It’s impossible to deny that life is full of hardships. It is through hardships that one learns of one’s shortcomings. Aided by supportive parents, one grows up thinking that one is capable of becoming another Salman Khan or another Einstein. However, unfortunately, life has its own plans of making you feel like Suppandi.
I grew up with big dreams of my own, I was always very ambitious. I wanted to do well in economics and become a top-notch business consultant. Also, I wanted to become a Rhodes Scholar and study in Oxford, UK. But as I interacted with my peers, I quickly came to the realization that there were so many people who were far better than me in many ways.
Then, I went through a phase of my life where I struggled with denial and acceptance. At some times, I thought I could still be Shikari Shambu even if I couldn’t be Sherlock Holmes or Tin Tin. However, life is neither a Tinkle story or a mystery-thriller detective story. After some painful struggle, I came to a radical acceptance, which I never knew I was capable of.
I realized that I need not be the best in the world, in my social circle. I could strive to be the best version of myself, regardless of my insecurities and my flaws. Even if I couldn’t write beautiful and innovative novels or poetry like Virginia Woolf or Sylvia Plath, I could still write helpful blogs detailing my pain, my journey, my happiness. I could write about my experiences, proving my worth as a beautifully complex human being. I can strive to be my best version even while accepting my flaws, my shortcomings, and my mediocrity.