It was International Women’s Day, 8th March, and it had become a red-letter day in Divya’s life.
After four decades of silence, compromise, and suppressed dreams, she was finally living her dream.
Her alma mater was felicitating her on becoming a bestselling author. Her book, Breaking Shackles, Chasing Dreams, had touched many hearts because it was not merely a story— but an emotion , a journey of breaking barriers and reclaiming long-buried dreams.
As Divya walked towards the lectern, her heart pounded. Rows of students, teachers, and the principal watched her with admiration. Taking a deep breath, she addressed them.
“Life often places shackles around our dreams,” she said gently. “But the moment you gather courage to break them, your journey truly begins.”
There was pin-drop silence in the hall.
“Don’t let circumstances imprison your aspirations. Dream boldly and chase those dreams relentlessly.”
She paused and concluded with a quote by Charlotte Brontë:
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”
The auditorium reverberated with a thunderous applause.
Divya felt overwhelmed. Among the audience, an elderly teacher with wrinkled hands clapped the loudest. It was Ms. Lobo, her former English teacher.
The sight of her transported Divya into a flood of memories.
———–
Years ago, Divya stood at a crossroad while choosing her stream in Class XI.
One afternoon Ms. Lobo her English teacher called her after class.
“Divya,” she said kindly, “you have a flair for writing. Why don’t you choose humanities?”
Divya hesitated. “Ma’am, I would love to, but I’ll have to convince my parents.”
Ms. Lobo smiled and patted her shoulder. “Follow your passion. I’m sure you will do wonders.”
That evening, during dinner, Divya nervously broached the subject.
“Papa,” she said softly, “I would like to choose humanities instead of science. My English teacher feels I could do well in journalism.”
Her parents looked surprised.
Her father spoke first. “Divya, there is no future in that field.”
Her mother added firmly, “Take up science and prepare for medicine like your friends.”
“All your cousins are engineers or doctors,” her mother continued. “You should follow their example and secure a respectable career.”
Divya quietly fell silent and opted for science.
But her heart was never in it.
Instead of enjoying laboratory work, she found comfort in reading novels.
One evening her father caught her reading.
“Again wasting time on novels?” he frowned.
Her mother sighed. “Stop daydreaming and focus on your studies.”
Divya closed the book silently. Her dreams seemed to drift further away.
Despite studying hard, she failed to clear the medical entrance examination. Her parents were disappointed, and she felt like a failure. Most of her friends had made it to medical college.
Determined to prove herself, Divya pursued a Master’s degree in science and eventually topped the university.
Encouraged, she enrolled for a PhD and began teaching at a local college.
Her students loved her classes. Teaching gave her immense satisfaction.
But life had other plans.
After marriage, her in-laws objected to her working.
Divya pleaded with them, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
Her husband said impatiently, “Why do you need a job? We are financially comfortable.”
Reluctantly, Divya resigned.
She devoted herself to her home and children, becoming a caring mother and homemaker. Yet deep inside she felt an emptiness.
One evening she cautiously shared her thoughts with her husband.
“I want to fulfill my dream of becoming an author,” she said softly.
He frowned. “Stop this daydreaming and focus on the family.”
Divya buried her dream once again.
Years passed. Her children grew up and moved abroad for higher studies. Loneliness slowly crept into her life.
One day her daughter suggested, “Mom, why don’t you learn computers?”
Divya laughed nervously. “At my age?”
Her son smiled. “Age is just a number.”
Encouraged by her children, Divya enrolled for a computer course.
At forty, she was the oldest student in a classroom full of youngsters. Initially she felt out of place, but gradually she felt comfortable.
Her instructor once remarked, “Ma’am, you’re faster than many students here.”
Divya’s confidence grew.
Soon she started exploring online platforms and secured a remote job as an editor and proofreader with a publishing house.
When her first pay check arrived, she danced with joy.
That moment changed her life.
She began writing articles for magazines, newspapers, and websites. Editors praised her work.
“You have a powerful voice,” one editor told her. “You could become a bestselling author someday.”
Encouraged, Divya began sending her poems and stories for publication on various sites Gradually her work appeared on national and international platforms. Awards followed, along with that she became a Tedx speaker.
Her husband Arun was proud of her
“You’ve really made a name for yourself,” he admitted one evening.
Divya simply smiled.
After years of dedication, she finally completed her first book—Breaking Shackles, Chasing Dreams.
To her amazement, it became a bestseller.
She had risen like a phoenix from the ashes.
The applause in the auditorium brought Divya back to the present.
Ms. Lobo slowly walked up and embraced her warmly.
“I always knew you would achieve something remarkable,”
Divya’s eyes filled with gratitude.
“Ma’am,” she replied softly, “when the world clipped my wings, your faith in me helped me metamorphose from a caterpillar to a butterfly.
