While working on my Anatomy assignment this afternoon, I just paused for a moment and looked at my desk. Books, papers, YouTube videos, and PDFs opened in multiple tabs as I was learning about the structure of muscle fibers and the function of muscle contraction.
Anatomy & Physiology - the subjects I was hoping to study when I was 18 years old. It didn't happen at that time and is finally happening at the age of 42.
Since 9th grade, I had set my eyes on doing MBBS. Studied really hard in my 12th grade, ran from one tuition center to another for the 4 core subjects, did so many revision tests (wish I could bring back the same rigor now!!), circumambulated the nearby temple almost every day, and said many prayers. The 12th board exam results came out very well but my marks slipped slightly in the entrance exam of Physics paper.
I didn't get through the high cut-off that was set for the General category. If I didn't belong to the General category, I would have got through. I was devastated and cried so much. It was one of the huge disappointments, which took me almost a year to recover.
I only wish in hindsight that I had the awareness that there are other forms of medicine (Ayurveda, Siddha) that I could have evaluated at that time.
I took the next best option at that time - Computer Science Engineering. The first year of Engg went in silent mourning that I didn't get to pursue my dream. I wished for something magical to happen, that would fetch me a medical seat. Taking a break year and reappearing for the exams OR paying a huge capital fee to secure a seat in a private college were not viable options, given the financial situation at home. From the second year onwards, I started to work hard in Engg and put my best efforts, as I was way behind the students who had taken CS instead of Biology in their 11th/12th grades.
Though medicine wasn't meant to be as a career, learning about the human body has always been a keen interest. While researching nutrition in my early 30s, I learned about the gastrointestinal system in depth. In the past few years, I have become fascinated by the functioning of our brain and have been learning about the nervous system. Thanks to Yoga, I'm now understanding the musculoskeletal system in depth.
I just enjoy learning about the systems of the human body and the beautiful coordination and interconnectedness of the workings.
As long as curiosity and interest are alive and kicking, one can learn any subject, irrespective of age.
I now have no regrets that I didn't get to pursue an MBBS. Supreme Divine has always the best plans for us if we give our sincere efforts.
Those of you who missed out on opportunities in your early years, don't worry. What is meant for you will come back to you - maybe, not in the same way as expected but way better.