One Phase at a Time – From Plaits to purpose

 It's been a while since I last shared something here. I’ve often tried to put my thoughts into words, but somehow, they never made it to the finish line. This time, I told myself—just write.

Every afternoon, I pick up my kid from school. It’s usually quiet since it's just a half-day session. But last week, during exam season, things were different. The gates were crowded, with students bustling around, waiting for their vans.

Among the crowd, I noticed a girl—probably in 12th grade—with two neatly tied plaits, dressed in a green uniform. She was anxiously looking down at her question paper. In that moment, I saw myself 14 years ago.

I could relate so deeply to the look on her face. Maybe she messed up a big question or maybe just lost out on a few marks from a centum. And the first thought that crossed my mind was: Did I ever imagine that 15 years later, I’d be the one standing outside the school gates waiting to pick up my child?

Not at all. All I worried about back then was scoring high, getting into a good college, and finding the right job—just the typical student checklist.

I so badly wanted to tell that girl: "Oh dear, this moment that feels like the end of the world right now—it won’t matter to you a few years down the line. It’s only for a few months in the grand scheme of things."

I wish I could tell her that those exam worries aren’t the real worries of life.

Back then, I remember wanting to fast-forward through school and college just to escape the burden of exams, internals, and practicals. But funnily enough, it was those Hindi-dubbed serials that became my escape. I’d rush out of classes just to catch an episode, feeling like I was part of their families—Ganga, Chandramukhi, Ah Maarina…

Ironically, those are the moments we long for now.

Back then, we didn’t realize that semesters and internals were the only "problems" we had to face. But Real life introduces us to bigger ones—responsibilities and commitments become the protagonists and antagonists of our story.

“We couldn’t wait to leave school, unaware that life beyond it doesn’t come with a timetable or a bell to save us.”

I understand, "What once felt like pressure now feels like peace in retrospect.”So here’s to all my fellow grown-ups who’ve walked this same road:

Cheers to us. 

Whatever we’ve been doing, however ordinary or extraordinary—it’s worthy of appreciation.
Let’s keep going.

Today, I needed that little pat on the back. And maybe, so do you.
Keep moving. You’ve got this. ❤️

Thank you for reading. If this brought even a small smile to your face, I’m truly glad I could do that. Let’s continue to cherish our journeys—one phase at a time. 💬✨