Saturday, 21 March 2026

Twelve Years Later

It’s been quite a journey since I last wrote here in March 2014. Back then, I was sitting in a university library, trying to make sense of my life as a second-semester engineering student, unsure of where things were headed. Today, as I return to this space after so many years, I realize just how much has changed—some things by choice, some by circumstance, and many through lessons I didn’t even know I was learning at the time.

Not long after that post, life took a turn I hadn’t expected. I dropped out of my engineering course at the end of my fourth semester. At the time, it felt like a difficult decision, but looking back now, it was necessary. I returned home and chose a different path—one that felt more aligned with me. I went on to complete my Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature. It wasn’t just a change in subject; it was a shift in how I saw myself and what I wanted from life.

After graduation, like many others, I found myself at a crossroads. For a couple of years, I prepared for SSC CGL, hoping to secure a government job. The journey was not easy. In my first attempt, I couldn’t clear the prelims. In the second, I managed to get through prelims but didn’t perform well in the mains. That phase taught me discipline, patience, and also when to pause and rethink direction. Eventually, I realized it was time to step forward in a different way—to start earning, to take responsibility.

Since then, I’ve been working in the IT field—something that, in a way, connects back to my early comfort with computers. It may not have been the path I originally planned, but it’s one that I’ve grown into. Over time, I’ve learned not just about technology, but about people, communication, and problem-solving in real-world situations.

Family, too, has moved forward in its own beautiful way. My brother completed his B.Com, worked for a few years, and then took a bold step to start his own venture—TeaKulture & Co. Watching him build something of his own has been inspiring. My sister completed her Master’s (Assamese), got married, and now lives in Ahmedabad. She has built a life there, even learning the language and adapting to a completely different environment. She is now a mother to two daughters, and seeing her journey unfold has been special in its own way.

Friendships have taken different shapes over the years. Some have stayed strong, like Deepak, who carved his own path into the IT industry and now works as a data analyst in Bangalore, building both a career and a life of his own. Others, like Kuber, have followed their own journeys, moving into teaching and later into government service. And then there are friendships that didn’t last—not because of time, but because of choices. Some I drifted away from, and some I let go of myself. Those decisions, too, have been a part of growing up.

There is also a part of my past that I cannot revisit without emotion. Back in 2014, I wrote about someone very special to me—someone who was a big part of my life for many years. We eventually went our separate ways, and though we stayed loosely in touch for some time, life moved on for both of us. Years later, I learned that she had passed away after going through struggles I never knew about. That is something that still stays with me. There are moments when I wonder what I could have done differently, or whether I could have been there. But with time, I’ve also come to understand that not everything is within our control. What remains is the memory, and the lessons that come with it.

Looking back, I see a younger version of myself in that 2014 post—someone unsure, distracted, hopeful, and trying to figure things out. In many ways, I still am. But today, there is a little more clarity, a little more acceptance, and a better understanding that life rarely goes as planned—and that’s okay.

This isn’t a conclusion, just a continuation. Maybe this time, I won’t wait another decade to write again. 

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