My Story

I opened my eyes in a cold dark place, tied up so badly that I could hardly move. "Where am I? Help! Somebody help me!" Crying out loud and shivering with fear and uncertainty, I tried my best to set myself free, but could not. I worried abut the people who would have been looking around for me, how worried and desperate they must be! I tried to introspect why I am in this situation, Was it my foolishness or my Destiny? But I did not remember anything. Days passed and with my constant efforts, the grip started to loosen; I could only move my fingers and feel the things around me, but the darkness made me insecure and I dreaded what would happen to me. After a few days I could move around and bang against the dark walls, trying to find a way to escape.

Finally I found a weak spot on the wall and with all the might I had, I broke the wall and pushed myself out of the dungeon. But to my dismay it was even worse there! It was still dark outside and I was in middle of nowhere. I could not breathe, could not see anything, there was mud, there was dirt, there were scary creatures around me and pathetic smell of decayed things and rotten bodies. In fright and despair I sat down and thought "I can keep running and searching for a way out, inviting dangers and making my self vulnerable to every killer around, or I can relinquish my hopes and give up, waiting for either help or my fate. If my fate is to die, so be it!" 

But something inside me was not ready to give up so easily. So I gathered my courage and confidence and made my way through the darkness and sludge. This continued for many days and all directions possible until one fine day when I found the way to freedom. I used all my strength,  broke through the turf, and saw the sun smiling at me. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face, breeze of fresh air welcoming  me and I unfurled my bud like banners to announce "I am Free!"

This was neither a suspense story of a prisoner nor an adventurous story of a traveller, 

This was my story, The story of a Seed! Yes! I am a tiny seed which was thrown into the dirt, covered in darkness and made to struggle so much so that I could get my own life. Little did I know that the soil, the water, the decayed matter, the earthworms and bacteria were all helping me to grow fast and stronger. I would have been more comfortable anywhere else, in a clean beautiful place, inside the fruit, attached to my mother tree, but that would end some day and that end could be inside a dustbin, in a sewer tank, in the walls of a building or in the stomach of a hen. 

Wait! I am not the only hero in this story, this story is about-

• A child who starts living away from home in a boarding school or college hostel

• A woman who leaves her home and family and starts building her new home and family

• A man who steps out of his comfort zone and chooses to stay away from family to support it well

• A student who left his well paid job to study further

• A girl who forswore age old orthodox traditions and made her own decisions

You start off well, take the decision to go inside the soil alone, grow roots and stems and rise high above the ground. But when you miss your dear ones and family, crave for your comfort zone, find yourself in the darkness, the dirt, the dangers and the dungeon of uncertainty, you start thinking- "Was my decision right? What about the people I left behind? Did they push me here? Was I selfish to leave them alone? Why is fate doing this to me? Should I give up? Should I go back? Should I choose something else?"

After reading my story you must be smiling because you already know the answers to all these questions. If you don't, ask the seed which is lying on a clean marble floor in some corner. 

What is courage? Courage is not the absence of fear, it is knowing that something else is more important than the fear. Courage is not only fighting external odds but also to fight the internal emotions- homesickness, heartbreaks, self conceit, depression and frustration.

And believe it or not,  the dangers, the enemies and the difficulties make you even stronger and make you grow in every direction just like the earthworms and bacteria in the soil. The unpleasant environment, irritating people make your soil fertile and boost up your abilities, perseverance and confidence in the long run. The darkness and uncertainty drive you to fight and keep moving towards the light. Without  darkness, how could you see the light?

So never fear the darkness or worry about the Mud

If you are a seed, you need them to grow into a Bud

Embrace the moments of separation, adorn the pearls of grief

If you don't leave the fruit, how will you grow your own leaf?

Chasing a Dream may cost you, but when was success free?

A seed alone is useless, you need a lot to become a Tree