A faded memory dawned on me early this morning while commuting to work, as I saw few kids leaving for school.
A few years back, I was teaching underprivileged children in a distant government school as a part of a social initiative.
We asked kids, What do you want to become when you grow up?”
I really felt humbled and privileged when the kids responded with Policeman, Driver, Mechanic, Patwari(govt official who keeps record of lands) etc.
We even remarked that whether they would prefer to be a pilot. And they responded with No. Perhaps, it was representative of things that they knew could achieve and things they could not.
It may even have been that their initial choices were likely due to positions of power that they had witnessed and wanted to emulate. Probably, they were not exposed to various options that exist out there.
As my cab whirred away, I was left with a deep sense of gratitude upon recollection of those memories.
I really hope those kids achieve whatever they set their sights at.
I grew up in a small village in Bihar, where dreams were often simple and humble. There was only a small government school, but I never went. Instead, I worked in a vegetable shop and my uncle's store, dreaming of having my own shop one day.
Then I found work in a cyber cafe, and the internet opened up a new world to me. I discovered a university in Delhi NCR and earned a scholarship there. I graduated with honors and now work at a fintech as an APM.
I know I wasn't supposed to be here, but I am. People believed in me, and I made it. Next time you find yourself among those kids, tell them about the skies and how it feels to soar. Who knows? Maybe one day they'll take to the skies, not just as pilots but as legends, their wings crafted by the belief that they can be more than what the world expects them to be.
Man, this reminds me of one day when we went for a CSR activity in school run by NGO. We painted the boundary walls and then had some time with kids. We asked some questions and some of them gave absurd answers I told them, kal yaad karke aana. The kid said with straight face "mujhe pata hai aap kal nahi aaoge" they knew this poverty tourism and saw through this sham of 'doing for the society ' we do in name of CSR
Lost my dad when I was 8, family never had any asset, we had nothing, my mother used to stitch clothes to educate us, looking back 15 years, i would have not imagined I would be keeping my mom in a 2 bhk furnished apartment in Bangalore. I don't know how i landed in my job.
As a kid, I never dreamt of working in an advertising agency. Initially, I wanted to become a pilot and a part-time sketch artist. As I grew up, I dreamt of becoming a pace bowler, my family never supported my interest in sports and I was too young to have a clashing opinion with them. Around the period when I was in 9th or 10th grade, I developed an interest in films. I started to understand the stories, read about the industry. In college, I made some like minded friends and my interest in the industry grew stronger,. I was sure that I want to get into film making and make a career in it. I didn't know at that point, that there will be responsibilities and family pressure. Now, working in an advertising agency, I still dream of making films, and build a career in this industry but then my manager calls me for team meeting.
@Nirav_Modi I can totally concur with this. Life gets just too hard when so many stakeholders vested in your life.
I remember feeling heavy all they way back, and even grateful that I had functioning limbs, friends, and a family that sent me pocket money every month apart from everything else they have given me.
@Biskoot99 both stories are insanely heart wrenching yet it makes you feel oh so great ful for where you are rn.
My father worked as a peon when I was a kid. I barely had any friends and could not afford any toys. He used to work really long hours everyday. He was sleeping when I went to school and I was sleeping when he got back from work. So we n...
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I g...
Have you planned investments well so that your children can study in a reasonably quality private schools/colleges in metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangluru? The education inflation in India is around 8%.
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Why would they get the job first not me if I score higher .... infact any government job ...how to explain them
