Uncertainty is the essence of life

Listen.
You are small.
And you are powerless.
And you lack the audacity to fly. You're a wingless butterfly.
And a wall of nightmares blocks you, and dark bodies twist and turn from it
And reach out to hold your hand
And then braid you into nothingness.
And from within the dead air,
You carve your destiny in flesh.
Wither and wane.
Or.
Flourish and wax."
Fear, the elixir to life.
"Listen.
Through your veins flow ambrosia.
And you are robust and wild.
And if you float for as long as you can,
And longer.
You will see a mirror engraved in the sky.
And your face will shimmer upon it.
And you'd have reached the place you'd have delved in search of.
I hope you find that place,
But I hope you find it first within you."
Hope, the last white knight of life.

Teenage life revolves around the whole question of what you're going to do with your life, what you're going to study ahead, what you're going to choose as a stream, where you're going to go. I'm not a fan of the Indian education system. I hate that I can't study biology and history at the same time in an institution (the internet is amazing. And learning is just a click away). But it's a compromise we must make. So sit down and think. Meet guidance counsellors perhaps or really just go with what feels absolutely right. And remember that it's perfectly normal to say "I don't know what I'm doing." I'm in my second year of college, studying media, while being an-almost-professional-illustrator, I also write (things like this column), I think I want to study public policy or law or go to art school or maybe get a degree in economics or maybe take a sabbatical and paint streets in downtown New York or report on tribal issues in Chhattisgarh. See? I seriously don't know what I'm doing with my life and that's okay. As long as you're doing something, as long as you're working towards something (the something not being clear at this moment) it's okay. I know everything seems so complicated and college seems like a once-in-a-lifetime thing and maybe that's true but learning isn't. You can learn all through your life and make what you want of it. This is not the end. It is never the end. You don't have to have the entire course of your life charted down, colour coordinated with markers and bullet points, you don't need that. Uncertainty is the essence of life. As long as you work hard and give your best in everything you do, you'll be fine. Take destiny with a pinch of salt and a spoon of honey, with a little bit of fear and a little bit more of hope and you'll be good to go.

(The writer is an 18-year-old illustrator and poet who uses her art to express her opinion on various issues.)