The Road To My True Self

By Bhavya Srivastava

The morning sun bathed the countryside in golden light as Anaya stepped out of the car. The fresh air was so different from the smoggy, crowded city she was used to. She looked at the vast fields stretching out before her, the rolling hills covered in greenery, and the bright blue sky without a single sign of pollution. Birds chirped cheerfully, and the scent of fresh flowers filled the air. It was a world untouched by noise, traffic, and tall concrete buildings. Just peace.

Her parents had brought her here for a break, away from the constant pressure of choosing a career, excelling in school, and deciding what she wanted to do in her life. She had always been good at everything- academics, art, music- but that only made it harder. She didn’t know what she truly wanted. Everyone around her seemed to know exactly what they wanted—to be engineers, doctors, scientists. 

Walking down the narrow road that stretched ahead, she let her thoughts wander. The road was long, disappearing into the horizon. It reminded her of the endless choices she had to make. She had spent so much time worrying about which path to take that she never stopped to ask herself what truly made her happy.

As she walked, she saw simple joys all around her. A shepherd guiding his sheep across the fields, children running barefoot with laughter. 

Along the way, she meets an old farmer tending to his crops. Seeing her lost in thought, he tells her, “You know, child, the seed doesn’t ask if it will grow into a tree. It struggles, it bends with the wind, but it keeps growing. You just need to keep going.” The encouragement was what she needed the most right now.

Here, life was not about competition or proving oneself; it was about living in the moment, doing what one loved, and finding peace in it.

She also notices how the road winds and curves, much like the uncertainties in life. Some parts are smooth, while others have pebbles and bumps, just like the obstacles one faces while chasing their dreams. No road is ever perfectly straight, but that’s what makes the journey meaningful.

She sighed, sitting on a rock by the roadside. The wind carried the scent of the earth, fresh and pure. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of nature. She felt calm.

“You look deep in thought,” a voice said.

She turned around, surprised. A woman stood behind her—someone who looked familiar. Her face held kindness, and her eyes carried a warmth that made Anaya feel at ease.

“Who are you?” Anaya asked, confused.

The woman smiled. “You’ll know soon enough.”

There was something comforting about her presence. Anaya looked back at the road. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” she admitted. “Everyone expects me to have it figured out. But I don’t. I feel like no matter what I choose, I’ll always wonder if I made the wrong decision.”

The woman sat beside her. “Do you know what the road teaches?” she asked gently.

Anaya shook her head.

“It’s endless,” the woman said. “It twists, turns, rises, and falls. It leads to places unknown. But the only way to know where it takes you is to walk it.”

Anaya stared at the road stretching before her. “So, you’re saying I just have to start?”

The woman nodded. “And not just for the sake of choosing. You must walk with purpose, with something that excites you, something that doesn’t feel like a burden.”

Anaya thought about it. What was the one thing she could do forever without growing tired? What made her feel alive? 

She had always loved writing-creating stories, shaping worlds with words. It had been her comfort zone, her safe place. But she had never thought of it as something she could pursue seriously. It wasn’t practical. It wasn’t safe. 

“But what if I fail?” she whispered.

The woman smiled. “Failures are just milestones on the road. They don’t mean the journey ends.”

Anaya looked at her, suddenly realizing something. “You… you’re me, aren’t you? My future self?”

The woman smiled happily, and she gave a small nod. “And I came to tell you—you make it. You follow your passion, and it takes you places you never imagined. But only because you dared to walk this road.”

Tears stung Anaya’s eyes. She had spent so long doubting herself, afraid of making the wrong choice. But now, she knew. She had to choose what was something she was really passionate about, what she could never grow tired of—writing.

She stood up, her heart feeling lighter than ever before and assured. 

When she returned to her parents that evening, she looked at them with confidence she hadn’t felt in years. 

“I know what I want to do,” she said. “I want to write.”

Her mother smiled, and her father gave a nod of understanding. They had brought her here hoping she would find clarity, and she had.

As the sun set, Anaya looked at the road one last time. The road gave her three keys—courage to walk the unknown path, resilience to rise after every fall, and true passion, the unwavering love for what truly made her feel alive. With these, she knew she could chase her dreams fearlessly.

Your true calling is not about what you're best at, but what you never get tired of doing. Passion is what keeps you moving, even when the road ahead is uncertain. In a world where technology is replacing skills, only true passion and creativity can set you apart. No machine can replace the ambition and heart that drives you toward your dreams. Follow what gives you peace, what excites you, what makes you feel alive—because that is where your purpose lies.

By Bhavya Srivastava