Career conversation

It was the day when I was going to meet few of my family members for a small celebration at my sister's house. I had to mentally prepared myself for some of the questions that were going to be directly at me. I had left my corporate job and had started freelancing. It was a move that most of my relatives were not aware of. They only knew that I was no longer working with corporate. I had prepared myself mentally that what ever they say I should not lose my temper. I knew that I was going for a celebration and not for a debate. I had decided that if any question bothers me I am going to take a deep breath, count till 10, and then respond. This strategy would ensure that I am calm and composed.

My cousin Suraj had arrived. He was the one about whom I was the most worried about. I knew he was going to ask me questions and make me feel that I am inferior to every person living on this earth. I took a depreth and thought to myself "I can do this. I am stronger than his renarks. I got this" and smiled.

" Hello my ex-employee sister. What are you up to these days?" He began with a snarky remark. Everyone laughed at his remark and waited for my reaction.

"Hello my brother. Good to see you. I am so glad that you finally felt to ask me after 6 months of ending my corporate career that what I was up to. What do you want to hear about?" I replied while smiling knowing very well that it was not a cool response but really sarcastic.

The room had gone silent. The laughter quickly faded. The atmosphere had become unsure of the mood.

"Tell me everything. I am sure I can understand. We come from different fields but I do have some exposure to the paramedical field," he said thinking that he was still above everyone in that room.

I took a deep breath and replied, "Sure let me tell you one by one what I do in a day".

"Whoa! Wait. We are not doing an episode of Vogue. First tell me how much you sleep? When do you get up? How much time you spend sleeping in the afternoon?" Again this remark made everyone in the room laugh. I could not understand if anything about this remark was worth a laugh. It is completely unbelievable that people think that after leaving the job the time is spend only in sleeping.

"My dear brother I can even stay awake the entire night and you are worried that I sleep in the afternoon? You definitely do not know me at all," I responded to him in a casual tone though I was really furious.

"Okay no sleep in the afternoon I get it. You haven't yet told me what exactly do you do?" He was little taken aback. He was expecting me to get angry or defeated, but he was shocked to see I was not backing down.

"Thank you for the opportunity. I am currently working with two platforms for research. I am also working with another platform for mentoring. Plus I do short term projects. I do not have a fixed work or schedule but whatever I have keeps me occupied throughout the day. I am really enjoying what I am doing right now. It feels like I am really contributing towards progress rather than the growth of capitalists," I was surprised how calm I was sounding despite of being angry. My response was polished and composed. It made everybody silent in the room.

Before anybody could speak my uncle praised me, "I knew you would do something that would use your knowledge and skills. I am proud of you". Those words definitely made me happy.

Every laughter had completely faded away. I can see every face regretting why they had laughed at me earlier. That was the moment when I felt that I have accomplished something in my life. Not because I had one praise but because I was able to make everyone feel sorry for themselves for laughing at me.