The Realization

Jessica was a 12-year-old school student. She was growing in a very unusual environment. Her grandmother was a Sanskrit Pandit. Her father worked for the less privileged people in society. Her mother owned an NGO and worked for tribal girls' upliftment in many villages.

Jessica was growing in rich culture and with many life-enriching experiences.

She was a happy school going student, who loved her friends. Then suddenly came the COVID situation and started her lockdown stories.

Jessica learnt to use gadgets and other electronic devices, as her school had come to her home through her laptop. Slowly she learnt how social media worked, because she loved writing she was quite active on many social media platforms through her writings. She had many good and bad experiences, but she had no grudges against anyone. Jessica even apologised to the ones she had hurt and forgiven the ones who have left a scar on her mind. But there were a few friends who would not just stop writing bad about her, grouping against her and also tried to malice her image on the social platform. She started thinking that she was being bullied. She had recently read a lot on cyberbullying. She tried hard but the scars were there to remain with her. Yet Jessica was thankful to those who had enriched her life experiences.

Due to the belittling of one other episode that was going on in her life, on social media, she had a frank talk with her parents about how lonely and lost and defeated she felt. 

That's when her parents showed her the other side of the world. One fine day Jessica's mom was speaking to some of the tribal girls in some remote village on her laptop, which she did regularly. Mother asked Jessica to join her. There were around 12 girls sitting in front of a smartphone which was borrowed from some villager who had one. All the girls were smiling, giggling and they looked so happy, regardless of how little they had. Jessica was privileged to have her personal laptop, a mobile and personal space. It suddenly hit her how privileged she was and on what small, petty issues she was complaining and crying and thinking how ill-fated she was.

Enough! thought Jessica, "That's enough of complaining. I am the luckiest person and I shall not waste my parent's money and the valuable things that I have. I am so lucky to have internet, laptops and gadgets, I shall use all of it wisely and responsibly". And Jessica decided to never look back. Let be the people who are still thinking of how to put her down Jessica also wishes to visit those girls whom she met, on-screen, to know more about how they live and what are their aspirations, she is just waiting for the lockdown to get over. More power to the girls!