“There is no passion to be found in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living”
— Nelson Mandela
My parents tell me that since I was a little girl, ( and when I say little I mean ‘very little’ ) and was yet to learn how to read I coaxed them into reading storybooks after storybooks out loud just because I could not.
I mean what’s wrong in that? How can they deny me that. They brought me in this world, so the least they can do is to read me day after day, night after night. How difficult can that be.
It’s turns out very. But they still did it.
As I grew up the first thing I ever did was, I learnt to read. I have been told I never tore a single book in my younger days, not even a scratch. Well the case might be different now. I might have torn a page or two. :p
Moving on, as I kept reading I became more and more intrigued by the world the writers weaved with their words. I wanted to create my own, with their art. So I paid attention to how they did it. And the more attention I paid, the more I fell in love with this art form.
I kept scribbling here and there. I scribbled words and then threw them out. I did that for years and years. I kept my dreams and secrets well hidden. They were mine and mine alone. They were my sanctity. Always had been.
Then times changed. The rat race overtook us all including me. I did what I was destined to do. Got myself a degree. Toiled day and night and secured a good job. Still I felt lost.
See, life is a journey with a destination. Life should have a purpose. You can’t just wake up, eat, do your routine, eat, sleep and repeat. That’s what even animals do. And humans are not animals. They are much better than that. And the people who do what I mentioned above have yet to taste what I am talking about. Once you taste the high, the craving never goes away. The need to be better than your previous self. You just want to keep growing and learning. You want to be alive. When you wake up life really looks wonderful. I have met so many people in my life but sadly only 15% knew the high, the contentment up close.
I decided I never wanted to be included in that 85% of the population. So I kept thinking. Laid awake night after night. But I was still unable to figure out my next destination.
One day, me and my brother were discussing things. You know the rare moments when siblings have heart to heart talk. Here I should probably mention the fact that my brother belongs to that 15% of the population. So he knew exactly what was bothering me. But see I have a problem sharing my thoughts, feelings, secrets even if he is my brother. So after him speaking for 2 hrs and me listening , I don’t know how it came out that I had always wanted to write. He was quick to interrupt me and asked me just one question ‘Why don’t you start now? What’s stopping you?’
I never answered him because I am not good at sharing but I knew.
Fear.
The fear of failure. That I may not be good enough. I considered it a dream far beyond my reach. But nothing is impossible. We can grab all we can in our fist. We just have to have faith in ourselves and the will to toil hard continuously, tirelessly.
Once you diagnose the cause, you figure out the cure too. So I took this huge leap of faith and started weaving my own world as I always imagined. I know I have so many things yet to learn, so many skills yet to polish. But I know I can do it.
Because giving up was never an option. Nor will it ever be.
Signing off from this end, serving my deepest secrets to you on the silver platter;
Shikha
********************
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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“You may have wealth and monies untold, chests full of treasure and coffers of gold,
but richer than I you will never be; I had a Mother who read to me.” -unknown
SHIKHA: KEEP WRITING. NEVER GIVE UP.
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I will. Thanks!!
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Where have you been Shikha. No posts lately and no comments as well on my posts.
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Hey Siddhartha..!!
Some things have been going in my life. But not to worry, I will be back soon and dazzle your blog with likes and comments :p. ✨
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Thanks Shikha. I hope to hear from you soon
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May I say Shikha, this is a really a beautiful piece of writing you have there above! You indeed are talented 🙂 I’ve only just landed on purplepants, but I intend to read more. I love reading as much as I do writing. I think I’ll spend more than a little time here.
Just for curiosity sakes.. why purple pants? I like lavender – just a very pretty color (I guess they belong to the same family right?)
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Hey, thanks for all the wonderful words.
And lavender might be my second favorite. Who knows?!😉
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beautiful intro
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Thanks!
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wc
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Reblogged this on richwrapper and commented:
Stunning. See for yourself. Shikha: I taught myself to read sometime just after my third birthday – snowed in by winterlong blizzards at my father’s Newfoundland, Canada American Naval air station. Ice forts and snowball fights: of course! but The Bobsey Twins beckoned during a not-so infrequent illness and then I found Mom’s Webster’s Unabridged which used to boost my little brother’s butt at table. No more adults telling me untruths about what a word did or meant. And reading forced me to write. My story. I loved yours. J Richards
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Thank you for reblogging this on your site. I am truly grateful. Your story is just so interesting and exhilarating. It’s a beautiful feeling when we achieve things that we often dreamed about.
Though on a lighter note I would really love to watch a movie made on this phase of you- mind -boggling and inspiring it would be. 😛
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I have it on experience and a firm grasp of expectations – ha! ephemera again at work! – that everyone has a story, an important story – to tell. Even if only they listen the importance is undiminished. One of my favorite comments to others: “Excuse, please, I am watching the movie playing right now on the inside of my eyelids: I am not winking right now at you but will so do if you desire. All my life so far is on tape between my ears and the boxoffice in my heart plays sometimes the most onerous, sometimes the most frivolous vignettes and for the life of me try as I may rarely do I find the control device, though I have worked assiduously in my 20s and 30s to gain mastery of the coming attractions and a few times actually have managed to get the dream I was after. And, rarely, I get to drive. Star in the movie you make – just be ready to pay the director – you! – the required ticket price: your intention and attention and effort. Movies made re: my madness, indeed, might be funny: though there are cringe-full moments enow. I embarrass me easily – and often. I scandalize the guy all the time. I am not so sure the frozen statuary of my images held by many who know me might – or should – survive the encounter: most especially my own. But if you promise to direct me gently I might so consider. What a lovely thought: once after watching a local high school girls’ cross country team come unglued because they thought they had lost their first ever state championship race and they accused me of knowing the total, I held precious those young ladies’ tears and wails – this was the first year girls were allowed to compete – interscholastically as opposed to intramurally – under federal Title IX regulations, and they were under so much pressure. I had to confess to the girls – and the waiting coach – that I had the finishing order in my notebook – but I was so busy taking photos as well of those girls and the other girls’ team from town in the same race that I had not yet made my own unofficial count. They insisted and, again, I demurred. How could I take the tally when my count well might be flawed and we could just wait for the official total. I was almost positive they had won, but how could I so exalt their hopes only to see them dashed? On the way back to Titusville – some 200 kilometer North, I experienced a prolonged period of leaking eyes, so proud of those girls’ efforts and hopes and realized championship when finally confirmed by race officials that I wept unashamedly over the memory – played on my mind-tape – of their hopes and fears and how they allowed me to intrude even if only peripherally. I wrote a next-day column entitled: “My Time For Tears.” And this is the secret I now reveal: never have I cried from pain or loss but only with joy and pride, both public and private. Tears are too important to shed for loss and should add salt savor to happiness – but that’s just obstinate me.
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Lovely! My own brother encouraged my writing too. Something I’ve always done for myself and was afraid to begin to share. My very best wishes for your journey. Thank you for sharing 😊
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Thank you Ellie and best wishes for your journey too. We never know who or what unknowingly becomes our inspiration.
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So very true. Thank you 😊
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Reblogged this on Subash Chandran and commented:
A Nice and Superb Article I have read.
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Thank you for reposting Subash !
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No mention purple, it’s nice and motivated so I did
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What i liked most about your post is that you are frank,natural and bold in your opinion and expressions,Keep it up and always remember my saying-IF YOU CAN SEE IT IN YOUR MIND ,YOU CAN HOLD IT IN YOUR HAND,
Best regards
ravi
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You know last night I was reading a book and it said the same thing. Unless you see it in your mind, you can’t achieve it. And today you are saying the same. It must be some sign. So thank you for your valuable advice. :))
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Hope you are superb.Brilliant actually.I am grateful to you for following my posts.If you have liked my advice-its entirely my pleasure.I am also very keen to read all your posts bcz our thoughts connect each other.Hv a grt time.
Best regards
ravi
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Thank you so much. You also have a great day ahead.
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Inspirational post.. especially for bloggers who keep asking what’s the point of writing when you dont compare with the great writers
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Yes exactly. You don’t write to compare with others. You just write for your peace, for your passion, just for yourself.
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Comparison often may be – and oftener is – an evil trap and likely a self-constructed one at that! I shame myself constantly with my writing – but compared with how often I shame myself in memory and expectations of shame to come, I have accepted the price of mine own criticism of myself – much less my writing – that I know something important since I last shat myself in the second grade at age seven: while this too may pass it probably will come again so get used to it. Write on!
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so iam sorry change the my creative and also indian history add iam slow work i think slow plese wait…………………………………….? so nice well-written thoughts and experiences.
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Beautiful and amazing, thanks for sharing.Love it Shikha
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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You have portrayed your biography so beautifully leaving the reader much to desired. Anand Bose from Kerala
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Thank you so much Anand. I just wrote from my heart.
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Thanks for reading my works. I appreciate your reply.
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I share the same fear of failure. It’s courageous of you to open up! I’d love to start my own business or even become a well known author but there’s always that doubt like do I deserve it? Am I special? Am I talented enough? Smart enough? Great blog post, thank you for sharing with the community.
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Those same thoughts have always haunted me all my life. But I decided to take the leap. After all we can’t declare the judgement before we give it a chance and our 100% work. 🙂
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Thanks. I will look into it.
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Keep writing! You’re good at it. Even if you weren’t good at it, I would encourage you to keep going, you will get better and better.
Don’t write for “them”, write for you, and share it with “them”. “They” will be lucky to read what you have to say. Those who are critical will not read your work (or anyone else’s) because they are the 15% who will never get it.
You have books in you to write. A fun and easy way to start is NaNoWriMo.org. Check out the site. (it’s a free non-profit site) You sign on and commit to writing 1,667 words a day for the month of November. By the end of the month, you have a 50,000-word manuscript that can be polished into a novel. Nobody has to see or check your work, it’s just a way to start. It’s fun, and there are offers and rewards at the end.
I can’t wait to read your first novel.
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So beautifully written Shikha. Loved this write up. Keep up the good work
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Thank you so much Bhavana
Means a lot. 🍁
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Thanks to WordPress for providing the platform and my wife for motivation. Very well written. Felt as if it’s my story
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I feel even I belong to that 85% but this writing bug afflicted me since childhood. I started writing script for my novel when I was in 8th Standard but could not continue. I can very well empathize with this post. Thanks to WordPress and for providing the playform and my wife for spurring me.
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You know what you should take out that script and work on it. No dream is impossible to catch.
You never know what the future has in store for you.😉 So give it a chance
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Thanks Kanika for your kind words. I shall try.
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Not Kanika..
Shikha it is 😜
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Oh I am sorry.
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No problem😉
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I loved your twist: Playform! You have a treasure in the lady who spurs your writing adventure.
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Thanks wrapper
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Wise words, thanks for sharing, I can relate to the fear. I will visit again. Oh and thanks for the ‘like’.
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Thanks and you are welcome. I really liked Rex the Spider.
I was going to comment on it but my net was working too slow.
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As the saying goes, when there’s a will, there’s a way. Keep at it. Thanks for the visit and liking Keeping Up with My Jones.
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You are welcome and thank you too! 💚
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Serious writing is a painful and dark journey but don’t be afraid. Ever. Keep walking.
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Yes ! I will.
Thank you 🙂
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Thanks for sharing your journey… Its beautifully written ..I am just starting mine .. and can easily relate to the ‘Fear’.
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Best wishes to you then! 🤗❤
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I love that you have found the love of writing, its an art indeed and Id love to read and follow your journey ❤ Blessings to you my dear.
Lovingkindness,
Metta Yoga
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Thank you so much!! 💛💚
And I would love to add on to my yoga knowledge. 😀
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My pleasure ✨💛 Yes yoga helped me a lot to gain clarity 😊 I wish you a Wonderful day 🍁
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You have a wonderful day ahead too. 😇
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Thank you 🌞♥️🙏🏻🕉
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Shikha,
It is wonderful when the spirit of writing is finally released and you realise that your inherent creativity is taking stage and sculpting your words. When you do what you love the result is always beautiful, always entirely satisfying and continuously seeks the satisfaction of expression.
Your words are wonderful, give them the light they desire.
Thank you for visiting nothingcluelesslost.com
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Thank you and yes, we shine brighter than the noon sun, brighter than the polished diamond when we do what we love. That’s the secret to success.
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Shikha, I know in some of my hindi poems I have used some sophisticated words, but they act as jewels so I had to. That’s why I had also requested in my thank you note 5, to my bloggers friend that if any one would translate my hindi poems in english I would be so glad as I am not that good in english. But alas I am still waiting for a response 😢😢
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You did good by adding those jewels. They enhance the beauty of your work.
Your poems, they could be translated in English but if you do that they will lose their beauty. Like English poems if translated in Hindi they would lose their charm. There is a beauty in reading the original texts that’s why renowned readers of translated books in English prefer going back to original texts after reading the translated form. Just because they want to visualise the beauty in it’s raw, original form.
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Yes shikha you are right.. and I am also aware about the fact that they loose their true essence when they are translated in other languages.. thanks for your valuable views and they are true also
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Glad you didn’t let fear stop you from writing Shikha, because anyone as clueless as I normally am can tell that you’re in your element there… Keep at it 👍
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Thank you so much.
These words mean a lot. They are the building blocks of the dream I am trying to build. So thank you!
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Anytime… Looking forward to seeing it realized as I follow along… Keep doing you
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Thank you. You are so welcome to do that. I love the trust, the faith you have in me. 😍🤗
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😁 Cheers to that 👍
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By the way did you delete your page? I can’t reach it.
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Sorry about that… No I didn’t… Let me send you a link then you can try again… https://dimplestothedotcom.wordpress.com
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I went through this with my brother as well. If it weren’t for the encouragement from him and our friends, as well as he crazy amount of ideas and donations of things for me to write and talk about, I would very likely still be letting it all stay in my mind.
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I am so happy for you. Sometimes we just underestimate the power of our loved ones. But they care for us more than we ever could.
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I hope that reaches everyone who visits. 🙂
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We can be friends then haha!
I think you might actually like my other blog a bit better. It’s more about thoughts without all the foodie stuff, and I haven’t read all your posts but I think we might have similar ways of thinking. But I don’t know! 😀
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Nice. 🤗
I will sure to check them out. What’s that blog called?
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https://thinkingaheadbehindandsideways.wordpress.com/ 🙂
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I haven’t read them all but yes you were right. I do like that page😉😀
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XD Thanks so much!
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Hey, thanks for dropping by my blog, really appreciate it! Like this post – am going through a not-sure-what-i-want-to-do stage atm so could relate to quite a bit of it 🙂
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You are welcome.
And I really like food too😉
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Good luck on your journey to become a writer – I’m just starting mine too! 🙂
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Good luck to both of us then 😇
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When your love is stronger than your fear, u can do it!
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Yes !
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This is beautifully written! I like your honesty and I like the “fear of failure” because it’s so true. It holds so many people back from achieving success and it’s a bit paradoxical because you sort of need failure to be successful. It’s our feedback mechanism. Thank you for this!
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We do need failure to know what success tastes like. We need it to know where we are making mistakes. Failure has always been and will always be our learning block. Thank you for noticing that small but significant fact.
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What a wonderful account, written with economy and passion. I loved hearing stories read, too and always read a story for my daughters, no matter where I was. All writers fear failure. That’s one of the reasons they write, to face their fear. I compare it to breathing, necessary for living. Keep on writing, Ms Purple Pants.
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Thank you so much for your inspiring words Mr. Hayes
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Please, call me Dermott. I just didn’t know whether to call you purple or pants.
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Hahaha… Call me Shikha
Purple Pants just my blog’s name
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I gathered that, pardon my irony. Shikha is a lovely name, evocative, defiant.
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Thank you. 😁
It’s a hindi word which means ‘The peak of a mountain’ in English.
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There you go then, the power of words. I understood it before you explained.
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That’s just because you are super intelligent. 😉
I love your blog name ‘Postcard from a Pegion’
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I don’t know about super but I did have an idea for a comic hero called Irony Man, If you search for that name on my blog you’ll find the short story the title’s based on.
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Okay. I will
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Love it
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Thank you ! 😍
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Thank you for sharing your well-written thoughts and experiences.
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Tried my best. 👼
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Beautiful and amazing, thanks for sharing.
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Thank you!! ✨
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It’s my pleasure and you are welcome.
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