Hi Anu mam, I want to share with you my life story because it now killing me everyday. I am 23 years old now and third (unwanted) child of my parents. I have two elder sisters, 2nd sister was adopted by my father's sister and now I have one elder sister only.If I talk about my childhood, I have no good memories, not a single picture of mine.My father has always been busy at our family shop, only source of our income with my bade papa.He never took any interest in my studies, school admissions, parents teacher meeting etc... He was always like a strict father without any strict responsibility on him. And my mother is a very simple and innocent Jain lady who believes in Jainism and God. So in my childhood we were not a united family, we were more like small scattered pieces of a family who were living with no hope and no future planning or future expectations.As a kid, I spent most of the time watching tv or playing cricket. I have feared to ask my dad to buy me a cricket bat due to which I stole money from his wallet and buy my things for which i’d be brutally beaten if caughtI studied in a Hindi medium school which was in front of my house. I studied there till 3rd class and then my mother did some efforts to get admission in English medium school but she didn't succeed. I took admission in another Hindi medium school. I worked hard at my level but never received any support from my parents especially from my father.I passed my senior secondary in the year of 2015 in Math stream with 69% and want to pursue Engineering but my father does not want me to pursue that he wanted me to pursue Law so I took admission at local university and completed my graduation in 2020.During my 1st year of graduation I realised that my father has an affair with someone. This caused serious trauma for my mother and me. We felt this was the reason for him not being interested in our life at all time. In my 3rd year of graduation I founded that my elder sister was in a serious relationship with someone which added to our trauma because we were also facing financial problems that time. The problem arose when 3-4 years ago I came to know that I have knock knee problem in my both legs since childhood. I couldn't tell about this to my family.So now I am unemployed, facing knee problem and depression. I don't know what to do. Should I leave my father for life and look forward to any small job and live my life, make my new family? I want you to give me advice according to my current situation. I will wait for your advice.
Ans: Dear AJ,
I can only imagine what it must be like for you. But I am not going to feel sorry for you as life presents challenges as opportunities.
You have had the opportunity to learn from each of your challenge, academically, personally, and professionally.
Focus on yourself now. What happened or didn’t happen in your childhood or the past only makes you feel like a victim and that isn’t useful when you are trying to solve a problem.
Focus on how you can better your quality of life despite your physiological issue.
Sit down with the doctor and ask:
How can I get treated?
Does it involve any surgery?
Will physiotherapy help in easing my condition?
You depression (which I imagine is self-diagnosed) is on account of you treating yourself as a victim, will change once you move into a positive mode where you treat yourself with respect and love.
Only you can better your situation and it is possible for you if you choose to look at all the things that are possible by you once you become mentally stronger. Then your academic or personal or professional challenges will not come in the way.
So Take Charge and NOW. All the best to you!