Broken Down

I still remember the day when I first got the idea of this article; I was in a mall, selecting a shirt among the wide range of apparels. Just like any other day spent shopping, I was puzzled over which one I liked and which one looked marvellous on me and I always depend on my mother to solve this dilemma. Finally I decided on a shirt that had “Broken Down” printed on it. I know that, it could have been my last preference but still I chose it as looked dead right. I guess some divine spirits had just decided to constantly remind me of my current situation. I was, to be honest in a fix .It was exam time and my mind and body were just gearing up for the same. Exams were never a big deal for me since I was a kid but during the last few months, after suffering huge setbacks in my current academic year, it had become a herculean task just to get through with it. A daunting challenge waited in front of me.

People always say that a person who accepts defeats and failures is truly a brave individual but believe me, accepting failure is not an easy task and with absolutely no doubt in my mind, I can say that, not all have the courage to get up after having suffered a fall and for a person like me who always aimed for and succeeded to stay at the top, a series of setbacks and blows did leave a bad taste in my mouth. Though the test I was facing was not of a high level ,it was still a daunting task , the annual examination of grade nine that you needed to clear to move on to the next grade. In the midst of uncertainty and mounting pressure, I was suddenly reminded about the burning issues during the exam season, i.e. the suicides. This is the time when it is common to see newspapers and news channels full of suicide reports, before the exams or before the results and the most tragic thing is that most of these students who committed suicides did eventually secure good marks but they just ended their lives because fear of failure got the better of them.

It has now become a matter of serious concern all over the world, with an alarming increase in the number of suicides and that too due of the examination stress. I mean is our life so cheap that just one failure means end of all things good? Is it such a big deal that if you fail to clear the entrance exams or board exams your life has no meaning and you lose everything?? We don’t give a single thought to the people we leave behind, burdening them with endless pain and regret especially our parents. Well this is the bitter pill we need to swallow, that today’s generation has this defeatist mindset. Being a student I have a firsthand experience that our lives have become so stressful that we just study to score good marks and not just to learn something new and our daily routines are now revolving around tuitions , coachings and books where learning is no longer fun.

I believe that suicide is not an option because nothing in life is impossible. When we pay attention to great start-ups, business tycoons and great personalities, an astonishing fact is revealed, that these guys either lost their jobs or were dropouts. So what I could make out is, that if these guys had just lost faith in them and had taken the extreme step, the world would have forgotten them and they would not be standing where they are now. Everything starts with you; everything starts with your own self. If you think you are capable of doing something then have faith in yourself and do not be discouraged of disappointments in your life. There is no power in the world that can chain you and no obstacle that can impede your progress. This is what refueled me. It made me look at my next academic year with new perception and aim for a better year in terms of results and outcomes. I know it’s easy to say and write it down but when you are in that situation, it’s extremely difficult. But then how would you know it’s not impossible until and unless you give it a try.

And this dazzling photos was clicked by my friend Wilfred James

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Cheers

Raoul