a boundary. But slowly, she learns: No is a complete answer. She doesn't have to say yes just because someone expects it. She doesn't have to accept something that makes her uncomfortable. She doesn't have to sacrifice her peace every time someone asks. Saying no does not make her rude. It teaches her that her needs matter too.
The Girl Who Chooses Herself 61 She Stops Seeking Permission for Every Dream There was a time when she needed everyone to believe in her before she could believe in herself. One person's doubt could make her question everything. But she slowly changes. She begins to understand that not everyone will understand her dreams. Not everyone will support her immediately. Not everyone will see what she sees. And that's okay. She doesn't need everyone's permission to dream. She needs the courage to take the first step. She Learns That Self-Respect Is Not Selfishness There is a difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself. Selfishness says: “Only I matter.” Self-respect says: “I matter too.” She doesn't have to put herself above everyone. She simply has to stop putting herself below everyone. She deserves rest. She deserves respect.
The Third Girl Child 62 She deserves opportunities. She deserves happiness. She deserves a voice. And she doesn't have to earn these things by becoming perfect. She Will Still Feel Guilty Sometimes Choosing herself does not suddenly make everything easy. There may still be moments when she feels guilty. She may wonder whether she could have done more. She may worry about what others think. She may miss people when she chooses to follow her own path. She may question whether she made the right decision. But growing does not mean never feeling uncertain. Sometimes, courage is simply moving forward while still being afraid. She Begins to Trust Herself Slowly, she stops asking everyone: “What should I do?” And begins asking herself: “What feels right for me?” She starts listening to her own voice. She starts understanding her strengths.
The Girl Who Chooses Herself 63 She accepts that she will make mistakes. She learns from them. She begins to trust that even if she takes a wrong turn, she can find her way again. And that is when something changes. She is no longer simply becoming the girl everyone expects her to be. She is becoming herself. She Chooses Herself Without Losing Her Heart Choosing herself does not make her less loving. She can still call her parents. Still care for her family. Still celebrate their happiness. Still help when she can. Still remember where she came from. She no longer believes that love requires her to abandon her own needs. She can remain connected to her family while taking responsibility for her choices. Independence does not have to mean emotional distance; it can mean having the confidence to build a life that reflects who she is. burden on her shoulders. She can build her future without feeling guilty about having one. And perhaps that is the kind of independence she was searching for all along. Not independence from the people she loves. Independence within herself.
The Third Girl Child 64 One Day, She Understands She does not have to make every decision perfectly. She only has to learn to make decisions with honesty, courage, and respect for herself and others. She may still feel uncertain. She may still worry about disappointing people. But she can listen to advice without surrendering her judgment, and she can care for others without ignoring her own needs. Choosing herself is not a rejection of the people she loves. It is an acceptance of the person she is becoming. And perhaps, for the first time, she can say without guilt: “I love you. I care about you. I will always be there when I can. But I also have a life to live.” And she finally gives herself permission to live it.
65 Chapter 10: She Doesn’t Want to Leave Them Behind Success means something different to every girl. For some, it means a career. For some, financial independence. For some, a position they worked years to achieve. For others, it simply means being able to make their own decisions and live with confidence. But for many girls, success carries another meaning. They don't want to succeed alone. They want the people they love to be part of the journey. She Remembers Where She Came From When a girl begins moving toward her dreams, she doesn't suddenly forget her beginning. She remembers the home she grew up in. The people who supported her. The sacrifices that were made for her education. The meals prepared for her. The worries her parents carried silently. The small things that made her childhood possible. She remembers the days when her dreams were only dreams. And perhaps that is why success feels different to her. It is not just: “I made it.” It is:
The Third Girl Child 66 “We made it.” She Wants to Give Back She may dream about her first salary. Not only because she will finally earn her own money. But because she imagines what she will do with it. Maybe she will buy something for her mother. Maybe she will give something to her father. Maybe she will help with the household. Maybe she will save for her family's future. Maybe she will simply take her parents somewhere they have always wanted to go. These may look like small things to someone else. But to her, they can mean everything. Because behind every dream of giving back is a simple thought: “You did so much for me. Now let me do something for you.”
She Doesn’t Wants to Leave Them Behind 67 She Wants to Change the Family Story Sometimes a girl dreams bigger than herself because she has seen what her family has struggled through. She wants better opportunities. More financial security. More freedom. More comfort. More choices. She wants the next generation to have opportunities that perhaps she did not have. And slowly, her personal dream becomes something bigger. She doesn't only want to change her own life. She wants to bring happiness, comfort, and new possibilities into the lives of the people she loves. She wants to give her parents the things they once wished for. She wants to fulfil the dreams they may have kept aside for their children. She wants to make their lives more comfortable and give them the security of knowing that tomorrow can be better. She wants to be someone her family can feel proud of. Someone who can turn their years of hard work and sacrifices into beautiful moments of happiness.
The Third Girl Child 68 Every milestone she reaches carries a little hope for her family, too. Her dreams are not limited to her own achievements. Every milestone she reaches carries a little hope for her family, too. She wants to grow, succeed, and make the most of every opportunity, not just for herself but also for the people who have always been a part of her journey. Because for her, success becomes even more meaningful when she can share its happiness with her family. She Doesn't Want Success to Create Distance Sometimes people fear that becoming successful will change a person. A girl may fear that too. She may wonder: Will I become too busy? Will I forget my family? Will I become a different person? Will success take me away from the people I love? But success does not have to mean forgetting where she came from. She can grow without becoming distant. She can build a new life while keeping the people she loves close to her heart. She can travel far and still call home. She can become independent and
She Doesn’t Wants to Leave Them Behind 69 still need her parents sometimes. She can achieve more and still remain grateful. She Wants to Take Them with Her There may come a day when she stands somewhere she once only dreamed of reaching. And instead of looking around and thinking, “I finally made it.” She may think: “I wish they could see this.” Because some achievements feel incomplete when the people you love cannot share them. She wants her parents to experience the happiness they helped create. She wants her siblings to believe that their dreams are possible too. She wants the people who supported her to enjoy the life they helped her build. She doesn't want to reach the top and look down at everyone she left behind. She wants to turn around and say: “Come with me.” But She Cannot Save Everyone There is something she must learn along the way. Loving her family does not mean she can solve every problem. She cannot control everyone's choices. She cannot remove every difficulty.
The Third Girl Child 70 She cannot protect everyone from every pain. And she should not blame herself when life remains imperfect. Her responsibility is not to create a perfect life for everyone. Her responsibility is to build a meaningful life while helping where she can. Sometimes, the best thing she can give her family is not money. It is hope. It is courage. It is an example. It is showing them that difficult beginnings do not have to decide the ending. Her Success Becomes a Door When she becomes independent, she may open doors for others. A younger sister may look at her and think: “If she can do it, maybe I can too.” A younger brother may learn to respect the dreams of the girls around him. Her parents may feel secure knowing that their daughter can stand on her own feet. And another girl somewhere may see her story and find the courage to begin her own. That is when her success becomes bigger than herself. It becomes an example. A possibility.
She Doesn’t Wants to Leave Them Behind 71 A door that can remain open for someone else. She Can Rise Without Leaving Her Roots She doesn't have to choose between ambition and family. She doesn't have to choose between independence and love. She doesn't have to choose between building her future and remembering her past. She Doesn’t Have to Choose Between Herself and Her Family A girl's success does not have to mean leaving everyone behind. She can rise and still remember where she came from. She can become independent and still remain connected to her family. She can build her own future and still help build theirs. She doesn't have to choose between “my dreams” and “my family.” Sometimes, she can carry both. And perhaps that is what makes her dreams different. Her dream is not only about reaching the top. It is about reaching the top and looking back to say: “Come with me. There is enough room for all of us.” Because she was never dreaming only for herself. Her dreams were never hers alone. She can rise. She can grow.
The Third Girl Child 72 She can become successful. And she can still remember the people who stood beside her when she had nothing to show but a dream. Because the strongest kind of success is not the one that makes her say: “I left everything behind.” It is the one that allows her to say: “I came this far, and I still remember who walked with me.” And When She Finally Reaches Her Dream Perhaps one day, she will stand in a place she once only imagined. She will remember the girl she used to be. She will remember the girl she used to be. The girl who studied with a dream in her heart. The girl who worried about whether she would succeed. The girl who wondered if she was capable enough. The girl who sometimes felt behind. The girl who was afraid that choosing her own dream might mean leaving the people she loved behind. And then she will look around and realize that she made it.
She Doesn’t Wants to Leave Them Behind 73 She will remember the people who encouraged her, waited for her, and supported her when she doubted herself. Her success will mean more than reaching a position or earning a salary. It will mean creating possibilities that once seemed out of reach. She cannot solve every problem or make everyone's life perfect. But she can help where she can, share what she has, and become an example for those who are still finding their way. She does not have to leave her roots to grow. She can build a future of her own while remembering the people who helped her reach it. And when she finally reaches the place she once dreamed of, perhaps she will turn around and say: “I didn't come this far just to leave you behind. I came this far so that one day, I could take you with me.” Because her success was never meant to create distance. It was meant to create possibilities.
75 Chapter 11: Her Dreams Were Never Hers Alone Perhaps, after everything she has lived through, she finally understands what her dreams really meant. They were never only about a career. They were never only about money. They were never only about success. They were about becoming someone she could be proud of. Someone who could stand on her own feet. Someone who could make her own choices. Someone who could love her family without losing herself. Someone who could look at her past without allowing it to decide her future. She once thought her beginning made her different. Then she thought she had to prove that she was enough. Then she learned to understand everyone. She learned to carry responsibilities. She learned to hide feelings. She learned what comparison could do. She learned how heavy the words “good daughter” could become. She learned to dream.
The Third Girl Child 76 She learned to choose herself. And finally, she learned something even more important: She was never required to become someone else to deserve a beautiful life. She Becomes the Person She Once Needed The little girl who once needed someone to tell her that she was enough grows into a woman who can tell herself the same. She becomes her own encouragement. Her own reminder. Her own safe place. She no longer needs everyone to understand her before she believes in herself. She has learned that mistakes do not make her worthless, that changing direction is part of growing, and that she can make her own choices while remaining a loving daughter. She does not need to become perfect before she begins living with confidence. She Finally Understands Her Beginning Maybe she once wondered why she had to be the girl child. Maybe she wondered whether her life would have been different if she had been born a boy. Maybe she carried questions that she was too young to understand.
Her Dreams were Never Hers Alone 77 But now she knows something she could never have understood then: Her beginning did not decide her ending. Being a girl was never something she needed to apologize for. Being the daughter did not make her less important. Other people's expectations did not determine her worth. Her mistakes did not make her a failure. And her dreams were never too much. She only needed the courage to keep becoming herself. To Every Girl Reading This Maybe you are the first daughter. Maybe the second. Maybe the third. Maybe the youngest. Maybe you are the girl who feels responsible for everyone. Maybe you are the girl who is trying to make her parents proud. Maybe you are studying for a dream that nobody completely understands. Maybe you are afraid of failing. Maybe you are tired of being compared. Maybe you are tired of being told to understand.
The Third Girl Child 78 Maybe you are wondering whether you are enough. If you are, I want you to remember this: You are allowed to dream. You are allowed to choose. You are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to change. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to say no. You are allowed to want more. You are allowed to love your family and still build a life of your own. You are allowed to become successful. You are allowed to become independent. And most importantly— You are allowed to become yourself. Her Dreams Were Never Hers Alone Her dreams began with her. A daughter’s dream often carries more than just her own ambition. It can carry the love, sacrifices, hopes and memories of the people who shaped her. She wanted to succeed, but she also wanted her success to mean something.
Her Dreams were Never Hers Alone 79 She wanted to become independent, but she never wanted independence to mean forgetting the people she loved. She wanted to build her own life, but she also wanted to create a better life for those who had helped her reach it. And yet, she finally understands something important: She does not have to carry everyone to prove that she loves them. She does not have to save everyone. She does not have to sacrifice herself. She simply has to keep becoming the woman she wants to be. A woman who remembers where she came from. A woman who knows where she is going. A woman who loves deeply. A woman who dreams boldly. A woman who gives when she can. A woman who knows when to choose herself. And perhaps, one day, when she looks back at the little girl, she once was, she will no longer ask, “Was I enough?” She will simply smile and say: “You always were.” And maybe that is where her story truly begins. THE END
81 A Letter Beyond the Pages 1. A Letter to Every Daughter Dear Daughter, If you have ever felt that you had to be strong for everyone, this is for you. If you have ever wondered whether your dreams were too big, this is for you. If you have ever felt guilty for choosing yourself, I hope you remember that you are allowed to live too. 2. To the Parents of a daughter A daughter does not need perfect parents. She needs parents who listen. Parents who let her dream. Parents who allow her to make mistakes and learn from them. Parents who understand that raising a daughter is not only about protecting her future, but also allowing her to create it. 3. A Message to The Girl Who Feels She Is Not Enough You are enough before the achievement. You are enough before the degree.
82 You are enough before the salary. You are enough long before anyone calls you successful. Your worth does not depend on your success. Being a girl is not a weakness. Your strength lies in who you are, what you believe in, and the life you choose to build. 4. Final Note from the Author I did not write this book because I know everything about being a daughter. I wrote it because I believe there are many girls carrying feelings they struggle to express. This book began with one story, but it was never meant to remain only one girl's story. It is for every girl who has ever wondered whether she could love her family and still choose herself. If you found even one part of yourself in these pages, then perhaps this book has reached the person it was meant for. Give love. Chase your dreams. Take your people with you, but never forget to live your own life.
83 About The Author I am Bhoomi Murekar, an inspiring author who believes that the every daughter carries a world of dreams emotions and unspoken responsibilities within her. Through The Third Girl Child, I explore the unspoken emotions of daughters, the responsibilities they carry, the dreams they quietly nurtures and the expectations that shape their lives. I believe that every daughter has a story of her own- one filled with hopes, sacrifices, questions, and dreams that deserve to be understood. Through this book, I hope to give a voice to feelings that many daughters experience but rarely express. For me, writing is a way to understand emotions, explore human relationships, and bring unspoken thoughts into the light. The Third Girl Child is a meaningful step of my journey as a writer. Through these pages, I hope to remind every daughter that her feelings matters, her identity matters, and her dreams deserve a chance to become real.
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