Realizing your Dream.

REALIZING YOUR DREAM

Love for your country can take on many dimensions. For some, it exists at the superficial level, for the sake of identification, for some a fact of life that is passively present, an identity which is present somewhere around, whereas for some, it is a part of who you are, your family, your blood. Whatever level one is on, the fact that you owe your country for whatever you‘ve achieved cannot be denied. In this era of globalization, the concept of nationhood seems to be dwin-dling in stature. But our country still holds a deep significance to our identity, our existence. India, the name itself brings a varied sense of emotions, a feeling of pride, a sense of belonging to something magnificent. So, why not give some-thing back? Why not pay back our dues in whichever way we can to the country that has given us so much?

With this thought in my mind and an already present admiration for the armed forces, I decided to give a shot in choosing defense as a career. Reaching an important juncture in your life, where the path you choose becomes your identity is a particularly difficult time for many. The balancing of the various factors that account for deciding your career path will rival even some of the complexities of nuclear science. On one side, you would have your life-long dream, the most-cherished ambition that you wanted to achieve and on the other side, the lucrative salaries and the ‗safe bet‘ option chosen by all those around you. The urge and temptation for the latter is too big to overshadow the former, at least for the most of us.

And this is exactly where I found myself, having to choose between the two. The initial opposition from parents and others almost bogged me down and I began having second thoughts over my decision to join the armed forces. It is quite a difficult phase to be in and it tests your determination to the hilt. The ini-tial doubts then turn into anxiety over whether I‘m good enough, dedicated enough for the job. Then comes the ‗What if?‘ scenarios where you begin to go into a spiral of negative thoughts. What if I don‘t get it? What if it was not worth it? After a plethora of questioning and cross-questioning, you tend to get stabi-lized in your thoughts and come out either satisfied and aware, in some cases or still, confused and doubtful, as in most cases.

Still, trudging on in spite of all these thoughts, I went on to give and clear the written examination for armed forces (CDSE) and was called by the Air Force selection Board. After a grueling week of tests and activities, it was a pleasant surprise to hear my name being called out in the recommended list.

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It was a great feeling to move one step closer towards my dream. But, there are more obstacles yet to be crossed, more steps yet to be taken before the final dream gets accomplished. Till that time, one cannot rest but must work on tire-lessly.

I write my experiences because I want everyone to know that your dreams, if not already, are well within your grasp. If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise. The struggle that one undertakes in achieving the dream makes the journey a much more memorable experience. So, when the time comes to make a decision, a decision to pursue your dream or let it slip away for the sake of a safe, bankable option, remember this saying ―Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.‖

―Some choices we live not only once but a thousand times over, remembering them for the rest of our lives.‖

-Suraj nair– B.E. Computers