“Right after the 7th grade, I noticed my scores slipping. I had failed in so many subjects that my school deemed me unfit to study their tenth grade. The people around me wondered if I would ever complete schooling and even made plans to set up a small shop for me. They thought the next best possibility was to run a small business for a living, right in my hometown of Trichy.

All this created a void, where I felt I could never be ‘conventionally’ good enough. But I did want to prove myself! So, although book learning wasn’t my cup of tea, I pushed myself through and eventually cleared both my tenth and twelfth grade. I even got selected into my dream college. This was the first time, people around me were proud and I wanted the feeling to last!

Life, however, had other plans in store. Like anyone else of my age, love came my way and transformed me, at least initially, into a happier person. It gave me a sense of confidence that I was worthy enough of being loved. Nevertheless, I wasn’t lucky enough to have my relationship blossom into something more solid and saw it come to a close two years later.

The split was difficult and I couldn’t bounce back. My parents were also unhappy as they felt I lost track of my goals once again. It took a lot of effort to voyage against the nadir. What motivated me finally, was when I landed myself in a very good job in Bangalore. It was a big deal for a boy, from a small town, who the world thought wasn’t fit for anything.

Today, life is better! I stay alone and love the independence it comes with. I haven’t leaned on my parents for any help and plan to keep it that way. Hopefully, life throws in some pleasant surprises with time.”

#Hope #Life #Dreams #Hardships #Independence #Goals #Journey #Lifelessons #Motivation #Transform #Madras #HumansofMadras