Megha was a carefree child. She was independent, ambitious and extremely driven. At the same time, she was also prone to indulging in entitled behaviour. Being the only child, she would assume that this was how life would be. It would be unfair to call her myopic or short sighted; as this was all she had seen in life. Her parents were the owners of a start-up and did not have too much time for her. So, they tried to compensate with money. They’d buy her expensive gifts, and she assumed that this was the way of life. But Megha was a beautiful and compassionate person, and in no way spoilt. But it did not diminish her attitude with regard to her entitlement. 

The day she turned 18, her parents sat down with her and talked to her. They told her that she was adopted. Her parents had found her at the temple that they visit every year. They were just married and were not really ready to be parents. But when they found her, they felt that it was meant to be. That she was supposed to be their daughter. 

As Megha listened to the story, it felt like her world suddenly fell apart. She did not know how to digest that information. No one is really ready to hear that. No one expects to hear that. Megha did. And she was at a loss for words. She was due to leave home for a month the next day. She left without saying goodbye. She did not know how to react. She knew that she was making her parents upset, but she did not know what else to do.

Megha loved children. It was this love that pushed her to become a teacher. Her degree required her to teach in a remote village for a month. At first, it was all about experiencing something new. Living in a hut, sleeping on a mattress on the floor and eating rice three times a day. As the days passed, she truly realised how hard it was for those around her. Megha closely worked with the parents of her students as well. She wanted to make sure that there was a plan of action for them to follow when she returned home. The stories of hardship and horror that she heard from them left her with nightmares. They barely celebrated functions, or even birthdays. Every day was a struggle. Be it for water or education, it seemed like impossible. 

When she returned home, the first thing she did was walk into her parents’ arms and tell her how glad she was that they found her. She told them that she was born again. 

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why’. 

Megha told her parents that she found out why she was placed in the care of two of the most beautiful people she could ever meet – to make a difference to herself, her parents, and the world. 

She was on a mission. 

This was her birth.