AS I was scampering through the last 30 or so questions and the distance with the probable future was within the sight, with head bashing inside in agony to finish it off, a moment of solace was all I needed. Perhaps the dedicated hard work, insistent efforts with incredibly high ups and ever so devastating lows of last 3-4 years, more so of the last one year was about to culminate in front of my sore eyes in the computer screen as the last passage of the Grand Play was on its way. I took a deep breath, a sip of water, closed my eyes and calmed myself saying “You Got This”! Surely I had not lived more decisive and tense 210 minutes of my life before as the most feared yet awaited examination NEET PG 2023 was being conducted. 5th March 2023 was the agonising date which was supposed to decide the fate of as many as 2.10 lakh MBBS students waiting to get a post-graduation seat of their dream branches in their dream colleges and in their dream cities. What pressure! What drama! Standing in front of mirror that morning as I was physically getting ready for the D-Day, I pondered upon, well me, things around me aren’t going to change, the clock will still be ticking and the world will not come to standstill, so why worry so much? I have given my every bit for this, let the rest be taken care of, it’s just another exam and life goes on.

 

Alas! Easier said than done. How often we give utmost importance to one particular exam or an event in life and channelise all our attention and time to it, only to fathom, was it really worth it? Surely it depends on how much that particular thing is shaping our personality and life for the better. But in this fast pacing world, filled with all kinds of rat races, we all are asked simply to run our way out, and as quite others, I was ready for a run too, the moment my aspirations wanted to have a prefix Dr to my identity. As an ardent Test cricket fan, I have always connected it with my MBBS journey where the words like grit, determination, defiance, hanging in there, fighting your way out through the seaming and swinging nature of pitch, 2nd chances, comebacks, all hold true value in real sense. So, at this instance, when I look back down the nostalgic journey, seeing all my efforts, sacrifices and compromises, my heart fills with immense pride and gratitude as the hard work has paid me dividends.

 

It is still very raw and hard to gulp the fact that how did I pull it off? I often consider the fact that if you wish for it; you have to work for it and as 3 rd American President Thomas Jefferson famously quoted “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have it”. It is so often we rue our luck for all bad that has happened but seldom do we realise that it’s the efforts that are accountable first and then the external uncontrollable come in the main big scheme of things. Having an honest peek into oneself and a harsh truthful conversation with the inner sanctum of ours is what is needed for us to prosper and propel our working engines and wings and the whole body in the path of rectitude. Who knows what is in the waiting for us, who knows what is hidden in the chamber of secrets of our lives, we all can just trust the supreme power and take our leap of faith to make our tryst with destiny.