My Dear Zindagi – A letter to Life

This post won the Pan-India Contest conducted by Blog Adda and Red Chillies Entertainment

Dear Zindagi,

You must be surprised to read this letter from me as I don’t often pen down my thoughts. We have always had a rendezvous through my subconscious conversations with each other almost all the time. But then I am writing a letter to life for the #DearZindagi activity at BlogAdda, hence this surprising tribute to you- my constant companion 🙂

As you are aware, I got to know you through my wonderful parents who made a conscious choice of bringing me in contact with you, unlike many others who do not give a chance to their first-born daughters to see the light of the day.I am eternally indebted to my parents and grandparents for sticking to their resolve of introducing me to you. Because of them, I got to grow up in a loving, giving and happy environment of a joint family which made me inculcate values which are becoming extinct nowadays and now I have cousins whom I can term as my lifelong friends.

You took care of me and my younger brother when we were left to ourselves under the care of our grandparents as my working parents were busy toiling for a better upbringing for us. I studied in a school that shaped my beliefs and principles by imparting value-based education through God-like teachers, an aspect which is so rare nowadays. You guided me, protected me from eve-teasers and people who groped while I commuted to my school and college in the public transport by alerting me in advance.

When I topped the boards from my school under the able guidance of my family and teachers, you made sure I entered the best college in the city that helped me break my shell of an introvert, making me enrol into various courses like NCC, Computers etc., and helped me to shape my personality.You made me independent, fearless and induced patriotism in me through my stint in NCC and eventually helped me to come out of my comfort zone.This particularly helped me in character building and sowed the seeds of aspiring a career in the Armed Forces. When the chips were down and I was battling my insecurities during my adolescence, you made me feel secure. It’s through you that I have had loads of wonderful friends who accepted me as I am through this phase, ensuring that I overcame my apprehensions.

An insecure-introvert bloomed into an intelligent-confident-multitalented individual, thanks to the plethora of courses my parents made me take -up, that helped me to bag my first job in the corporate world even before my graduation results were announced. And you helped me mould myself and stay sane in the big bad corporate world, by protecting me from its ugly side and introducing me to its beautiful side of life-long friendships, wonderful workplace and a life-saving drug of enhancing my professional skills.

Just when I was climbing the hierarchy in my career, you made this stubborn girl go through the rigorous process and stages of SSB to be inducted into the Armed Forces. My happiness knew no bounds when I cleared it on my first attempt and I dreamt about wearing either the Stars or Stripes. But then, disappointingly due to some reasons, known to both of us, I could not proceed further in the selection process. I cursed you, cried endlessly, refused to continue my job and in a heartbroken state decided never to try again of becoming a ‘Defence officer’. Composing a broken me, I decided to work double-shifts and surround myself with machines.

As I was recuperating, you thought I required some more ‘love and support’ and out of the blue, there was this marriage proposal from a very good friend to whom I couldn’t say a ‘No’ and you made sure that everything fell into place within a couple of months and before I could realize what happened, I was married!

You made sure I marry a defence officer – a true ‘Gentleman’ and in your own way re-emphasised the fact that you always provide the best to me. By doing this, you made me a part of two more families – my husband’s side and the family of Defence! You completely transformed me into a nomad by making us move places every couple of years which helped me to learn and explore new places, cuisines, culture and make new friends.

You doubled the joy in our marriage life by blessing us with a wonderful baby boy, an extension of our Zindagi and made me and my husband re-live our childhood through his acts and naughtiness. You brought us together as a couple when we tended to our son when he often fell sick unlike any other child of his age. Through these testing times, you made me send a prayer of gratitude to my parents who must also have had many sleepless nights taking care of me and my brother in our childhood when we fell sick. You have made me realize that testing times are required to bring the family together, to know the real worth of people. A big thank you for this, my dear Zindagi!

I and my husband rejoiced in the million-dollar smile of our kiddo, the acts of innocence he put up every time he messed up things, the pride we felt when he danced on stage and the joy of tears which ran along our cheeks as we put our hands together for his very first prize. If this is not the beauty of you, then what else can be -I doubt!

When I set aside my career for bringing up my son and to support and tag along with my husband across various border towns, you made me enhance my qualifications by infusing zeal into this zombie! When I was becoming too comfortable sitting at home, you whacked me and shook me off my slumber by making me take up ‘Teaching’ that was an offer out of the blue. Through your magic again, you made things fall into place in this new profession of mine and I came out with flying colours.

As I was basking in the glory of my new found success, enjoying the cool climes of a Himalayan town, sipping cups after cups of hot piping coffee that was becoming a constant and I becoming one among the mountain people, you made me realize that ‘You- Zindagi was meant to be simple and that we humans have complicated you”.

When I was all set with my routine, you jolted me from the lap of comfort by again moving us out! You have shuttled us from one extreme to another in a span of the last three years- from the hot scorching desert of Rajasthan to sub-zero temperatures of a Himalayan town, from a place of pure-oxygen to the Most Polluted City in recent times and from secured campus life to a completely alien civil life! Well, you wanted to show us that ‘Change is the only constant’ in your zone….isn’t it?

All along I have learnt that you-Zindagi, you are the best teacher, friend, guide and philosopher. I have always confided in you, sought answers when lost and fought when angry. But you being your benevolent self, have always catered the best to me and made sure everything fell into place at the right time and for the right reasons. I thank you for all this and more…

Before I end this letter, May I ask one favour from you? I do not know what tomorrow holds for me. You being your loving self, would only want happy and good things to happen to me. I know some things are not under your control though, Zindagi. So, promise me that you will protect my son, my husband, my family and friends as you have taken care of me. Especially my son – he is too small, too naive and requires all the care and love. Please nurture him, protect him and guide him as you have been to me. Will you??? I know you would, as you are my ever-loving Zindagi…Stay as you are – benevolent and loving to all of us, always 🙂

Yours Truly…..

 “I am writing a letter to life for the #DearZindagi activity at BlogAdda “