“There was once
a family of sparrows, who lived together happily from one day to the next. The
nest which had been so lovingly and painstakingly built resonated with the
happy chirping of the baby birds everyday… everyday, the mother would fly off
and return with food for her little ones. As time flew by, the little ones grew
and soon began their training. Now everyday, the mother would coach her babies
and teach them the art of flight and before she realized, came the day when her
little ones took their final flight from their nest. Fully grown and equipped
with the required skills, they were now ready to face the world on their own,
they were now ready to build their own nests and see their own little ones fly
away…”
As a kid, this story always amazed me every time I heard it.
My mother would tell me this tale nearly every night and for some reason, by
the end of it she would always be teary eyed. The story amazed me because I
never fully understood why the ‘little ones’ had to leave, and why the mother couldn't stop them…it filled me with a sense of dread and wonder at the same
time. I dreaded the thought of flying away into the unknown, without the love
and care of my mother, without the warmth of ‘home’ but I was filled with
wonder at the thought of all the new things that awaited the ‘little ones’ once
they took flight. The thought of all the beautiful places they would fly to,
all the adventures they would have and all the new ties they would form amazed
me.
Today as I
stand at yet another junction, at yet another threshold in life, I’m reminded
of this story once again. Being a second year college student faced with the
‘make or break’ decision of what to do with life, I now truly understand the
‘little ones’, their dreams, their aspirations and their need to spread their
wings and seeing my mom go through the decision making process with me, I also
understand the hopes, apprehensions, fears and prayers of the mother bird…
What am I supposed
to do next? Where do I go from here? Where should I place my next step? Which
direction is the right direction? These questions riddle me every day, as I
navigate my way in this world and try to leave my mark on it. In this ever
evolving, ever growing world, I am blessed with the choice to make my life what
I want it to be. Unlike many teenagers before us, our generation is not limited
by the few set career choices, we are no longer confined within the society’s notions of which life is the
‘right’ life…we can chose to live the way we want, independently, happily and
with a sense of achievement and contentment. But all these wonderful things
come with a price, as is the law of nature… in order to build that happy and
satisfied ‘tomorrow’ we have to sacrifice our peace of mind ‘today’. Yes, the
options we have to our disposal are greater but that just makes our job as
students, as young adults stepping into this ‘big, bad world’ so much more
difficult at the same time. Too many choices, too many decisions and too little
time; that is our dilemma today.
These
uncertainties burden my mind, they make me restless and oh so sensitive! But
through it all, there is one force which keeps me strong; the warmth of my
parent’s love, the comfort of my ‘nest’, give me solace, they are my ‘home
base’, the place where nothing can get me. But, as my graduation day comes
nearer, so does my time to fly, my time to spread my wings and leave my nest
just like the ‘little ones’. Soon my time will be filled with college
brochures, application deadlines, visa and passport formalities, the student
loans, the hostel hunting until one fine day I will be packed and ready to fly!
“I will no longer
come home to my mom and her warm embrace, I will no longer relish piping hot
‘home food’, I will no longer fight my dad for my favourite T.V show and my mom
will no longer switch off the T.V in the middle of that very show and send me
to my room to study! I will now come home to an empty room (or if I’m lucky, my
roommate), I will now wait for the holidays to satiate my craving for home
food, and no one will be bothered anymore whether I spend my time working and
studying or partying all night! Marathon study nights will no longer be
accompanied by ‘hot vegetable maggi’ and sleepless nights will no longer end
with hot chocolate and deep, meaningful conversations with mom… My parents will
always be one phone call away, they will always guide me and support me no
matter which corner of the world I am in, but nothing will ever be the same
again…” I think of all these changes,
and the future which seemed so bright scares me. As I sit here, filled with
dread, something strikes me! I think of all the places I’ll explore, of all the
people I will meet, of all the adventures I’ll have, all the obstacles I’ll
face and all the victories I will see. I imagine my parents’ faces flush with
pride when I am awarded my postgraduate degree on my graduation day… I see the
joy on their faces as I fling the hat in the air and I feel the contentment they
would feel when I would land my first big break and the dread is soon edged out
by wonder!
I now fully
understand the ‘little ones’ and their dreams…I understand why they fly and why
the mother doesn't stop them… As my dreams, goals and aspirations merge into
and become one with my parents’ hopes and fears, their pride and joy, I finally
understand!
