I was born in 2006, in an Indian middle-class family where people believed that marks defined intelligence and confidence defined worth.
From the beginning, I failed to fit into that belief.
My voice was not clear. Whenever I tried to speak, words came out slowly, unevenly, as if my thoughts could not find the right path outside. Because of that, people assumed I had nothing important to say. Over time, I stopped trying. Silence became my habit, not my choice.
School was where I felt most misunderstood.
I was bad at studies, not because I didn't want to learn, but because I learned differently. Lessons moved fast, teachers moved faster, and I was always left behind. My notebooks stayed empty, while my mind stayed full of confusion.
Till fifth class, cartoons became my escape.
They were simple, colorful, and forgiving. In those worlds, no one was called stupid for being slow. No one was compared. No one was misunderstood.
Teachers didn't see effort—they saw results.
Low marks turned into labels. Some teachers thought I was careless. Some thought I was stupid. None of them asked what I was struggling with. I wasn't failing on purpose; I was drowning quietly.
Passing exams was a fight every year.
While others studied to succeed, I studied just to survive. Sometimes, it felt like the school passed me to the next class not because I had improved, but because they didn't want to deal with me anymore. Each promotion came with relief, not confidence.
By sixth class, cricket replaced cartoons.
Watching the game gave me peace. On the field, talent mattered more than words. No one judged you before seeing what you could do. Without realizing it, I was searching for a place where I wouldn't be misunderstood.
People saw a weak student.
They didn't see a confused boy trying to understand himself.
They heard my unclear voice, but they never listened to my thoughts.
That was my real struggle—not being bad at studies,
but being misunderstood by a world that never tried to understand me.
And this was only the beginning. *Misunderstood" is the core theme
*Shows struggle without self-hate
*Smooth, emotional flow
*Sets up growth for future chapter.