"We present the Annual School Play 'Fiddler on the Roof'". The master of the ceremony said this with great enthusiasm, and the play proceeded.
I was heavily dressed, the makeup was just right, and I was all set to go to the stage to give the dress rehearsal my best shot. However, things didn't go as I had expected. At the end of the rehearsal my desire to receive tons of praise was met with sarcasm and disapproval. " Sumnima was poorly casted." " Unlike other rehearsal days, the last one she did was so disappointing." "What if she ends up ruining the whole play?" people said. Soon my director broke the news to me that I knew was coming after a disappointing performance. I would no longer be performing on the main day. He asked me to perform on the day when the school would be watching the play, not the day that the parents and VIPS were invited. I was devastated.
One bad performance and suddenly I was not good enough! I thought of quitting altogether. The actor who was also playing my role could perform on both the days. But I had given so much for the play: long hours after school, days of memorizing lines. I didn't do all that to give up at the end. and give up my dream.
I thought to myself that no matter what happened I had to prove to people and myself that I could do well. I rehearsed and practiced by myself. The final day arrived in no time. As expected I heard lots of comments but I didn't bother because deep down I felt confident. It was time for me to go on the stage. I felt confident, yet butterflies churned in my stomach. However, I went in and attempted to do my best. The play had a sad ending but for me, a sadder one for I feared what people would say. Apparently, I didn't have reason to fear. People came to me and told me how well I had done. Likewise, those people who watched the play both the days said, "You were the better Tzeitel". My director came to me and said, "You were the star of the show." I couldn't have been any happier.
I realized that life is a series of tough events, since there are many times that I fell, limped, but in the end with all my courage and willingness I stood up in my own feet. Academically, my statistics may not be oh-so-awesome but everyone has a phase when they cannot give their best due to one reason or the other. I believe this was mine. Despite all this, I don't give up and I am applying aboard with the hope that I will get an opportunity to shine like a star, and this time I am going to be the brightest.
These setbacks have taught me how to handle failure. I am glad that I have learnt to see criticism not as a bad thing, but as something which helps me to focus on improvement. I know it's just a temporary change in my direction to set me straight for my next success. It has made me more confident with stronger resolve and bigger dreams. Despite what happened, I continued to dream and that to me made all the difference. It gave me a positive outlook towards life. There is so much to learn and so much to get done. I look to the academic rigor and dynamic social atmosphere of college to be the best I can become. In days to come I might fall but I will just get up, dust myself and walk with my head high.
