What Happens When Passion Isn’t a Choice
I was watching a YouTube short where the host randomly interviews shoppers around T. Nagar in Chennai. One interview really struck me. The interviewee is currently employed as a bank manager. When he was asked whether this was the career he had always wanted, he said something that hit me hard. He explained: “After 10th, I wanted to pursue business and accountancy in high school, but my parents were against it and made me take biology instead. That led me to engineering—like most people do—and eventually to this job. My only regret is that my life was offset because of my parents’ decision. If you don’t let your kids do what their heart calls for, it becomes very difficult for them later in life. ” That one sentence shook me. I couldn’t help reflecting on my own life. As a child, life sciences fascinated me. I always imagined a career in laboratories, helping unravel nature’s secrets. I pictured myself teaching, researching, and earning a living while contributing to a larger comm...