Spice of Life| Navigating struggles on path less travelled

In the unpredictable drama of life, there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all formula for success. As I sipped my evening tea and engaged in the usual banter with my daughter, she shared a fascinating tale about Aarav, her senior colleague, who had confessed to flunking his JEE (formerly, AIEEE) and skipping the nerve-wracking Advanced exam altogether. What’s even more surprising is that Aarav’s parents didn’t unleash the tiger mom or dad within them. Instead, they saw through the exam scores and chose not to pile on the pressure. Fast forward to today, and Aarav, against all odds, is on a meteoric rise in a career in tech.
This revelation catapulted me back four years — those peculiar coronavirus times when life, as we knew it, pressed pause. Streets lay silent, homes turned into sanctuaries, and each day unfolded like a chapter in a dystopian novel. In the confines of our homes, amid the relentless updates and unsettling uncertainty, conversations took on new depths. It was during one such introspective moment that Ranjeet, the neighbourhood handyman, swung by for his routine carpentry tasks. As we chatted, our musings naturally gravitated towards our children — the beacon of hope and promise amid the surreal landscape of lockdown.
Ranjeet’s tales of his son Aman, fresh from conquering his Class 10 board exams with dreams as vast as the universe, struck a chord. The educator in me leapt into action, plotting Aman’s academic trajectory with the fervour of a strategist. Swift decisions were made, paths were set, and amid the chaos of Zoom calls and home-cooked meals, we propelled Aman towards his aspirations. Yet, fate’s hand dealt a blow, a government college seat eluded him due to slightly lower marks in competitive exams.
To borrow from TS Eliot, April truly is the cruellest month, where lilacs bloom from barren lands and society adorns high-scoring champions, leaving near-misses in shadows. Parents’ dreams entwine with their children’s paths, yet society’s unforgiving yardstick looms large, highlighting the pitfalls of societal pressures in the pursuit of success. The coaching industry, akin to an albatross around young necks, perpetuates this pressure cooker, leaving scars long after the cap and gown fade from memory.
Aman, navigating through deferred dreams and dropped years, found solace in forging a less-travelled path — a poignant reminder that true success transcends mere accolades. As children sail the tempestuous waters of their founding years, perhaps the utmost responsibility of parents, I muse, is to teach them resilience in the face of failure, urging us to soften our relentless pursuit of a predetermined path while chasing happiness.
As the dust of the pandemic life settled and the world cautiously reopened, our nests began to empty. The echoes of solitude resonated as the children embarked on their respective journeys. The past years have been a testament to resilience, redefining norms and revealing hidden strengths. As we reminisce on those lockdown days, let us not forget the lessons learned — the value of presence, the resilience of spirit, and the enduring bonds that weathered the storm. In the grand mosaic of life, each memory etched during those surreal times holds a unique hue. Let us cherish them, learn from them, and continue to navigate the unfolding chapters with curiosity and courage. [email protected]
The writer is an associate professor of English at SA Jain (PG) College, Ambala City.