After the result, life finally started feeling a little lighter. For the first time in years, I woke up without the pressure of tests, ranks, or unfinished chapters running through my mind. It felt strange at first, almost unfamiliar. My dream, the dream I had carried for so many years, had finally taken its first real shape.
I had cleared NEET.
And not just cleared it—I had secured a government medical college.
Even now, whenever I thought about it, it felt unreal.
There was a time when I used to sit in my room, surrounded by books, doubting myself, wondering if I was even capable enough. And now… everything had changed.
So my family decided that before starting this new chapter of life, we should visit Shirdi to thank God(Sai).
The moment my brother told me he had booked the tickets, I became excited like a little child. It had been so long since I truly enjoyed something without stress sitting in the corner of my mind.
Our train was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, so I immediately started packing. While folding my clothes and arranging everything neatly in my bag, I suddenly paused for a moment.
A thought crossed my mind—
"Life really changes so fast."
Just a few years ago, I was a schoolgirl hiding feelings in corridors and terraces… and now I was about to begin medical college.
It felt beautiful.
And emotional at the same time.
---
The day of the journey finally arrived.
I still remember sitting near the train window while the train slowly started moving. The cold wind touched my face as I quietly looked outside. Trees, roads, stations—everything kept passing by, and somehow, my thoughts also started traveling backward.
Back to my past.
Back to all those moments.
The school corridors.
The terrace.
The farewell.
The exam stress.
The sleepless nights.
The silent tears.
Everything replayed in my mind like an old movie.
And slowly, a small smile appeared on my face.
Because no matter how painful some moments were…
they shaped me.
Maybe things really do happen for a reason.
Maybe what happened with him also had a reason.
And honestly… somewhere deep inside, I still wished things had been different. I still wished that maybe he had stayed. Maybe he had noticed me. Maybe our story could have become real.
But life doesn't always move according to our wishes.
Still…
I believed in destiny. 🤞🏻
Strongly.
If someone is truly meant for you, no distance, no silence, no timing can stop them from entering your life.
And if not…
then no matter how much you chase them, they won't stay.
That thought strangely gave me peace.
---
After several hours, we finally reached Shirdi.
The atmosphere there felt completely different from normal life. Peaceful. Spiritual. Calm. It felt like all the noise inside my mind slowly started becoming quieter.
We went to the hotel first, freshened up, rested for a while, and then got ready for darshan.
As we entered the temple area, I felt a strange emotional heaviness inside me. Not sadness… just gratitude.
So much gratitude.
When I finally stood there with folded hands, looking at the sai, I closed my eyes for a few seconds.
And in that moment…
all I could think was—
"Thank you."
Thank you for giving me strength when I felt weak.
Thank you for helping me survive the phase when I doubted myself.
Thank you for making me capable enough to achieve my dream.
I silently thanked God for helping me take the first real step toward becoming a doctor.
But that wasn't all I prayed for.
For the first time, I prayed for my future.
Not just career.
Life.
I prayed for a peaceful life.
A successful future.
A loving family.
A good partner.
Someone who respects me.
Someone who understands me.
Someone with whom I never have to beg for attention or love.
And somewhere in my heart, there was still a small hope—
"If he is truly meant for me… then maybe someday our paths will meet again."
But after that thought, I smiled slightly and told myself—
"And if not… then whoever is right for me should come into my life."
Because now I had started understanding something important.
Love should not feel painful all the time.
It should feel peaceful too.
---
We stayed in Shirdi for two days, and honestly, those two days healed something inside me.
For the first time in a long time, I wasn't overthinking constantly.
I was just living in the moment.
We explored the streets, tried different foods, clicked pictures, laughed together, and spent quality time as a family.
At night, the streets looked beautiful with lights everywhere. There was a calmness in the air that made me feel lighter.
While walking with my family, I looked around at different people—families, couples, children, elderly people—and suddenly I realized something.
Everyone is fighting their own battles.
Everyone is praying for something.
Some for success.
Some for love.
Some for peace.
And maybe…
I was praying for all three.
---
One evening, while sitting quietly near the temple area, I opened my phone and started looking at old pictures from school days.
Farewell photos.
Class pictures.
Random memories.
And somehow… my eyes stopped for a moment.
Because in one corner of a group photo…
he was standing there.
I stared at the picture silently.
It was strange how one person could still affect your thoughts even after so much time.
But this time, the feeling was softer.
Mature.
Not desperate like before.
Just… emotional.
I smiled slightly and locked my phone.
Because now I wasn't the same girl anymore.
I had changed.
A lot.
---
When we finally returned home from Shirdi, life slowly started preparing me for another new beginning—college life.
Medical college.
Even thinking about it made me nervous and excited at the same time.
A completely new environment.
New people.
New struggles.
New experiences.
And somewhere inside me, I felt like my real life was finally about to begin.
Days passed quickly while preparing documents, shopping for essentials, and completing admission-related work. Everyone around me was excited.
Relatives kept calling.
My parents proudly introduced me everywhere as "our future doctor."
And every time I heard that, I smiled.
Because after years of hard work…
I had finally become someone my younger self would be proud of.
---
But still…
sometimes at night…
when everything became quiet…
I wondered about the future.
About the people I would meet.
About the life waiting for me.
And honestly…
I had no idea that very soon…
everything was going to change again.
Because somewhere…
without my knowledge…
fate was already preparing something unexpected for me.
Something connected to a chapter I thought had ended long ago.
Something I never imagined would return.
---
And maybe…
that trip to Shirdi was not just a thanksgiving trip.
Maybe…
it was the beginning of a completely new story.
A story that was waiting for me…
right around the corner. 💫
Along with all the emotions, happiness, and overthinking about the future, there was also a different kind of excitement growing inside me. Because after all these years of school life, coaching classes, and the same routine, I was finally about to enter a completely new world—college life.
And not just any college…
Medical college.
Sometimes I randomly smiled while thinking about it. It still felt unbelievable that soon I would wear a white coat, attend lectures in huge classrooms, study subjects related to the human body, and slowly move toward becoming a real doctor.
The thought itself made me excited.
But at the same time…
a little nervous too.
Because everything was going to change now.
New life.
New people.
New surroundings.
New experiences.
I started wondering how my college would actually look. Would it be just like the colleges shown in movies? Big campus, crowded corridors, students rushing everywhere with books in their hands? Or would it feel completely different from what I imagined?
Sometimes I spent hours just imagining my first day.
What would I wear?
Would I make friends easily?
Would people like me?
Would I be able to adjust there?
So many random questions kept coming into my mind.
And then there was hostel life.
Something completely new for me.
I had never stayed away from my family for such a long time before. Thinking about hostel life gave me mixed emotions. On one side, I felt excited imagining late-night talks, new friendships, fun moments, independence, and making memories. But on the other side, I also wondered—
"What if I miss home too much?"
"What if I feel lonely there?"
"What if I can't adjust?"
Still, deep inside, I knew this phase was important for me. Maybe this was the phase that would truly change me into an adult.
Sometimes I even imagined decorating my hostel room, arranging my books, setting my routine, studying late at night with friends before exams, laughing over small things, and creating memories that I would remember forever.
And honestly…
for the first time in a long while…
I felt genuinely excited for the future.
Not scared of it.
Not running from the past.
Just… ready.😊
Ready to see what life had planned next.
Because maybe…
the best chapters of my story hadn't even started yet. 💫