In 2009, when Obama won the Nobel Peace prize, his daughter’s reaction to the prize was priceless. In his own words, “Malia walked in and said, ‘Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo’s birthday.’ And then Sasha added, `Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up.’ So it’s good to have kids to keep things in perspective.” Bo was the family’s Portuguese water dog.
This weekend was one I was looking forward to- to dig into my preordered copy of Indra Nooyi’s “My Life in Full”. Laced with anecdotes, there’s a popular one that never ceases to tickle a smile out even today. When Indra comes home, one evening, to share the news of her appointment as the President of Pepsico, her mother responds- “Leave that crown in the garage”, after asking her to go out and get milk.
Between all the anecdotes, is a tale of struggles and triumphs. Indra’s story is that of many a working woman who strives to live up to the self-expectations of an A grader at home and work. Some days she slips the grades. Some days, she’s an A+ at work but B- at home. And on those days, skeptics will volunteer to explain her scores- “the prize at work could not have come without slippage of home duties.”
Contrary to popular opinion, maybe she doesn’t want to have it all. Maybe she wants to give herself, her multidimensionality, a good shot?
It’s 2021.
The world has enough space for women who love to read business books as much as recipes, plan budgets for the nation and organizations as much as for home, help with presentations as much as homework.
Agree?
Liji Thomas 
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