Life's Irony

Linda's decision

Linda has not yet graduated, but her mind is no longer fully in school. She finds it hard to concentrate in class, not because she does not love learning, but because reality presses heavily on her heart. London is expensive, and everything costs money; rent, food, transport, school. She knows her parents are doing their best, but she can see how hard it is becoming for them.

Many nights, Linda lies awake thinking. Her mates are close to graduating, talking about their future plans with excitement. Instead of feeling motivated, Linda felt pressure. She feels guilty. She wonders if her education is slowly draining her parents of their strength and peace. Though they never ask her to stop, she feels it is time to act.

One morning, Linda makes a decision that changes her life. She stops going to school. She does not tell her parents. She wakes up every day, dresses as if she is going to lectures, and leaves the house. But instead of school, she walks through the streets of London searching for work. She enters shops, restaurants, and offices, anywhere that looks hopeful. Everywhere she goes, she hears the same response: “Do you have a degree?” When she says no, the conversation ends.

Day after day, rejection follows rejection. Her feet ache from walking, her phone grows quiet, and her hope slowly fades. Still, she tells herself she is doing the right thing. This is her way of protecting the people who have always protected her.