Hey, everyone! My name is Siddharth Bisht and I am presently a grade-twelve student. I have been a diehard soccer fan since the age of four, so much so that I told my parents that I wanted to learn soccer. They readily agreed and enrolled me in a soccer academy.
Frankly, I was totally crazy about soccer. In fact, I would happily get up at four in the morning just to get some extra soccer practice. Time only served to increase my passion for the game. Day-long practice sessions meant that my skills got more refined and my game became technically sounder. And that is when I heard about a living soccer legend – Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, so impressed was I by his game that I would closely watch his matches and try to replicate some of his moves on the training pitch. It was not long before I made it my life goal to play in the same team as CR7.
However, this dream was short-lived as grade ten beckoned. My parents pulled me out of the academy and told me to concentrate on my studies so I could land a decent job in the future. I was totally against this decision and protested vehemently. But considering the odds that were heavily stacked against me, I had little choice but to comply with my parents’ verdict.
Unsurprisingly, the Board exams were nothing less than catastrophic as I failed miserably in four subjects. Figuring out that my heart lay somewhere else, I made another plea to my parents so they would let me play again. Much to my dismay, however, they re-enrolled me in grade ten. Frustrated, I decided that I would flunk the exams again – this time on purpose. That felt like the only way I could convince my parents to let me play.
It ultimately took a quote – yes, a simple quote – from a book I read during my summer vacation for me to reconsider my stance. It said, “If life gives you lemons, just squeeze them and prepare a lemonade”. There are times in life when small, seemingly uneventful things leave a lasting impression on you. That is just what that line did to me. I decided to study hard, get a good job and become financially independent to be able to pursue my dreams. If that was the only way I could follow my passion, I was willing to go down that path.
There was no looking back from there. I studied day and night, and my hard work paid off in style as I scored an unbelievable 96.4% in my grade-ten Board exams! I did not stop at that and topped my class in the following grade. Now, as a twelfth grader, I cannot wait for my Board exams to make sure I make it three out of three.
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
If you too are an Indian reader with a story to tell, we are all ears. Getting your story published on Ameya is pretty straightforward, actually. Just click on the button below, fill in the applicable fields and start typing. Once you are done, hit ‘submit’. If you don’t quite fancy the idea of filling random contact forms on the Internet, relax – we’ve got all bases covered! You can simply email your story to us at support@booksameya.in. Once we’ve received your story, our team will get in touch with you and apprise you of its publishing status. Yes, it’s that simple!