There comes a time in every youngster's life when the realisation dawns that it's not really a television-perfect world we live in. It's not about fairytales, or knights in shining armour, or spotless souls, or overflowing innocence and happiness. Adverse circumstances lead one to understand that life's not always wonderful. And when this realisation hits, it's difficult to process. But it's essential that one learn to cope early on, drawing on inner strength and support from all available quarters.
Crises and tragedies can take a particularly hard toll on young adults -- they are old enough to fully perceive the gravity of a situation, but not always mature enough to handle the consequences. Here, we feature a few stories of youngsters who recount trying times in their lives and how they coped. Some of them received aid from the most unexpected quarters and forged lifelong friendships as a result:
Learn to gratefully accept and appreciate support
It's important to understand that there's no shame in accepting love and support from a trusted friend or relative. And gratitude is much-appreciated -- so don't forget someone's kindness to you overnight, no matter how small or large their effort.
27-year-old Shankar Narayan, an executive with a private bank in Mumbai, will forever remain indebted to a college classmate of his. Says Narayan, "Shivakar* was my roommate for two years when both of us were enrolled in a post-graduate Masters course. After that, we became close friends and both of us took up jobs in Mumbai."
Continues Narayan, "Two years ago I fell drastically ill and was overcome with worry -- I was the only breadwinner of my family, sending home most of my salary regularly. My mother, back in my hometown, was not keeping well herself, so I couldn't possibly stress her out by telling her anything. Shivakar was a dear friend, but what he did for me cannot be expected even from family. He took me to his parents' home in Mumbai and there his mother nursed me back to health over the course of three long months. In the meantime, he used to send money to support my family back home from his own salary. Today, when I look back to that time, I realise I wouldn't have made it through that phase in my life without him."
Narayan never did get around to telling his own mother about all of this, but he will never forget his friend's loving aid. "It's important to realise the importance of friends who extend their unconditional support in times of need," he explains. "In fact, my wife Gayatri* was initially just a friend, but the way she stood by me through tough times caused me to fall in love with her and convinced me that she was the one to spend the rest of my life with."
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Text: Susan Mathen
Photograph: William B Plowman/Getty Images
Also read: What you don't know about dating and relationships!
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