NEVER say that. You will be giving yourself away... and there's nothing you can regret more than that. I let myself be ruled by that shitty statement in what were supposed to be the best years of my life. The statement is cool. It comes from Eminem himself. Although, considering what and who he is... all of us should know better than to live by it.
The teenage of a person's life are the most precious years. The potential to develop and grow in these years is enormous. I repeat: ENORMOUS. Few realize that, and those who do are lucky. Of those few even fewer realize it in time to make something of that enlightenment. The others either cry over all the spilt milk or regret over it, wishing every moment back.
I wasted 4 precious years of that age. Now, I'm almost out of it! Come this December, and I will have one teen year left in me. Yes, I do sound like an old man don't I? I only used to look and feel like one... now I even sound like one!
My story starts about 6 years ago. It was the first time I had heard the words "IIT". Indian Institute of Technology. I really didn't care much about. Little did I know what it would do to the consequent 4 years of my life. My father, an ardent newspaper reader, found an ad in the paper from "BASE" that was about a coaching for students starting from when they got into the 9th grade. I never wanted to get into it. I wanted to learn the guitar instead, go for basketball coaching instead. But, I let my parents decide what I am. I decided I was what they said I was. I played along. I lost the next two years of my life.
I should have been strong. Stuck to what I wanted. I could have backed out even then. But I didn't have a reason. Case: Nayak Sr. v/s Nayak Jr. Case arguments: Nayak Sr.: "How will guitar help you earn? How will basketball help you earn?". Nayak Jr.:"..........". Judge's decision: Nayak Jr. sentenced two years of hard IIT coaching at BASE Basavangudi.
That is what happened. I should've escaped but I didn't. I accepted that fate. Here I am, years later, wishing I had put a little more trust in myself. Here I am, wishing I had seen my parents more as benefactors than as an opposition trying to convict me in court! At this point I feeling like a living example of the Metallica song "Disposable Heroes". It goes "you will do, what I say, when I say... you will die, when I say, you must die....".
That is the predicament you will get into if you let the importance of these years slide. No matter who it is, don't forget... never let them tell you who you are. It doesn't matter who it is that is telling you, remember.. it will finally be you and only you who will look at everything around you crash. One of my favorite songs "Somewhere I Belong" by Linkin Park delivers meaning that is very important. No matter who you are, you belong somewhere. The purpose of every life on this planet is to find that somewhere. Only when you attain that somewhere will you be truly free of the pain. The peace you find will be unimaginably satisfying. Learn to trust yourself. Learn to stand for yourself.
Having said that, I would also like to say something of equal importance. When and if you get into such a situation because of whatever may be the reasons. Don't sit around and blame the world for being unfair like I did.. It never is. You are born to this world. You are its child. It will never do anything unfair to you! It is inevitable. It is for your best. Accept it. Make it what you want. Fighting is useless; Know that. If the world wants it, there is little you can do!
Give all you have to it. Believe me, I've been on that side of the grass. I fought. I lost. Here I am: nowhere. I'm not in an IIT. I don't play a guitar. I haven't had formal training in basketball. I'm nowhere. I'm in between: in a sand trap. I'm having a hard time getting out. Whether I do get out or not depends on how well I've learnt my lessons. That is my problem. But to all of you out there: don't come into my position. It ain't fun! So don't fight once your in shit. You're smelly grimy and dirty anyways. Enjoy the warmth. Get through it. From there... you'll be immune to all kinds of shit! Learn what you can from this experience of mine.... Remember: its about you. Nothing else.
Being an IIT student is a thing of pride because IIT inspires respect. Playing the guitar or playing basketball makes people view you differently. These things appeal to us because of how people treat them. Sometimes we accept it, at others we don't. We look at the results and rejoice or resent. People matter. After all, they make life what it is! So maybe, we are what people say we are more often than we are aware of it. And maybe it's not always a bad thing. What say?
ReplyDeleteno. Never let others tell u what u are. U may have a point there, but it stands only with you... It is NOT what others think that matters. It is what YOU think! You fail to grab the essence of this particular post! You see... U are still talking from the third person's point of view:) exactly what 'm asking you to stop! Here i discuss y one should stick to oneself and his decisions, and at what point one should accept another's decision when one fails to do that! It ain't about which one was the better decision coz darling, importance should be what you decide:) not what the world decides for you! Get it?
ReplyDeletemoreover, i want to bring about that we should not accept what ppl say we are... In fact, i want to inspire the notion that what people say should be what we are. Not the other way around... Saying that might sound like a loophole, but think about it. There's a big difference in the two. Now had i decided that i want the prestige of IIT... The question of my parents telling me that i want it would not have mattered at all, would it?
ReplyDeleteLetting another Dictate the terms of your life is one thing Not to do. Persuasion and Influence need not be Tyranny. If that's what You're saying then, I'm with you!
ReplyDelete