Moving on..

I became a blogger two years back. Though time rushed through faster than I hoped it would, I never felt the changes taking place in and around me. Change is inevitable. We have all heard about it and every heart that beats knows it to be true. How does society mark our lives? Chapter 1- born ...Chapter 2 - School admission; Chapter 3- Class X board exam results; Chapter 4- Class XII exam results; Chapter 5- College admission; Chapter 6- Graduation...post graduation/ job; Chapter 7-Marriage; Chapter 8- Kids...and it rolls back on... But coming to think of it, are these really the chapters of our lives? We are all differently abled individuals made up of different ingredients. There can't be one single recipe of life for all of us out there. I don't really know about other's perspective on this but I can surely tell you about some of my recent chapters. 

Two years back, a girl moved out of the nest, her warm cozy home and went on to discover something new. Little did she knew back then about all the bunch of stuffs waiting to climb up on her adventure list. A mother was worried back at home, for her little girl was on her own for the first time in 21 years. The flock spent days discussing all the possibilities of the little one's fears to come alive that would finally lead her way back home. They said they were worried and yet they sounded hopeful of a quick return.  The girl was a chirpy one, the kind that lets everyone feel her presence with her chatter, laughter and friendship. In this unknown territory away from home.... she started building her own nest little by little. By the end of two years the nest had overflown with members and memories. This is my story in nutshell. 

Chapter 1- taste of independence... I missed home cooked meal but I felt happier about the fact that I gave up my comfort zone and stepped onto a new island. I realized I am my own responsibility and it ain't always easy not to say yes to too many luring adventures out there. But I made my choices and I regret none of them. 
Chapter 2- compromises, understanding, empathy, patience and perseverance.... the words that made my English teacher praise me when I used them in my essays in school, found their own meaning in the home away from home that I had built for myself. It was important to be with each other and yet respect the spaces. This I feel is one of the best thing living in hostel could teach you. At home people are going to bear your tantrums and let you take them for granted. But out there in hostel, people will bear your tantrums but not let you take them for granted. 
Chapter 3- Living in the moment. I procrastinate  a lot. I mean a lot. Like right now I am sitting here picturing all the worst stuffs that could happen to my life and all the possible ways I could screw up. umm,..I am not doing that now exactly though, it was just something I used to do more frequently and more consistently until I met my people out there. We plan for something and something ruins it... We get our back packs and go for a spontaneous trip.. and it turns out to me best time of our lives. Spontaneity found a way inside me while i was still knitting my nest and when I completed I couldn't tell if I were ever against spontaneity..ever. 
Chapter 4- Friends, group, family that i chose. Someone told me once never let go off your family for they will stick around with you when noone else will. I believed that until I met my flock out there. Language, culture, food habits, festivals... all the things that made us different from each other worked as a link that brought us closer. And there were times when we thought we had go through it all by ourselves. But we were never alone. We were backed by the family we chose for ourselves... 'cause that's what family does, they stick around. 

Chapter 5- growing up to be a child. Becoming an adult changes everything. We stress more, we smile less, we worry all the time. As I spent two birthdays away from my home, I grew up to be a child. Birthdays out there are pretty much the same as when you are a kid and all your school buddies come home for your party- the cake and the food. The only difference in hostel is the group of kids that come for your birthday bring cake along with themselves and all they want is a birthday treat!

Amidst all stressed out days, the flock made sure that no one felt out of the place or forgotten. So everyone's bday was celebrated, mostly at midnight or it might be morning afternoon evening.. anytime ...but celebrations weren't kept on hold 'cause of work schedules or deadlines. 

Chapter 6- Travel. Solo. In a group. Just travel. My family plans holidays every summer and winter vacations. And at times some weekend getaways during Diwali or good friday. But in those trips someone used to pre-plan the trip. Someone took care of tickets hotel bookings and everything. Someone even took care of me. I have enjoyed going places ever since I was a kid. Travelling fascinates me. But I was overjoyed when I realized what it feels like when you are the planner. What it feels like to do all the research and go on a trip that makes the best memories ever, Happy faces. Adventures.

It overjoyed me when I went for solo tours. I found myself. I grew humbler as my bus made its way through the carved roads of hills. I found a new version of me.

These have been few notable chapters of my life in two years... I might be missing out on some. To go somewhere new, you have to get out of the place you already are, your comfort zone. I follow what i read once : Don't fear failure. Fear of being at the same place one year later as you are today.