Friday, 4th June, 2021, 22:34 IST

Today I had the first-ever spa of my life. I've never been into any therapy, but I swear this felt like a trip to paradise. I almost felt the fatigue slipping away. Although I went for a usual haircut, but then played along with the vibe. It was a self-funded grooming session (haha)!

I always ran away from things like this, considering them to be "too girlish". I somehow felt like - taking care of my physical self is not something worth spending time on. Full disclosure - this was a foolish decision and, I wish I could undo it.

I deprived myself of many pleasures by masking myself as a boy to portray my strong & firm nature. Even though this shaped me into the person that I am today, I felt unnatural at times. Ironically, I saw a lot of my female friends who did the same. Maybe it was a way for us to stand tall in the room regardless of our gender.

Thanks to my partner for helping me realise "being me" is the only mask I need. I don't need to disguise myself as anyone else to enjoy things I like.

Unlike how I imagined this grooming session should feel, I ended up feeling more confident and relaxed. I would have had more fun if it wasn't for our super talkative parlour host. She was talking about how all of us are going to die in 2022. Desi spas come with a lot of drama.

Anyway, I plan to give myself more such treats in the frequent future. Unhesitatingly.