“People have the right to part ways if they differ in their thoughts. My parents separated too. My father did not trust my mother so they found no grounds for a relationship. I witnessed the fallout which made me feel like I was the victim. I was rigorously trying to escape the situation. This incident in my life made me a quiet person. During that time, I felt that I was not strong enough to be vocal or to resolve the situation. I also kept quiet because I did not want to be the reason for any confrontation. I was scared of conflict. There were times when I had aggressively countered my father and defended my mother. But it had filled me up with guilt. So I had decided to remain quiet. I was always lost in my own thoughts, accustomed to my own fears, and guilt. I was talking to myself and, not with the people around me.

If the relationship between my parents was normal, I imagine myself having a better life. Good schooling, guidance for education, and career. I would have felt more secure financially and emotionally. I would have felt more confident to take on challenges for my future.

But, at the same time, I am not dissatisfied or complaining about what I have today and what I have become. This experience in life has also made me resilient. I have learned of heartbreaks and I learned of life and relationship. As of late, I have started to look beyond myself. I realise that my siblings might also have been struggling which I might have been ignoring for a long time. I realise that then I was naive not to see what my mother was going through. Everything that has happened has also made me very independent and sensitive toward human emotions, I try to understand people more thoroughly than making a quick judgment. Today, I have acceptance. Today, I have empathy. For everyone. Even for my father.”