When Did I Start Listening To The World?

 Today, a small incident made me pause and reflect. One of my master’s batchmates shared some beautiful photos—she and her daughter performing together as part of a dance troupe. The joy on their faces, the grace in their movements—it was truly heartwarming.

But those pictures carried me back almost 25 years. 

At that time, I was pursuing my PhD—a demanding, often monotonous journey. To bring some balance, I had registered for classes in music and Bharatanatyam. They were my little pockets of joy and energy amidst research and deadlines.

Around then, this very same friend had moved to my city. She had just welcomed her first baby, and I was excited to meet her again. We caught up about life since our master’s. When I told her I had joined Bharatanatyam classes, her response stayed with me:

“This is the age for you to put your daughter in a Bharatanatyam class, not for you to go and learn.”

In that moment, something inside me sank. I felt like an immature kid who didn’t know her life priorities. I began to question myself—was I wrong to be learning dance at this stage? Should I have been focusing only on “serious” responsibilities? I had suddenly felt like a childish dreamer, someone out of step with life’s “priorities.” 

And here’s the irony of life.

Today, this same friend is learning dance at her 50 years of age. Not only learning, but also performing and even participating in dance competitions! The very path she had once discouraged me from walking, she is joyfully walking herself now.

It made me think: When did I start giving so much importance to what others thought?

I don’t blame her—she simply voiced her perspective back then. The real turning point was not her comment, but the weight I chose to give it. I allowed her words to override my own inner voice.

Looking back, I realize joy has no age. Learning has no deadline. Dance, music, creativity—these are ageless companions. They don’t belong only to the young; they belong to anyone who chooses to embrace them.

So yes, sometimes I still get affected by people’s opinions. Maybe because approval feels like belonging. But as I step into this milestone age, I am slowly learning to listen more to my heart and less to the noise of the world.

And when I see my friend on stage today—dancing, glowing, and alive—I feel two things. One, a quiet pride in her choice to reclaim joy. And two, a renewed reminder for myself: Never get affected by people's statements