
“What is now proved was once only imagined.” ― William Blake
Yearning to be a bird does not land you wings; it lands you the courage to take the first leap. Imagination might exist in its own circlet of lies, but it does not orbit far from the truth. But, just imagining will not give you the sun and moon. Taking flight is much more difficult than reaching the sky. We all live to taste our passions; to get a sip from the cup of victory. No matter how much we resist, conflicts between our want and need can create existential chaos. I knew my passion from an early age and I took the leap off the tree. Would you leap as well?
I am Prerna Arora, a spirit with endless dreams. I come from the streets of Hastinapur- a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was hard trying to establish myself in the eyes of my town. It took grit and effort to prove myself. I had to show the people that what I wanted to do, was worth the trip to the sky. In Hastinapur, people do not worship fool’s errands. They demand to see passion in the midst of the craziness. Therefore, I proved myself; to the town, my family and most importantly myself. I live in a joint family. My father and uncle lead a business, while my aunt and mother are both housewives. I have a younger brother and cousins too. Our family is quite big and I couldn’t love them more for being so supportive. Currently, I’m away from home. I left for Delhi to study B.Com after school and I plan to pursue MBA as soon as I finish my bachelor’s course.
I like to think writing as my wings- light and feathery. They never burdened me and pulled me down. In a way, it was always a part of me. I just didn’t know writing was something I could do until I actually tested out the waters. Growing up, literature became an important inspiration in my life. I came to envy the power of words. I believe that writers are artists and their words are their medium. They swirl into the most colourful and meaningful patterns, luring the reader in its arms. As a student, I came to be intrigued by poems. Initially, I appreciated the flow of words from afar, but soon I found myself tumbling deeper into the rabbit hole. The depths of writing astounded me to the core and then I decided to pick up my own pen. I felt for the myriad pages that thrived in the forest of books. A forest of paper became my eternal paradise and in there I went, into a dimension of fantasies and lore.
I started slow, causing small ripples. I began writing poems laced with rhymes and wonderful meanings. I even got published in a magazine called ‘Taare Zameen Par’. From there, I went on to make my place in many anthology projects with a variety of publishers. This work experience granted me a ticket to my own book. Soon, I had a compilation of all my writing inside the pages of a book that I called my own. I went on to participate in many writing competitions where I was able to win the title of ‘Best Writer’ too. The multiple awards only served as encouragement to my passion and that was all I needed to fly. Only passions raise you to the clouds; running away from it will only bring you tumbling towards the ground.
My family too never held me back. Indeed, they were worried about my choices and where I would end up because of them. Sophisticated Careers are often seen as a parachute when pursuing your dreams. Even though, my family feared for my future, today they couldn’t be any happier. When my talent displayed its colours, nobody could hold me back. Even now, writing is attached close to my heart and I wish to follow its sparks into the infinite universe. My parents have never left my side. My mother always encouraged me to take the leap because in life, regrets poison our soul more than setbacks. She would tell me to follow my passion and see if I become fond of the destination. My father too has always had my back. He never pulled me back but always warned me. I understood his concern too. Soaring too high can sometimes lead to terrible falls and he wanted a secure future for me. My friends too will always be a sacred part of me. Even though as life has taken its course, we have all disbanded to lead our own paths, but our love will always bring us back to the same road in due time.
Doubts corrode a significant part of our confidence. The people around us always have some opinion to offer but it doesn’t mean that they get to govern your life. Their invisible strings control you as a puppet. Although, their thoughts have no direct importance but they do sit idle in our minds, leading us to ponder upon them. These diseased thoughts lead to nothing but adversity. Doubts multiply until we have a hoard of emotions holding us back. Our main struggle as humans is to conquer ourselves. That is the greatest battle I’ve had to overcome- a battle with myself. Starting off young in any career is scary. Even more so in a world where everyone pretends to know what they’re doing. But in reality, there isn’t enough information out there to help you steer your path. I have had to make my own path in the wilderness of uncertainty. Surrounded by so many options, getting intimidated is obvious. There is no light that guides you to your ultimate home; you yourself are the perpetual light. Darkness will always mock you, but the light of your mind and soul will always burn strong. Don’t let the darkness win and let the flames of your mind make their own way out. Teaching myself how to write, how to get myself published and how to make my writing popular has always been a tedious task. There was no guide book with all the answers imprinted. There was no heavenly body to point me in the right directions, but wherever I wound up, I made my place there. It took me time to figure out what I was meant to do. Faith and trust in God will always lead you to scenic havens. We must believe in God’s divine light which will guide you to a place where you will have everything you want. Initially, I only wanted to be a CA, but the more I ran towards it, the more frustration I faced. It wasn’t my passion; it wasn’t my ultimate home. I realised that the time I can spend trying to be something I don’t want to be, can be utilised to make me a great writer because writing is what feeds my hunger.
As a writer, I have lived under the eyes of scrutiny. People say that it is a fool’s career or that writing is nothing more than a hobby. As a young girl starting in this field with no idea what to do, I was spoon-fed criticisms and unsolicited opinions about my choices. Writing is seen as a mere pastime than an actual career. Even while pursuing it, many people are forced to reconsider their options and doubt themselves. I believe if we have power to change something, then we should change it. Everyone fancies reading in many creative forms but there remains no respect for the writer. All young writers therefore, begin to think of their gift of words as just as mistake. I implore all fresh writers and poets to lift their pens and prove people wrong. There lives an enormous power in words and it must not go unused. The deeper you dive into the waves of words, the more you begin to see how gracefully they dance on paper. The peace obtained when you succumb to the fires of your passion is infinitely sweeter than honey.
Once your pen becomes your voice, the melody that leaks from it, will leave everyone at awe. Words can lull a baby to sleep as well as ruin entire civilisations. In the end, we are all slaves of language and literature, formed to be powerless without them.