Critical Corner

 If you don't fight for your dreams, who will?

Born and bred in the Sri Lankan culture, competitive education is part and parcel in every students’ life. As the saying goes, the frog in the well should come out from the lid of the well itself, every student put their tireless efforts in facing and succeeding the G.C.E examinations to climb up the social ladder. For some, the exams are a challenge, for some it’s a pathway that expose them to new avenues and career opportunities. Nevertheless, my story with facing this challenge was super challenging too. 

After 13 years of schooling, finally, it was the moment that I had to face my A/L examination. I was getting ready to the examination during the last few days with a bag full of expectations and hopes for the future. My parents had toiled immensely day and night to bring me up to the place where I was and to provide me with all the necessities to carry out my academic work. Yet,

it was a matter of time that I was infected with dengue fever just three days before the examination.

I felt as if the world had stopped for a moment and I was speechless when I received the medical reports. Then I was admitted to the hospital. My parents and my teachers were very worried about my condition and they were somehow able to change the examination center for a close by place from the hospital so that I wouldn’t miss the exam and as it was my request to them as well. 

Life had already pinned me down once now. So I thought that even with this pain I will somehow get the exam done while the medical treatments are going on. Unfortunately, I was further doomed and my situation got bad to worse when my blood count dropped down to 23,000 platelets and I got dengue rheumatic  night before the exam. All I could do during the exam commencing day was to lie down almost unconscious in the sick bed and stare at the empty ceiling. For a minute I thought it was all over, I thought  that’s it and it’s time for me to say good bye to everyone and leave this life as my situation wasn’t getting any better but severe. 

The doctors and the nursing staff worked so tirelessly and after few days I started recovering and I was able to be discharged from the hospital. When I got home and thought of the examination, I knew that I had lost the boat. I was clueless not knowing what to do.

I felt as if I was left in the middle of a desert and no beacon of hope to be seen. Few months passed thinking about an uncertain and a desperate future.

My parents and teachers spoke to me after sometime and inquired me if I would try to do the exam again and just try and give it a shot. I knew that I didn’t have the enthusiasm as in the first time and neither did I have a choice. So I started working again and tried to get back on the track. It was extremely hard in the beginning to concentrate and to put my heart and soul into studying. 

Then I thought to myself,

“Life has already flattened me to the utmost ground and stolen away a whole year of my time, I’m not going to be a victim of my own devastated dynasty. I’m going to rise up again and challenge life instead of being in trauma.”

Then I gathered up all my courage and strength in me.  I thought that I have already gone through a hell a lot of suffering and I’m stronger than I think.

If I’m not gonna fight for my success who will? 

After attempting the examination for the first time a year after, I was overwhelmed with joy when I got my results. I had done greatly in the examination and I got selected to the university after all. Turning back at the past, now I feel extremely proud of myself for taking such a brave decision to start again and challenge back life when it tried to desert me in the wilderness of my own negative thoughts. There will always be ups and downs as we go along in life. There will be moments when we feel like giving up everything when problems come into our lives. Yet, that is the very moment we need to stand firm and keep a step forwards gathering all our energy and potentials to face the future. 

                                                                  Don't Give Up ! 💪

Do you also have a similar story in life which you made a big come back? share your story and inspire someone else. 💓