I stood at the railway station lost in thought.A crowd emmerged from the train and swept towards the elevator.A fat lady with four kids and a bald man with a sunken face carrying lots of luggages made their way among the crowd. Life had its own twists and turns.Every individual who had arrived in this big city has her own dreams and hopes. The desire to stand aloof from the crowd and to make a mark in life leads an individual to travel unknown lands. Being a woman has its own set of advantages. The new woman, in the sense of the best woman, the flower of all the womanhood of past ages, has come to stay — if the man dominiated world could only endure. I am not basically a feminist though I might sound like one. The sufferings of the past have but strengthened her, maternity has deepened her, education has enhanced her — and she now knows that she must perfect herself if she would perfect the race, and leave her imprint upon immortality, through her offspring or her works.
Being a woman that too from a very small town where life was wrapped in the love and protection of my late father, the care of my loving homely mother, the friendhip and understanding of my younger brother. Life was too specific and restricted. I never realized how big the world was until I reached the threshold of a big city all alone and lost one among the huge crowd. I too have arrived with a dream to make a mark in life but never realized how big the world was until I reached this huge station of paharganj. A teacher by profession, I moulded young minds and now it was my turn to mould my own carrier.I always imagined myself as a journalist in an adventurous situation writing in real life situations or working as a social worker. I wanted to live a daring life where death always knocks your door and you are too smart for it. I wanted to spend my days writing and writing perhaps in a small house located in a hill station with the cold wind blowing outside sitting quietly beside a fire place.But life has other plans for me. I was too proud to accept the fact that I was scared by the hustle and bustle of the big city and yet gathered enough courage to face the consequence. I walked among the crowd with a small bag and hired an auto. Very soon I reached my PG accomodation in south delhi. Life was very different in a big city compared to a small town. People hardly cared - everyone is busy in their daily chores. You hardly know who your neighbour is. The new city hardly welcomed me yet I became a part of it.
Then began an endless series of interviews and rejections. At times my patience gave up but I was too strong to turn back until I reached my goal. Finally in 2007 I was hired by an international company with a salary sufficient enough so that I can survive with my family.Today as I walk on the road it hardly matters what the city has taken away from me......what matters is what the city had given me. There are friends who stands by you in all your joys and sorrows..a loving family who considers you as an asset. Today as I stand one among the crowd I feel my life is like a jigsaw puzzle you just have to wait for the pieces to fall into the right place. God has His own plan and you are just here to fulfill them in your own way. I chase my dreams yet but I know that I am not alone in my quest.. I am one in the crowd like many other woman who made a mark in this city.
