My Father

_x000D_ _x000D_ "I have observed my father’s life very keenly. I remember him telling me how he had migrated from India for better opportunities. When I was small I remember he ran a small hotel in the Market. I remember many people, travellers from Nepal and India eating at my father’s hotel. And as a child I always wondered where these people came from and where they were going. As I was growing up father sent me to school along with my two brothers. He was still running the hotel but one day the Municipality removed it to build a temple at the site. He must have been sad, but immediately he opened a food cart. That is what he knew. After school I would go to his food cart and help him prepare pickles and curries. I really admired what he did. I went to school but I had no interest in studies. I would bunk school and come back to the cart or go out with friends. So I did not do well. One day, everyone gathered around and counselled me. My father said, ‘Son, be responsible in school.’ My brothers said, ‘Bhai, listen to father or you will regret it.’ I told them that I will complete my SLC and that I had no intentions of continuing with school. Time went on. I would go to school and help at home. Father’s business was doing well and we had opened another eatery. My brothers had participated in expanding my father’s business and we now had three shops in total. The day I completed my SLC, I went to my family and said, ‘I am free man now. And I don’t want to go to school. Please help me set up a small shop like yours and that is all I will ask of you.’ I think they really saw the drive in me so they helped me set up this sandal shop. And I have been running it for the last few years. And I am content. I am buying from India and I am buying from China and I am selling. I am content with what little I have accomplished.” (Anand Kumar Jaiswal, Gawha 11, Birgunj, Parsa) ‪#‎StriveStruggleThrive‬_x000D_ _x000D_