Born and raised in the remote village,

my life echoed around village and not beyond.

Fortunate that I got this human life,

Yet, many things were missing from my life.

My neighbourhood friends giggled and laughed,

with their mom and dad by their side,

while I watched silently crying within,

for I was denied of such privileges.

However, I pulled on my life,

with my only mom behind me,

who took the role of a father, too.

When my friends wore new and warm clothes,

I put on the rags for the sake of covering myself.

When my friends were in the street,

Playing sports full of fun,

I was in the field guarding the crops or working,

to feed ourselves.

Oh! How I wished to be like them,

free and joyful in the play field.

As a child, I used to envy their life,

but I managed to embrace my own life.

Despite being illiterate and single mother,

She visualized my future in education,

hence, I was enrolled in the school like any other friends.

I walked in the rain and sun,

to get an education was never easy.

My friends carried colorful umbrellas and raincoat,

but I had a piece of plastic sheet over me,

barely enough to protect the rain.

Oh! How painful it was to my tender heart,

and my self-esteem but I pulled on.

When my friends welcomed winter vacation,

it was another dreadful journey for me,

as I had to work during harsh winter,

to earn for my next year’s schooling.

With blisters on hands and cracks on the feet,

though tough for my tender flesh and bones,

I endured every hardship at young age.

My childhood days were not so comfortable,

Yet, I enjoyed in my own ways.

When I look back to my yesteryears,

my eyes get flooded with tears,

and the pain in my bones still lingers,

but those are the memories that I cherish now and forever,

as I don’t have the luxury to turn back the clock.

There are thousands of reasons to celebrate,

as I was not flawed in my childhood upbringing,

and that my mother single handedly nurtured me,

and educated me to be a better person.

                                                                                    ~ Yeshi Nidup

                                                                                            Phuentsholing, Bhutan