a name is just a name, a rose by any other name is still a rose....

Juliet speaking:

What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.
~ Shakespeare , Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II

This will make some of you squirm and you men, may blush a little, but I find that I need to think out loud on this one. I'm not talking about a rose or any other flower for that matter, but instead, I'm talking about Periods! Y'know... the eicky, gooey, annoying (to some relief) thing that women have to go through for a good 30 to 40 years of their life. Ok! Ok! some of you aren't comfortable with that word, so what shall we call it?? Let's see there's a more professional name to it " menstruation"... then there's the camouflouged name of "Aunty Rose" (who usually come along with Uncle Pain and Aunty Flo(w)), there's also "crimson flow" (doesn't that sound like a movie? I half expect Denzel to come rushing out!) oh and this one amused me heaps! "KETCHUP WEEK"!! That will surely put me off any sort of Ketchup for LIFE! 

But seriously, I mean, it's not something that happens only in Malaysia, in fact I remember reading somewhere that it's a worldwide similarity. Girls/ women all over the universe have some name for it or the other! In fact, i would take a calculated guess and say that only 8 or maybe 10% of women actually use the word Period! Or will say "I got my period today". 5 simple words that somehow struggles to be formed, and when you finally do say it.. you say it as quickly, swallowing half your words and with a blush on your face with hopes the listening party hears you but doesn't hear you at the same time.

So, my question here is.. Why? Why are we so ashamed? Why are we so embarrassed by it? I mean, it's not something uncommon, unusual or freakish it's NORMAL. But for this! I blame society, I blame our parents and our parents parents. Something that would have been taboo 50 years ago isn't taboo anymore today but we are all creatures of habit. What get's passed down is continued to be passed down and the chain just continues on.

And you men out there (and some women)! If you're done squirming in your seats... here's a fact for you! Your mother had her period, your sister has her periods and so does your wife, so face it! It's mother's nature's way of giving us balance, it let's us have babies, it our femininity...so don't squirm, don't run the other way... face it, embrace it!

Here's leaving you with something from an episode of Seinfeld. 

Elaine (munching on a snack, flipping through a magazine.) Oh, Jerry, I just left my old sanitary napkin on the top of the toilet by mistake. Just toss it in the garbage."
 
Jerry: WHAAAA??

Kramer. (hands akimbo) Why are you so upset about a soiled sanitary napkin. The menstrual cycle is women's connection to nature and the life-cycle.

Jerry. It's disgusting! Ask George. He feels the same way.

George: Sorry, Jerry. I am comfortable with Elaine's womanhood.

Elaine: (smirking) He's easy with the period.

Jerry. All I know is I want that thing out of my house or, or, I'm going to call the movers. .