A mother’s quiet reflections on how her daughter became her best friend She grew up too soon — my heart tells me this every now and then. Especially on quiet afternoons, when I sit alone, holding a cup of chai that has long gone cold, thinking of her. My daughter. Once so little — her tiny fingers clutched mine as I taught her how to place a bindi right in the middle of her forehead. We’d laugh when it landed on her nose instead.

Throughout our lives we received one standard message that said “Hard work and best academic results lead to a secure future.” That belief existed in our minds for multiple years while we followed its guidelines. Students who earn top grades receive celebrity treatment both from teachers along with parents while teachers expect them to fulfill countless academic commitments. Professional success eludes jobless toppers after they leave their academic environment. It’s confusing. It’s painful.