Family first. No matter what. We all believe in this idea. But more often than not, our career preferences come in our way of devoting time to our families. We get so busy ‘making it big for ourselves’ that we often grow apart from our families.

Permanent Roommates fame, Nidhi Singh’s Humans of Bombay post talks about the same tussle between career and family. And how real success is about staying connected with your family no matter where your career takes you.

She starts by talking about her simple upbringing. She was a small-town girl with big dreams.

 My dad was a doctor in the Railways & my mom was a teacher. You know how in movies you see a starry eyed, small town girl who wants to be an actor? I was her. 

Although she moved to Bombay for college, her inhibitions about acting career didn’t let her pursue it right away.

I told myself I wasn’t good enough to be an actor yet. So with my job, I watched from the sidelines.

However, soon, she realised that it was now or never. She quit her job, freelanced, gave about 100 auditions before she landed Permanent Roommates. In this race of ‘making it big’, her family was somewhere sidelined.  

I didn’t stop for 2 years! I hadn’t been home, but a phone call changed it all…
In.com

She got a call that her father has suffered a brain stroke. And only two months later her mother was diagnosed with Uterine cancer.

Imagine the inner turmoil. The feeling that you’ve been out of touch for so long, that you’ve grown apart, and couple it with a scare as real as your parents’ health. Nidhi talks about how her achievements didn’t matter all of a sudden.

My dad couldn’t speak properly & my mom was staying strong for us. None of my achievements felt worth it. My family mattered more than a successful career.
Juracare

 When she was out with her family during Christmas, a woman recognised her and asked for a picture. Nidhi’s mother couldn’t help but be ecstatic that her daughter has made it. But for Nidhi, after everything, the only thing that mattered was that she was with her family. This was success for her. 

I’d learnt what real success was. It wasn’t growing apart but growing up & staying connected to my roots. Where I came from, my home, my family, the fact that they were proud, that made all the difference. That was my success.

Her story of realising that family always comes first hits too close to home. Because, ultimately family is all that matters. No one can replace these set of permanent roommates, we’re born with/to.

Read the post here.

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“Last year, I visited my parents during Christmas in Allahabad. At dinner, a woman asked me for a picture! My mom was ecstatic. In her eyes, I had made it! As for me, I was glad for the dinner with them, because a lot had happened before. I had a simple upbringing. My dad was a doctor in the Railways & my mom was a teacher. You know how in movies you see a starry eyed, small town girl who wants to be an actor? I was her. I was captivated by Shakespeare in school & knew that this was what I wanted to do. My parents were skeptical. But I told them I had to try. So for college, I moved to Bombay. Afterwards, I got a job in a reputed Ad agency. I told myself I wasn’t good enough to be an actor yet. So with my job, I watched from the sidelines. One day, on set, I asked Shernaz Patel about her career. She said all I had to do was jump in & asked why I hadn’t yet? I was surprised that she could tell I was interested. I was just 23, it was now or never. So in a month, I quit my job. I auditioned, worked in plays & was freelancing as an A.D to pay the bills. After about a 100 auditions, ‘Permanent Roommates’ happened & then 2 films. And I didn’t stop for 2 years! I hadn’t been home, but a phone call changed it all. My dad had had a brain stroke. I was devastated. My brothers & I got my parents to Bombay. But in 2 months, my mom was diagnosed with Uterine cancer. Nothing mattered now. We spent the next few months in hospitals. My dad couldn’t speak properly & my mom was staying strong for us. None of my achievements felt worth it. My family mattered more than a successful career. I’d grown up watching my parents work unending hours. So I tried to do the same, for them. But I was losing out on staying connected to my roots. So last year, even when I was recognised at dinner, I was just happy to be with my parents there. And all we did when we went home, was switch on the T.V & fall asleep in front of it. Just like old times. I’d learnt what real success was. It wasn’t growing apart but growing up & staying connected to my roots. Where I came from, my home, my family, the fact that they were proud, that made all the difference. That was my success.” #IShapeMyWorld

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