It’s 8:30 in the morning, as I sip hot chai sitting on the sofa of an apartment I share with 4 other people who were once unknown to me. The morning sun rays are adding up to the warmth and smile on my face making me think, how beautiful this morning is. And maybe today is one of those days when I feel like counting my blessings.
I felt proud of myself, of the journey I made, of the hurdles I crossed and the decisions I took, and about where I stand today. From 7 years of working in a company where I felt stuck; doing the kind of work which felt more of an obligation, to almost getting married to the person who never respected me and now to building a career that I always wanted, I have come a long way. I am a responsible daughter, an eager student, a dedicated professional, and a trustworthy friend. And none of this would have been possible if I had not come across that day when I had hit the rock bottom. After walking aimlessly for hours on the streets I sat on a bench, tired, thinking this is the story of my life, of abandonment, sadness, and hurt. This is how it ends until it doesn’t. I was not ready to accept a life like that and I said to myself, I should do better than this. I will not be defined by the hurt and suffering I am going through and what happened to me but by what I chose to do about it. And that day, I started working on my dreams. It hasn’t been easy and maybe it was not meant to be, but it has taught me a lot. I realized that the moment you decide to change your life is the moment you become open to new experiences, to new people, and to new relationships with yourself and others.
My relationship with my mother has changed a lot and she has become a friend to me once again. I have met some amazing friends who cook with me on weekends and talk about their journeys, I have learned to play pool and have been experimenting with my wardrobe. I love going out and I am really looking forward to visiting Seattle this summer as I start my internship. And I am so happy that I am no longer running away but running towards something.
Here’s to a life that is full of new challenges, new people, and new places, to a life that I built for myself!
