The Race We Never Chose



Life is full of ups and downs.

When we are babies, life feels so simple.

We cry when we’re uncomfortable.

We eat when we’re hungry.

We sleep when we’re tired.

That’s it.

No overthinking.

No comparison.

No fear about the future.

Just existence.

Then slowly, life starts adding layers.

School begins.

Homework begins.

Marks begin.

Competition begins.

But even then, there is still some innocence left.

We still have dreams.

“I will become a doctor.”

“I will become an engineer.”

“I will do something big.”

As children, our dreams feel unlimited.

We don’t think about money, responsibility, or reality.

But then… we grow up.

Around 16 or 17, school ends.

And college life begins.

People say college is the best phase of life.

But for many of us… it becomes the biggest reality check.

It shows us where we actually stand.

It shows us how unprepared we feel.

Sometimes… it even makes us feel useless.

Not because we truly are useless,

but because suddenly we are surrounded by competition everywhere.

It feels like we are all goats fighting for one small seat…a seat we are not even sure we wanted in the first place.

Somewhere between first year and final year… our dreams shrink.

By the time we reach the last year, we don’t say,

“I want to become something great.”

We only say, “I just want a good job.”

Because reality hits.

We are not from rich families where we can live comfortably on our parents’ money.

We don’t have financial safety nets.

We have responsibilities.

Our parents have expectations from us.

Not wrong expectations.

Just hopes.

And we want to fulfill them.But then fear appears.

What if no one hires me? Why would anyone choose an average graduate?

There are thousands like me.

And slowly, the future starts looking scary.

Sometimes it feels like the only option left is a toxic job environment…where salary is almost nothing,but stress is three times more.

But then a thought comes…What if this tension didn’t exist?

What if we knew for sure that no matter what happens…we have a place to return to?

A safe place.

A stable place.

A home.

Because many of us are living in uncertainty. We don’t know where we will be after a few months.

We don’t know if things will work out.

We don’t know how stable our future is.

And that uncertainty… is heavy. People say, “You’re only 20.”

But what does being 20 actually mean? It means standing between childhood and adulthood… with expectations from both sides.

We are called Gen Z —a generation that is supposed to be confident, bold, fearless, modern.

Maybe many are.But maybe some of us… feel left behind.Maybe some of us are still trying to understand life at our own pace.

Maybe some of us are quieter.

More thoughtful.

More scared.And maybe… that’s okay.Because everyone runs at a different speed.

Sometimes the biggest comfort isn’t success…it’s knowing that you have somewhere to belong.

Somewhere you are accepted even if you fail.

Somewhere you are safe even if you don’t know what comes next.And maybe that’s what we are truly searching for.

Not just jobs.

Not just success.

But stability.

Belonging.

Home.

And that’s why the title of this book is Homeless.

Not because I don’t have a physical home.

But because somewhere along the way…I lost the home inside myself.

The home where my thoughts should feel safe.

Where my choices should matter. Where I should be allowed to breathe without fear of disappointing someone.

Maybe that’s what this book is—an attempt to rebuild that home.

Brick by brick.

Sentence by sentence.

Truth by truth.

If you’re reading this, maybe you feel a little bit homeless too.

Not in the world—but inside your own heart.And maybe… just maybe…we’ll find our way back together.

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