Best Letter: Ray of Hope

A space to share your feedback. Over to you.

Lisa Ray, your cover girl for the Feb 12 issue (My life is a split-screen), was once named the 'ninth most beautiful woman of the millennium' by a leading daily in India. But what impressed me most is that her ethereal beauty is not just skin deep - it trickles into the deep recesses of her free soul. Having read her words "I refuse to follow anyone else's script as to how my life should go..." made me wish that more women would stand up to stereotyping and choose to live life on their own terms.
Lisa is a true rebel and thus brought about a new dimension to the word 'success'. She is not just focused on the money, or on being in the limelight, or even on the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. Instead, she chose her own path - to be free, to learn and travel, to write, to practice yoga, art and meditation and, most importantly, to give back to society.
She also didn't get bogged down by her illness, an incurable form of cancer, but channelled her energy into creating awareness through her campaign 'Make Myeloma Matter'.
Lisa seems to have done it all and it is commendable how she manages her 'split-screen' life. Thank you for shedding light on her incredible feats.
 
 
» the Role Model Supermodel
It was intriguing to come across the double life of Lisa Ray, one of India's first supermodels; at first glance, what stands out is her struggle against truly accepting her lucky break - a chance many would kill for - and wanting to fulfill her own Booker Prize dreams (My life is a split-screen, Feb 12).
But there are deeper undercurrents to her story with her charming free spiritedness and need for solitude and calm, away from the Bollywood glitz. Not many people would have the strength to walk away from the spotlight, and would resort to anything to stay relevant.
Her thoughts on being a survivor are intensely beautiful and uplifting; she is not helpless, rather a stronger, better version of herself. It was a true pleasure to read about a smart and gorgeous woman who makes her own bold decisions, fuelled by creativity and adventure, and doesn't care to sacrifice the important things in life for fickle fame.
Kiran Anand R, Abu Dhabi
 
I am glad that I picked up wknd. this week. The article written by Sujata Assomull (My life is a split-screen, Feb 12) is about Lisa Ray, a woman that I have adored as far back as I can remember. Having personally given up a successful career to raise a three-year-old brought its own share of chaos and confusion for me. Because of this, I totally agree with the split-screen analogy. The joy of seeing him every day brings immense pleasure and yet there is a part of me that feels like my 'talents' are wasted.
Reading Lisa's journey cemented my belief that if I am true to who I really am, I can deal with my anxieties. It is very easy to get lost in the 'wants' of daily life. And I appreciate how Lisa understood the difference between the inner self and the external identity.
Supriya Sahai, by email 
» THE FEAR OF FALLING IN LOVE
With February being the month of love, the article "Are you a Commitment Phobe?" (wknd, Feb 12) invited us to take some time out to evaluate ourselves. In today's modern world, when people can easily connect or meet others from all across the world, it is easy to see why one might have issues with commitment. And although it has been mocked by the movie industry, commitment phobia must be given the same weightage as any other phobia.
I was sceptical myself, when it came to being committed. All of us have dreams and desires, which may have to be compromised in a relationship. However, I believe that it would be foolish to think that being committed would deprive us of the pleasures of life. The good news is that once the phobia is identified, one can start working on it - and be more accepting of a healthy relationship.
Jisha Louis, by email 
» SUITS FOR THE SOUL
I was impressed how this week's edition of wknd. (Feb 12) managed to pack in inspiring articles without any clichés. We have all read so many articles about cancer survivors, but Lisa Ray's is special because of her own powerful outlook . The article on commitment phobia was also a good read. And one of the most special parts of your Valentine's Day lineup was the suits guide. In a time when most magazines target women and tell them how to 'get the look', it is refreshing to see an article helping men look their best. This is doubly important for Valentine's Day! It's time for the men to step up and bring their A-game.
Nupur Dixit, Dubai