In Indian families, every major decision is a committee meeting disguised as casual conversation.
Should Ravi take that job in Bangalore? "But Beta, what about marriage prospects there?" Should he invest in his friend's startup? "These modern businesses come and go. Government jobs are forever." Should he move out of the family home? "Why pay for rent when you already have a room here?"
For thirty-five years, Ravi Sharma had lived in a maze of family advice, cultural expectations, and his own fear of choosing. His endless analysis of every decision cost him the opportunity.
He had become India's most educated bus misser.
But this story isn't just about the peculiar pressure of making individual choices in a culture built around collective decision-making. It highlights something everyone faces: that moment when you realise waiting for everything to be just right is fear dressed up as reason, armed with excuses that sound convincing.
"The real peril isn't simply picking a flawed path, but allowing fear to immobilise us and condemn us to inaction."
Your bus is boarding. The question isn't whether you're ready. The question is whether you'll let another opportunity disappear into the night while you stand on the platform, analysing the seating chart.