I had started my job as a Vocational candidate at the mere age of 18. The genre of the job did'nt allow me to consider going to a regular college. Every phase in our life is crucial because it teaches us to gain a fresh outlook towards our life. Toddlers aspire to become self-dependent like the school going children. School going children aspire to go to college someday. College-goers dream of having a decent job with a sound financial status.
Not being able to join college topped my life's regret list. The transition from being surrounded by the cosy childhood friends to newly gained grown up friends was bumpy and did not dissolve well in my life. One day I was enjoying silly chitchats with my buddies, talking of crushes, quarreling over trifling matters and the other day I was seated amongst people mostly double my age, trying to mingle in their world of diplomatic approaches.
After my introduction day, my aspiration changed from "going to college" to "completing at least 7 years of service in Indian Railways". "7 years" because that was the years of service of my least experienced colleague in that office.
They talked about some Joseon era, when it was very difficult to perform duty. They felt proud to a part of those days and assured me that they will teach me how to endure the difficulties of service life by letting me do it alone. They taught me a lesson, "its not school that teacher will solve your problems on a blackboard, You have to turn the page and learn the work. No one here is paid to teach you. You are paid to learn by yourself". At times I felt like a flower bud trying to accommodate in a bunch of already bloomed flowers.
As if, this was not enough and I was posted as a Booking clerk, confronting passengers of every age group speaking different languages having different accents coming from different strata of the society having different thought processes. I was perplexed. I had traveled in a time machine which reached a new world in some other galaxy. I decided to quit my job. But, one of my well wisher who had a sound knowledge of my inheritance, reminded me of the security this job provided to my life and the lives of my family. The day I was counseled by the well wisher, I happened to bump into a co-traveller who had reached this place a couple of years earlier than me.
Lastly, I settled with the idea to do what human beings do best to survive.... EVOLVE.Â