A Dream Jar ..

Decided to document my childhood dreams today …

I would have easily dreamt a thousand dreams — all while I was in primary school and the thought alone instantly lifted my spirits.

The show “Subah Sawere”used to run on DD every single morning while I ate my breakfast before school and I had declared to anyone who’d hear that I would become a television anchor. I would wear a bindi and pose in front of any mirror or window glass I came by.

I once submitted a short story to a children’s newsletter and received a note of appreciation with a cheque of Rs. 250. I was convinced I would become an award-winning writer when I grew up and began journaling in that hope.

I once saw a former Chief Minister of Haryana enter an event and was immediately fascinated by all the hustle around him. I asked my Mum, “how much should I study to be like this person one day?” I couldn’t really understand why everyone at home laughed at such an important question. I was six and the whole matter was bloody serious to me.

I bought a book from a Book Fair on Mass Communication, where I first read about journalism and resolved to myselfthat I would study this when I grew up. I kept that book on my study for the longest time and used it to argue my way through choosing subjects of my liking. Even through that one month of forceful Commerce admission — now what a disaster THAT would have been.

At 15, I began volunteering in Mumbai after my classes during Junior college. No reason in particular. OnceI begun,there was no looking back. I promised myself to always keep a portion of my time which shouldn’t be spent for myself. With time, I came to realise that the time spent volunteering proved to be more “my own” than any other.

Journalism happened. And there was a brief but committed shot at Law after that. But I wasn’t quite done with hopping but thats a story for another time.

During one of my internships at The Tribune, I spoke to a Senior Correspondent whom I also had to report. Throughout myperiod of work there, I heard him sharehis journey, his ordinary & extra-ordinaryexperiences, his ethics that would sometimes put him in conflict with the ways of the world but were never to be compromised with. And I would never forget the steel in his voice and the thoughtful pauses he took while telling me his story. I knew that passion was what I needed in life.

I tried to chase that in my jobs that followed. Through different citiesand different roles and different pay-cheques and different tribes of people.

And yet, I couldn’t have possibly imagined I would be here today. Nearing three years of running a social startup, thinking fundraising 24x7 and answering womenfolk on the field why I wore no bangles and have no kids.

But nevertheless, what a warm, fuzzy feeling it is . . storing all these dreams :)

-A