Tapasya trembled with a sudden surge of fear as she imagined herself giving an audition tomorrow at a community hall. Four pair of eyes would be open her! Those four highly renowned, yet stern judges! Indeed she had given auditions many a time, but not at such a nationally recognised platform!
As terrifying thoughts tore through her like needle spikes, she couldn't help biting her nails. The door of her room suddenly opened, making her jump out her reverie, and in came her mother.
'All set for tomorrow's showdown, young lady!' Her mother enthused delightedly. But when Tapasaya merely nodded, she demurred, 'What's the matter?'
Tapasya hesitated. But her mother happened to be the only person in the world whom she could confide her innermost feelings.
'I don't know, mum...' Tapasya voiced her concern, 'I've been preparing for this for months. I left my comfy, secured job. I was so very sure of what I really wanted to do. I've always wanted to be an actor. I took the plunge. Things were going right for me….and suddenly, here I am, feeling scared! Utterly scared and skeptic! I wonder if can pull it off tomorrow? What if I am not selected?'
Her mother eyed her gravely for a few seconds, then with a ghost of a smile, said something Tapasya wouldn't have expected: 'Oh, that sounds…good! A good dialogue from a budding actor!'
'What? Mom!' Tapasya threw up her arms in disbelief, 'Here I am so pretty down! And here you are delighted at my predicament! I ain't acting! I am really feeling out of my wits'
'No, no…' her mother interrupted placidly, still smiling, 'What I am saying is that…it's not at all wrong to be sacred, Tapasya. In fact, I daresay, that's the green signal that you are on the right track!'
'I don't understand.'
'Tell me why you are scared?' Her mother resumed wisely, 'Perhaps, you really do not know how you are going to make it? Isn't it? Sometimes, our vision is fraught with complexities and uncertainties. In short, our dream is so big, so larger than ourselves, looming ahead of us like a humongous mountain, that is seems impossible to climb let alone reach the peak!'
'Nice metaphor, mom…' Tapasya said with a grimace, 'That's what I am feeling right now.'
'Then you are feeling quite right, I must say!' Her mother remarked with a mystic air, 'Your dreams should indeed scare you! What's the point in having those dreams that do not scare you and are easy to attain?'
Tapasya was quite amused at those words. Her mother's words drove home a valid point.
Her mother went on, 'And what is more: Your dreams should scare you into action! People are either scared to retreat back into their comfortable shells or are brave enough to take action and script a historic success!'
'You nailed it, mom!' Tapasya nodded fervently, feeling her hope rekindling.
'Take one step at a time.' Her mother advised, 'You just have to concentrate on the resources you have now and give your best shot! Do not let your mind fly into the far future. Your focus now will fashion your tomorrow! I am pretty sure that those who climbed the Mount Everest did not just jump onto its peak! They took one step at a time!'
Tapasya chuckled, as relief washed over her. She thanked her mom, and with renewed vigor began rehearsing for the auditions tomorrow.
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