This one's going to shed a bit more on my parents and my upbringing.
Born to a pair of teachers, I spent my childhood in two places in Mumbai before moving to Navi Mumbai. Born in Chembur, my parents brought me up in government living quarters which my grandma's job bestowed. We weren't dirt poor, my parents had a strong educational background and ambition. But the quality that they emphasized above all was perseverance.
Born to a pair of teachers, I spent my childhood in two places in Mumbai before moving to Navi Mumbai. Born in Chembur, my parents brought me up in government living quarters which my grandma's job bestowed. We weren't dirt poor, my parents had a strong educational background and ambition. But the quality that they emphasized above all was perseverance.
Perseverance
Dad had it rough. Raised by a single mother who worked at BARC to support her family, he was taken care of by his maternal grandparents. He had a boisterous childhood playing cricket and being the average underdog in the classroom until he decided to get serious.
He didn't have much of an option anyway. My grandma lived with her son, her parents and her brothers (she had 5) in an apartment with low rent. Eventually, they bought a flat in Nerul but lost it in a financial crisis. They could get by, but the dream of living like a king was beyond his grasp.
As per my understanding of events, my father lost his grandpa and understood the need to get serious. He juggled his studies along with taking tuitions for income. He completed his Bachelor's in Commerce, decided to pursue a career in teaching and went ahead with pursuing a Bachelor's in Education. He gained numerous degrees on his way, an LLB, MBA, maybe a few more that I fail to recollect. He's currently pursuing a PhD.
Life has thrown many challenges at him - physical, physiological, mental and even spiritual. He's been a devout believer in willpower throughout. In that aspect, I'd thank my stars if I was even a fragment of the man he is.
Mom had it rough as well. She lost her mother at a young age and had an elder brother for support. Like my father felt responsible to become 'The man of the house' pretty early, my mother also learnt several duties that an Indian 'woman that runs the house' would have to know. She began cooking by her teens and knew sewing, something that I've always struggled with, very early in life. She has a younger sister too, one that she would love to shower her warmth on. She balanced the household chores and studies while watching a series of hardships strike in her life.
Well, it had to be tough, living in a one-room-kitchen with a family of five. My uncle left to work abroad around his 20's. My aunt was studying in a hostel. I never knew the details, but hard as it may be, she completed her education and became a teacher herself.
And judging by my scores as a kid, a pretty great one at that too.
The lesson I've learnt from pondering over all of this is that they've all persevered through the thick fog that life churns out, and viscous as it may be, that fog has never been enough to make them turn back and just give up. Especially after they've had me and my brother. And for all their perseverance, I am ever grateful.
Life has thrown many challenges at him - physical, physiological, mental and even spiritual. He's been a devout believer in willpower throughout. In that aspect, I'd thank my stars if I was even a fragment of the man he is.
Mom had it rough as well. She lost her mother at a young age and had an elder brother for support. Like my father felt responsible to become 'The man of the house' pretty early, my mother also learnt several duties that an Indian 'woman that runs the house' would have to know. She began cooking by her teens and knew sewing, something that I've always struggled with, very early in life. She has a younger sister too, one that she would love to shower her warmth on. She balanced the household chores and studies while watching a series of hardships strike in her life.
Well, it had to be tough, living in a one-room-kitchen with a family of five. My uncle left to work abroad around his 20's. My aunt was studying in a hostel. I never knew the details, but hard as it may be, she completed her education and became a teacher herself.
And judging by my scores as a kid, a pretty great one at that too.
The lesson I've learnt from pondering over all of this is that they've all persevered through the thick fog that life churns out, and viscous as it may be, that fog has never been enough to make them turn back and just give up. Especially after they've had me and my brother. And for all their perseverance, I am ever grateful.
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