When Life Goes Upside Down

The wrenching feeling of the gut, the sinking feeling of the heart, the zoning out of the mind, the quivering of the lips, the beads of sweat on the forehead, and the trembling hands. Sounds familiar?

It’s that feeling that you experience when life goes upside down.

Your effort, your sweat, your sacrifices, your love, your time - everything seems to have gone in vain.

It could have been the moment when you were handed over the marksheet of the test for which you studied day and night to barely achieve passing marks, not ace it.

Or the moment when you discovered you missed your government job by just a few marks, and have no plan B.

Or the moment when you found out the two incredibly special people in your life - your spouse and your best friend indulging in an act of infidelity in your bedroom.

Or the moment when the strikingly lucrative deal that you were dying to sign off slips out of your hand.

Or the moment when you visited the doctor for a regular health checkup but ended up with a diagnosis of carcinoma.

Or the moment when you lost a loved one unexpectedly.

These moments cause excruciating pain, agony, and disappointment which often ends up in cursing oneself for the misfortune.

All of us have been there. 
All of us have experienced it. 
All of us have wailed about it.

But does that make it any better?

Can we travel back in time to change the answers to that question paper? Or to prevent the spouse from meeting the best friend? Or to make amendments to fetch that amazing deal? Or to avoid the carcinogen that led to this diagnosis? Or to prevent the mishap that led to the loss of the loved one?

Certainly not.

It might momentarily feel like you have lost it all and things cannot get any worse.

But the fact that you are here today, reading this with a sound mind, and recollecting your rocky journey is evidence of your endurance, persistence, and perseverance.

Sometimes things are meant to be a certain way to make us stronger and better.

It gives us the opportunity to improve ourselves, unleash the potential that we were unaware of, and become the best version of ourselves.

Remember, you are not alone. Nor do you have to go through it all alone.

You can overcome any stressful situation by giving yourself enough time to heal and introspect. Validate your feelings, not neglect them. Communicate about your situation with your loved ones or seek help professionally.

With time and effort, you can overcome anything - just like you did earlier and reached here today.

So, congratulations on coming so far. 
Congratulations on not backing off.

Congratulations on making the right decision.

Congratulations on fighting for what is worth your time and letting go of what isn’t.

Congratulations on accepting fate.

Congratulations on letting yourself heal.

Congratulations because you deserve it. 
Congratulations because we are proud of you.

Sobia Siddiquie