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Another distressed day at work! My heart had given up on rejoicing. And with great trouble I walked down the stairs towards the parking lot. There, my wrenched old bike stood staring right at me, reminding me of the next exhausting journey back home in that horrifying traffic. Well, pretty much this used to be me every single day but that evening things changed. I took a left turn to avoid traffic and that led to a new path in my life.

Let’s take a step back in time. Being the only child of my adorable parents, I was pampered throughout my life. Well, that’s what parents do, don’t they? I was blinded by love and was oblivious to the true meaning of freedom. As I grew older, the social environment around brought about changes in me, but did I have to change completely? They say, change is the only thing that is constant, does that mean all changes are good? The teenager in me started questioning.

As any other teenager, I used to crave for freedom. Well, my parents were already too cool, so I didn’t have to fight for most of the things. I was living a fairytale life. If I truly wished for something, it was mine. Well, thanks to my parents! Yet, something was bothering me. I wasn’t happy and my mind was on a constant battle to win over something which was beyond my understanding.

I used to proclaim that I was a strong, independent woman and had a unique perception of who I was, but time withdrew my blindness. Now I see myself as “an adult under construction”.

I decided to take advice from experienced people, especially people who were one or two generations before mine, as they could understand me as well as make me understand the perceptions of the generations before them. Initially, it helped me live a matured life but, again, I wasn’t happy. I also followed every idealist person, inspiring self-help books, long podcasts, old songs, enlightening movies and brilliant documentaries. Yet, the void within me persisted.

And just like that, I was an “Adult”, or was I? Ha-ha … I got a full time job, not by accident, but, by choice. I had a lovely group of friends to hang out with and I also had a decent income. For a while, I felt that I had the freedom to do, go and buy whatever I wanted, but is this what freedom feels like?

Soon things started fading away.  I got myself into a deadlock. I didn’t know how to break my monotonous routine of waking up early, hitting the gym just to fit into clothes, dressing up to look pretty at work, travelling forever to reach office, eating less just to stay fit, working long hours to impress my boss for a promotion, finally reaching home after another roller coaster ride, and hogging junk just before bed to escape the sorrow I was putting myself through. I spent a few months like that and then, that day came when I took a left turn to avoid traffic.

I saw a tall, deep-rooted tree with a note on it saying, “For 1 or 2 BHK, call ….” My mercurial mind stopped my body right in front of the tree. I picked up my phone and dialed the number instantly. A loud voice from the other side said, “Hello, who is this?” I expressed my need for a place to stay near office. In no time, I was with the broker seeing a beautiful, small, cozy house on the third floor with an exquisite view. I walked around the house and it felt like home. Few minutes later, I walked out having booked that place for myself.

It’s been a month since I moved out of my parents’ place. Life has taken a new track. It’s not easy to do everything by yourself, but I love it! I wake up early with a smile on my face as I know I don’t have to travel too far. I cook for myself, pack lunch, and make sure I eat clean. I do my laundry and clean my little home. I walk to work with no hassle of having to wear a helmet. Post work, I get plenty of me time. I go for a jog, read some books, write something, or just sit and chill on my charming terrace.

Being alone is not loneliness, it’s the power of freedom that not everyone can handle.