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have realised that every phase of life comes with its own higher calling. It doesn’t always have to be something grand or visible to the world. Just because it’s called a ‘higher’ calling doesn’t mean you’re supposed to become a Napoleon or an Alexander.
What I’m trying to say is — it doesn’t need to carry magnitude for anyone else to feel it. Sometimes, it’s quiet. A change only you might notice. And regardless of how big or small that change is, you have to be proud of it. In fact, you must be proud of it.
Speaking of higher callings, I remember one that was handed to us early on: getting the best grades in school and college. Now that I’ve grown up, that one feels like a bit of a hoax. Remember the fantasy? That a single grade would change our lives — bring us success, gold and glory. Well, I certainly haven’t found the pot of gold. Probably, because I never found the end of the rainbow.
One after another, our parents passed on this idea of success. Class after class, until we got into university, and suddenly the grade point average became our North Star.
Back then, I’d tell myself that grades didn’t matter. That scores didn’t define me. Now I see it differently. What mattered wasn’t the grade — it was the kind of person our parents had hoped we’d become; someone disciplined, someone who could commit to something and follow through, no matter what.
In short, a higher calling is simply a superior version of you, calling you to become who you’re meant to be. That version shows up differently at every stage of life.
It might call on you to uphold your standards after diving headfirst into the wrong relationship (guilty).
It might push you to change the entire trajectory of your career in search of meaning (guilty again).
It might even show up in a quiet moment — like choosing to spend more time with your grandmother, just so she feels a little more loved at a fragile stage of her life (happily guilty).
Each of these is, in its own way, a daunting task. Each requires you to grow into something greater. But through all this evolutionary process, it’s important that every version of you — past and present — is met with pride. For who you were, who you are and who you are becoming.
Yes, the finish line keeps moving. And maybe we never really reach it. But, honestly, that’s the beauty of it.
I, for one, wouldn’t want to be done — because then, what would I have left to chase? Maybe we’re not meant to find the end of the rainbow. Maybe the magic is in seeing it, and learning to love the chase.
In the middle of it all, don’t forget to be kind to yourself. Sometimes, the kindest thing you can do... is to be a little tough on yourself. Because at the end of the day, it’s you who’s going to pull yourself forward.
So be that version of you — the one that shows up, pushes through and owns it. And be proud of that.
Shaafay Zia is anex-serviceman and afreelancer. He can be reached at shaafayziagmail.com