Why I Did Not Become A Singer? - A Confession

While growing up, all of us want to become a singer one day and the next day a doctor. The third day we would be holding a paintbrush with the intent of becoming an artist. When on a summer day, we saw an aeroplane flying over our head, we desired to be a pilot. When siblings or bullies in school gave us a thrashing, we all wanted to become a cop and arrest them. During a cricket season, our life goal was to become a cricketer, The weirdest of the kids would want to grow up to be a lawyer. I too wanted to be all of these at some time or the other while growing up. I felt I should confess why I could not become any of this but ended up being what I am today.

I earnestly tried to be a singer and enrolled in singing at the school annual day programme. The teacher asked me to be a part of the chorus. My voice made the chorus coarse, and I was coaxed never to croak err sing again.

The thoughts of making me a doctor were given up when I questioned why human beings required two eyes, nostrils, and ears when they could do with a single head and heart.

I still cannot draw a straight line, and the twisted straight line is too bland to be accepted as modern art. Such being the case, I gave up hopes of becoming an artist.

There was no point in making me a pilot when I could not jump from one stair to another without stumbling. My parents did not want to risk passenger lives while the plane was landing.

A cop is expected to be vigilant and intuitive. Obviously, a kid who is sent to buy two rupees worth of green chilly, and returns with 2 kg of them does not make the cut. Similarly, a soldier is expected to be fit and quick not take an eternity to do a left-right step while marching.

Desires and reality never match each other unless you have some skills. If you cannot hit the ball out of the pitch, and when you expect the ball to catch your hand, you can never be a cricketer no matter how much desperately you want to. I badly wanted to become a cricketer but played the game very badly.

An academically challenged kid should not hand-over his progress card to parents immediately on reaching home. A kid who does so can have no hopes of becoming a lawyer.

When I was growing up, knowing typing and shorthand were as important as having Aadhar Card or Arogya Setu App is these days. I too joined a typewriting training institute for learning both these life skills. The principal, after a couple of months, said to my father `Don’t waste your money, his time, and test my patience.’

For no reason, I didn’t dream to become a postman or a milkman or a bus driver.

I ended up by chance or luck being what I am today.