Are you really self-made?

I wanted to share with you all, a thought that has been making rounds in my mind for the past few days.

The thought is ‘Are we really self-made?’

All of you people have reached a mature stage in life.
Sure, you might still be figuring out a LOT of things - career switch, exercising, friendships, your diet, should I add ketchup to my Maggi (pls don’t), what should I wear today, and also deeper philosophical questions like ‘is this all worth it?’

And that’s okay. We are continuously figuring out.
I once stole an eraser in 6th grade - I don’t do that now. (Reshma from AFGJI if you’re reading this I owe you an eraser!)

The point I’m trying to make is you are not the same person you were in 6th grade.
You have changed or evolved - if that’s a better word.

You have made something for yourself.
YOU did it

But, are you really self-made?

Yes, you studied. Passed that exam. Cleared that interview. Cried. Broke down. Got back up again. Got anxious before a big presentation. Aced the presentation. Then a few more.

YOU did all of this yourself.

But,
What about the shopkeeper who arranged a charger for your laptop when every shop was out of it?
What about the Zomato delivery guy who delivered at 2 AM to support your long nights?
What about the auto-wale bhaiya who skimmed through heavy traffic so you could reach your office on time?
What about the generous stranger on the internet who uploaded the Torrent for the cracked version of Windows you still use today?
What about the Nurse who convinced the doctor to see you after hours?
What about the kind stranger who let you use their phone when yours died?

Are you really self-made? Think again.

I’ve been thinking a lot on this, and would love to hear your thoughts! 💭