A Journey of Self-Discovery: Overcoming Insecurities and Finding My Passion

At the tender age of 13, I had no idea what depression and anxiety truly meant. But as I reflect on those years, I can now say with certainty that I was wrestling with those very emotions.

I used to hide of my room, shedding tears. I'd gaze into the mirror, covering half of my face, hoping against hope for perfection. I was always envious of other classmates, their 'normal' faces a stark contrast to my own.

School was a place I didn't really want to be. Friendships were scarce, and I was often mocked as the odd-looking boy with the funny face.

However, home offered some normality. My father treated me no differently than my siblings, and in doing so, he normalised my condition for me.

One particular memory stands out. On my 12th birthday, shortly after my left eye had been surgically removed, my father gifted me a set of stumps and a cricket bat. Like many South Asian children, I had a deep love for cricket. So, every day after school, I'd return home and bowl tirelessly at a wall.

I'd watch enviously as other kids played cricket in the school playground but lacked the courage to join them. Until one day, when the school playground was unusually empty, and a few boys were playing cricket. Gathering my courage, I asked, "Can I have a turn?" They exchanged glances, chuckling and mocking me before reluctantly handing me the ball.

The batsman, chatting away , held the bat with one hand. I took my chance, running up to bowl. The ball veered outside his off-stump, and he swung and missed. Silence fell, all eyes on me. The wicketkeeper broke the silence, saying, "Try again." Determined, I aimed for a Yorker this time, meticulously studying his feet. I sprinted towards the makeshift stumps formed by blue bins and, with a satisfying thud, hit them.

Applause and cheers erupted. The batsman approached me and complimented my delivery.

Before long, I found myself on the school's cricket team, becoming the top wicket-taker for the year. I had transitioned from being Amit, the boy with the funny face, to Amit, the cricket enthusiast.

That marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

So, I ask you, dear reader, when will you bowl your first ball?