Traversing Travails, by Jigyasa Sharma

This article has been submitted by Jigyasa Sarma for the CLATGyan Blog Post Writing Competition. If you think this article is a good read, ‘Like’ this article on Facebook (the button is at the bottom of this piece) or post a comment using the ‘comments’ section below.

***

Someone once said to me, “It’s no use running after a goal, and ultimately finding yourself embrangled somewhere in the middle of the thorny bushes of despair and defeasance. You run behind an illusion, a delusive mirage, and continue running until you come to terms with the fact that your effort was a wild goose chase. The illusion fades away, and elusion is the only way left to console yourself for your derelictions.”

Is that so? I think otherwise.

We lag behind – in views, in opinions, in actions, in perceptions. Predicaments, dilemmas, confusions… that is how ambiguity slowly creeps into our minds. When we waver, our faculties benumb us, and the road ahead seems obfuscated. I often ponder over what will become of me once I pass class 12th, but then I take a pause and ask myself, “Was that really what I should have asked myself?” Certainly not. It should have rather been “What will I become? Or what am I cut out for?” Many a times, the what-will-become-of-me-attitude takes the incipient step. We forget that nothing becomes of humans; they, on their own account turn themselves into altogether different beings. But this is hardly realized; we try to settle with views, evade reality, we focus on our flaws, the weaknesses, and we feel ashamed of them. We get afraid of the critics, the roadblocks, of misfortunes that might befall us; we react, and hardly wait to respond. We think, how can I alone surpass the hurdles… what we forget is that an idea always starts small, it begins only a sapling, but you never know when its canopy may touch the face of the sky. Many a times, we doubt ourselves simply because we think we are wrong. However, that does not really matter. If you are wrong, no matter, you have learnt something and you grow stronger. But if you are right, you take another step towards a fulfilling life.

Remember the story of a cracked pot, which was able to water the flowerbed on its way while being carried by the potter? What is true with the pot is true with many of us. Somewhere, our weaknesses, or flaws-our cracks conceal an incredible magic. There is a need to unleash it; to conceive the otherwise inconceivable rather than throwing in the towel and calling it quits. It is quite symbolic that roads that you tread do meander. But whenever you feel that, change your course. Recall the govindas breaking the Dahi Handi on janmashtami; the trick in forming the pyramid (and to build up a strong edifice of your life), is to stay focused and not get defaced by detractors. Be patient, for it pays off; nothing of substance comes to your life in a jiffy. There certainly would be a time when the pressure aggravates, that’s just the time when you need to put up your hand and be counted. Time to say that you are a part of the game. Time to say that you are ready for failure. Fall, rise, stumble, but maintain the gait; retard but accelerate. Believe in yourself. This moment ahead of you is completely yours, and as Robin Sharma in The Monk who Sold His Ferrari says, life is no brief candle; it’s a splendid torch you have got hold of for the moment, make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to someone else. Paulo Coelho astutely observes in the alchemist, as Shahrukh Khan reiterates in Om Shanti Om (although a bit tipsy) if you really aspire for something, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it (Kisi chiz ko pure dil se chaho to puri kayanat tumhe use milane ki saazish karti hai)

Be sure this day, today, now, YOU are the master of your fate – the task set before you is NOT beyond your strengths, and its pangs and toils are nothing before you and your endurance. As long as you have faith in yourself and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be, CANNOT be, denied to you.

So come on, become a part of the conspiracy, the utterly miraculous saazish.

Success is beckoning, don’t lag behind now, catch up!

***

Jigyasa Sharma is a law school aspirant from Hisar – also the hometown of Arvind Kejriwal. She wishes to become a vociferous speaker, and believes in the power of stalwart courage and determination – things that help her keep her head high when adversities stave off her perseverance. She wants to eliminate pessimism from her life, and from that of others too through her writing – by making them see how dejection and failure is but a part of life, and not their entire life.