Name: Anagha Ramaswamy
Class: 12A
Topic: The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your foot
“Evidence not present”
I stared at the three bold words in defeat, a cloud of grief settling upon my shoulders as I realized my years of toil had gone unseen.
Evidence chronicling innumerable Carnatic music competitions, writing contests, community recycling efforts, and beach cleanups—among countless more—had been wiped from the USB drive I submitted, invalidating my application for the Sheikh Hamdan Award.
Having thought of the award as my culminatory prize for my efforts, I was suddenly left adrift, spending months ruminating over what could have been—until an in-school announcement in assembly broke my malaise, “All those interested in applying for next year’s Sheikh Hamdan Award, see me after lunch.”
While I felt compelled to try again, a new sensation lingered within my unconscious—the reality that the prize could evade me again, for equally trivial reasons. Inadvertently, this uncertainty shifted the subject of my yearning from grandiose victory to subtle successes. Reflecting on this, I realized that my initial loss, seemingly an insurmountable stumbling block, held within it the potential to be a stepping stone to a more profound purpose.
In the dimly lit pantry of the old age home, I found a new force to drive my actions. Despite being characterized by their caretakers as quiet and composed, the elderly giggled with the mirth of schoolgirls as they told me stories they had once hoped to share with their own granddaughters. I now combed beaches for debris without subconsciously expecting a reward, instead focusing on the value inherent to my work. Every bag of trash I deposited at the collection point became a victory in its own sense.
Through every single one of these moments, I began to witness the tangible fruits of my impact. The genuine smiles and heartfelt thanks became my stepping stones, raising me higher than any award ever could. The verdict of external validation for which I had yearned was now supplanted by the satisfaction of my direct beneficiaries.
Only then did I realize the true meaning of a phrase I had been hearing for years at school, our motto- ‘Service before Self’. In the words of the Bhagavad Gita: “You have the right to perform your actions, but you are not entitled to the fruits of the actions. You shouldn’t engage in an action for the sake of a reward.”
The stumbling block of my initial failure became a stepping stone that elevated me to a more meaningful purpose, transforming my outlook on service and success. Had I succeeded in my initial attempt, I may have seamlessly sought my next external stamp of approval. Yet, my next effort surpassed its original intent, evolving from manipulating destiny to seizing the present with absolute agency. When my name was finally announced by the Sheikh Hamdan committee, I strode across the stage to accept my award, knowing that every stumble could potentially serve as a step towards something greater if we choose to rise above it.
