"An innocent crawling baby, an old man who desperately wants to die, and everything and everyone in between have a strange drive to improve and achieve at every stage of their lives," Grete suddenly thought before packing her same old bag and walking to school as monotonously as possible.

 

Everyone, including Grete, was trying to climb the ladder of what was called "life" to prove their worth and validate their existence. But why? Can't we just be normal for one day and do whatever we want without expecting anything in return and without feeling guilty for doing nothing? Such questions were occupying Grete's mind that morning. They grew larger as she tried to find answers. At first, she blamed the school for forcing the children to come and go so early every day, but then she realized that it was much more than that. The government and this so-called modern system forced people to work and earn money for their benefit. "How unfair was that?" Grete complained. But she had no choice but to be a cog in this ruthless capitalist wheel.  

 

Grappling with these thought-provoking questions, she came to school feeling obliged and slightly uncomfortable with her previous enlightenment. She feared that people were so consumed by doing things ‘right’ that they never stopped to question why. They were like insignificant figures, doomed to be overshadowed by the powerful character in everyone’s focus, or like puppets controlled by a puppeteer. Grete felt sad that she did not have the power or authority to change things, but she could somehow do things differently; in a way that would trigger her teachers, her school, and her government. 

 

Despite being very successful and brilliant, she noticed how unhappy she was staying up all night and sleeplessly studying just to get into a great university and then to get a real job. But it was all a cycle full of hustle and bustle, she would always be working for other people and their expectations. At this point, she was even unsure that her dreams were not truly hers, but rather manipulated and shaped by strong figures of the society. ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’ were intertwined in her mind for a second, and she was perplexed. She did not want to rise for the first time in her life, she would let everything fall. Only then could she be free and autonomous.  Nothingness seemed more attractive than everything. At least she would not feel that pressured, and maybe find the chance to pursue her ‘own’ dreams. 

 

When she got back home, she was filled with an unfamiliar sense of relief and nonchalance. She had no burdens, no handcuffs that chain her into studying, no more expectations. She found perhaps the only ‘rise’ of her life in her only ‘fall’. 

 

However, the next day, she went back to school.