When I was in my 10th standard, I was told to give the upcoming boards my best shot. Life after that will be simple. I believed. I passed with flying colours. As per the previous claims of life being simple, I thought I could choose humanities. But somehow, my family thought it would be a disgrace not to appear for medical examinations. So again, I was forced to choose science and asked to give it my best shot. I believed.
When the results were out and my family insisted I should go for medical, I realised the truth. And this time I didn’t belief in anyone but myself and chose law, disappointing a lot of people around. And since then, I have never regretted it. The truth is life can never be simple. The concept of equating simplicity of life with numbers and grades and profession itself is so complicated, that you seldom have time to reflect on your wants. And your own dreams.
When I look around the way young minds are shaped by their schools, parents, neighbours and other social units, I can see so many authors, artists, painters, dancers etc. dying every day. I can see nothing but a race. A chase. And everybody is pushed into it, thrusted upon with the responsibility of fighting a war without even bothering to know they want to fight it or not.
Magazines and newspapers every year come out with statistics of high suicide rates of students. We sit in our comfortable couches, sipping coffee and sparing just one moment of thought over it. But nobody tries to go into the depth of those numbers. Nobody will try and play their own part to prevent this.
Society today has come to a point where people would debate over anything and everything, and spreading the notion of freedom everwhere.But do we really know what freedom means? Do we really understand and belief in freedom?
Freedom is to choose what I want to be. Freedom is to write the poem I always wanted to. Freedom is to paint the picture I always imagined. Freedom is to travel to all those places I have in my list. Freedom is be a dancer if I want to, or an actor if I belief in it.
When I wanted to become a social worker, I was advised to choose a professional course.Why? Because it is secured. But is security just in earning money and nothing more? True it’s a competitive world out there. But what if I want to struggle and make a place there, where I chose in spite of following conventions and choosing an easier path?
So, to all those writers, dancers, artists etc. whose skills are being killed…take your time off and think. Think if you are ready to fight people around who cannot get out of their shell and think different. Think if you are ready for struggling your way through it and making it big. We all have dreams. Dreams that may differ from our parents. But we all have the power to fight for it and make it come true someday. And taste what freedom really is.