In the unpredictable drama of life, there is rarely a one size fits all formula for success. As I sipped my evening tea and had my usual chat with my daughter, she told me a fascinating story about Aarav, her senior colleague, who admitted to failing his JEE (formerly AIEEE) and skipping the nerve-wracking Advanced exam altogether. What is even more surprising is that Aarav’s parents did not unleash the tiger mother or father in them. Instead, they looked beyond the exam results and chose not to add to the pressure. Today, against all odds, Aarav is making a meteoric rise in a career in technology.
This realization catapulted me back four years – to those strange Corona times, when life as we knew it was on pause. The streets were silent, houses turned into sanctuaries, and each day unfolded like a chapter in a dystopian novel. In the confines of our homes, amid the incessant updates and unsettling uncertainty, conversations took on new depths. In one of these introspective moments, Ranjeet, the neighborhood handyman, stopped by to do his routine carpentry work. As we chatted, our thoughts naturally wandered to our children – beacons of hope and promise amid the surreal landscape of lockdown.
Ranjeet’s stories about his son Aman, who had just passed his Class 10 final exams and had dreams as big as the universe, touched me. The educationist in me swung into action and planned Aman’s academic career with the zeal of a strategist. Quick decisions were made, paths mapped out, and amidst the chaos of Zoom calls and home-cooked meals, we propelled Aman towards his goals. But fate struck: he was denied a place at a government college due to slightly lower marks in entrance exams.
To paraphrase TS Eliot, April really is the cruelest of months, when lilacs bloom on barren lands and society celebrates successful champions while near-victories are overshadowed. Parents’ dreams are closely intertwined with their children’s journeys, but society’s relentless yardstick is ever-present, highlighting the pitfalls of societal pressure in the pursuit of success. The coaching industry, which sits like an albatross around the necks of young people, perpetuates this pressure, leaving scars that remain visible long after the gown and hat are forgotten.
Navigating through deferred dreams and lost years, Aman found solace in taking a path less traveled – a poignant reminder that true success goes beyond mere accolades. As children sail through the stormy waters of their early years, perhaps the greatest responsibility of parents, I think, is to teach them resilience in the face of failure and urge us to temper our relentless pursuit of a predetermined path in the pursuit of happiness.
As the dust of pandemic life settled and the world cautiously reopened, our nests began to empty. Echoes of loneliness lingered as children embarked on their respective journeys. The past few years have been a testament to resilience, redefined norms and revealed hidden strengths. As we remember these days of lockdown, let us not forget the lessons – the value of presence, the resilience of spirit and the enduring bonds that weathered the storm. In the grand mosaic of life, each memory formed during these surreal times has a unique coloring. Let us cherish them, learn from them and continue to navigate the unfolding chapters with curiosity and courage. [email protected]
The author is an Associate Professor of English at SA Jain (PG) College, Ambala City.
