Never Say Never

       As many of you may know, and for those who don't, I was born and brought up in a small town. Of course that doesn't mean I never went out of it. There was always the occasional tour to Ooty, Kodaikanal and the rare visits to Chennai. But every time I went out of my town, albeit temporarily, I always wanted to get back to it. There was never that "home" vibe in any other city.

       I did my entire schooling in about five different schools. The schools may all be different, but they all were never out of town. By now you all would have noticed or at the least guessed by seeing the trend as to where I did my Undergraduate. Yup. In the same town. I mean I love staying home, so why would I even think about going and staying in a hostel in an unknown city without my family? Every comfort I needed and the ones I didn't need, I had it right at home. My parents doted on me, my sister was there for me to boss around and all the food I could eat right there. 

       So it was an uneventful couple of years where I simply lazed around and made the bare minimum to pass in all my subjects. Suddenly in my third year, there was this internship opportunity from a well known company. You have to go through many rounds to even qualify for it. But I wanted to do something, because the lazing around for too long was too much even for me. So I worked for it. And as luck would have it, I cleared the rounds and a couple of people from my university got in too. So I readied myself during the summer break to go spend a month in Chennai to do the said internship.

       I always thought that I would get a job in Chennai and as soon as the weekend comes, I will be back home and then back again to Chennai. Chennai was a stretch for me, but by then I realized that there were no Software companies in my town and that I cant simply stay home. I am not the smartest cookie out there, but even for me, idly sitting and doing nothing at home didn't go well. I always said that I would NEVER leave "home" and was pretty sure I never would until the internship. But there I was at the end of the internship, realizing that I cant work the long hours like the thousands of others who did the same work as me. NEVER was I going to be one to stand out, NEVER was I going to outshine anybody in anything.But it only hit me when I saw those thousands that I don't want to be one of them.  If I was going to work myself to death, at least I want to see new places, meet new people, experience the different cultures  and eat the many food.  I realized that to be something that isn't the same as everyone you have to let go of some of the comforts you cling to and to do some of the things that you said you NEVER would. 

       I made a decision to not be one of the thousands and worked hard for it. Exactly a year later, I left the place I said I never would. Came to a new place far away from home. Here I make my own life, but a life where I would be happy in the knowledge that I could change it. That it was my intention to be here and not a place where I have been given no choice. So never say never.

Listen to this lovely song if possible (Be here now - Ray LaMontagne)  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TTpOGuvi3k
Location: New Hartford, NY, USA

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