May 8, 2025

(The story About– Karthik, a timid and withdrawn boy, grew up constantly struggling to face the world. He was broken both inside and out. But everything began to change when he met a wise man—who, as he later realized, was his true mentor.)

On the 50th floor of Skyline Tower, in front of a wide window, Karthik slid the curtain aside to admire the view. From his office, he could see the bustling streets of Hyderabad, a nearby park, and shopping malls scattered below. Light rain fell gently, and the signal lights—red, amber, green—flashed in sequence like a silent performance beneath the drizzle.

Karthik, the owner of Swathi Water Bottling Group of Companies, had recently rented this apartment. For him, it was more than a place to live—it was a symbol of his success. He felt a deep, quiet satisfaction. He had earned this. He wanted to live and work from a higher place—as a reward for the pain he had endured. For so long, he had remained low and burdened.

As his mind wandered to the past, words from long ago seemed to echo in his ears—cruel words spoken by friends, classmates,

“Hey dumb… Hey stupid… Hey useless…”

The echoes stung just as they had years ago. Karthik had been bullied, beaten, and verbally abused throughout his childhood.

He was a weak student, a fragile child, a timid young man.

His father had died when he was just four years old.

Before that, his father had often spoken of his dream—to start a water bottling company. The story went even further back. His father, Sita Rao, had worked alongside a relative, Dharmendra Rao, at a steel company. One day, Dharmendra suggested an idea: they should start a drinking water bottling business. Sita Rao, kind-hearted and hardworking, liked the idea. Dharmendra encouraged him to leave his job and build the business, as he can support the venture financially. His selfish reasoning was that if the business failed, at least he would still have his job and income. Sita Rao agreed.

Sita Rao gave it everything to their new Company—working day and night—only to one day realize he was being treated as nothing more than an employee. All the decision-making power remained with Dharmendra. When Sita Rao raised his concerns, Dharmendra brushed him off: “We’ll deal with that later. Just focus on the business.” Working himself to the bone, Sita Rao’s health deteriorated. Eventually, he became bedridden. At that point, Dharmendra showed no mercy. He took complete control of the successful company.

Dharmendra had two children—Ratan and Rati. Sita Rao had only one: Karthik.

In childhood, Karthik and Rati shared a sweet bond. But Ratan was mischievous, always teasing and overpowering Karthik.  Already a timid and withdrawn child, Karthik was further shattered by his father's death. His mother, with no other option, began working under Dharmendra in the very company her husband had helped build. Her quiet sadness only deepened Karthik’s loneliness.

Ratan constantly compared himself to Karthik, proudly showing off everything he could do that Karthik couldn't. His mother joined in, praising Ratan and mocking Karthik. The constant comparisons crushed Karthik’s confidence. His shyness worsened, and he began to believe he could never compete with anyone—a belief constantly reinforced by Ratan and his mother, who had already branded him a failure.

School didn’t bring Karthik much comfort. Even though his grades improved slightly, He remained quiet and withdrawn, and people around him—relatives and neighbours—often made fun of him. An old woman from the street, known for being loud and rude, would mock the way he spoke, laughing at him in front of others. Her cruel jokes turned into gossip, and parents would use him as a warning: “Don’t turn out like Karthik.” The bullying worsened in upper school. Older students had already told the new ones about him, so his bad reputation followed him.

During the company’s annual celebration, something happened that Karthik would never forget. In front of the entire gathering, Dharmendra’s wife publicly humiliated his mother.

 “You’ve taken money from the company accounts before,” she accused, her voice loud and cruel. “It’s a good thing we took control in time. Your husband got what he deserved for trying to cheat us.”

Her venomous words pierced Karthik’s mother. Overwhelmed by shock, she suffered a panic attack and collapsed, losing consciousness.
Karthik stood frozen. He couldn’t utter a word—paralyzed by fear and his deeply ingrained timidity. He could only watch helplessly as people gathered and rushed to take his mother to the hospital.

Later, with help from a welfare organization, Karthik was admitted to a better college to pursue a degree in Commerce. He tried to focus and, for a while, managed to do slightly better—but anxiety and depression loomed over him. Every moment felt like a performance, as if the world were watching, judging, dismissing him. The cycle continued: fear, guilt, sadness, inferiority…

Eventually, he found a job. For the first time, work gave him a sense of structure. A small goal. A small feeling of control. He asked his mother to stop working. At first, she didn’t believe him. But he insisted.

“I’ve found something stable,” he said softly, and slowly, she agreed.

Two years passed.

One weekend, Karthik decided to visit his hometown—just to take a walk, to see what had changed. It had been a long time.

A heavy downpour had just ended as he walked down the familiar street. Suddenly, a speeding car splashed muddy water all over him. The car braked ahead, then reversed.

“You’ll always be an idiot!” shouted Ratan from the window, laughing. “Even the car knows you're dumb. A smart guy would’ve moved!”

He rolled up the window and drove straight into the company building.

Karthik stood motionless. He removed his wet glasses, wiped his face with a towel, and felt something shift inside him.

Clarity had always been missing, everything in his life had been unclear.

Now, he had only two options: win… or lose forever. A volcano erupted inside him.

He began searching again—visiting temples, hearing sermons, reading books, trying to find answers. One book said: “You must have an aim in life.”

Maybe that’s it, he thought.

He began working harder, striving for perfection. But something still felt wrong. The stress made him overreact. He burned himself out.

One weekend, lost in thought, Karthik wandered into an unfamiliar town. It was late, and he had missed the last train back to the city. As he sat alone at the empty station, rain began to fall again. Thunder rolled in the distance. It was a frightening moment. Karthik didn’t know what to do. He felt helpless. He searched for shelter, but the rain grew heavier. There was nowhere to go.

Just then, a middle-aged man approached him and offered shelter for the night.

Despite the downpour, the man took him home on his bike. The house was small, but his room was filled with books. The man gave Karthik a towel and a pair of shorts to change into after a warm bath. Later, his wife prepared some food for them both. Their daughter, Sunanda, greeted Karthik with a smile.

“I keep the books to kill time,” the man said. “I work for a company during the day, and in the evenings, I volunteer with a community group to teach youngsters.”

He introduced himself as Subba Rao.

“Would you like something to drink, boy?” he asked.

“No,” Karthik replied.

Subba Rao nodded and offered him a place to rest.

As they sat together—Subba Rao quietly sipping his drink—he glanced at Karthik’s expression.

“Why are you always so Dull?” he asked casually.

To shift the conversation, Karthik began sharing stories from his childhood. Subba Rao listened without interruption. They ate together, and the conversation stretched late into the night.

Later, as Karthik lay down to sleep—eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling—he whispered into the dark,

“How can I improve my confidence?”

But by then, Subba Rao was already snoring.

The next morning, as Karthik prepared to leave, Subba Rao called out to him. While his wife made coffee, Subba Rao casually walked over to his bookshelf. Selecting a few books, he turned to Karthik and said,

“Last night, you asked how to build confidence.”

He handed him few books.  “This might help.”

Then he took him to the backyard. Amidst lush greenery, he showed Karthik a small space where he did his daily exercises. As he stretched, Karthik listened, holding a warm cup of coffee.

“Nothing is impossible, my boy,” he continued. “Anxiety can come from genetics or trauma. But there are techniques—methods, therapies, even medication—that can bring someone back to normal. Back to the mainstream.”

He paused, then added gently,

“The first thing? Hold your horses. Relax. Nothing is perfect. Nothing is permanent. A little anxiety in youth is normal. But when you start magnifying your worries, you become self-conscious. That’s anxiety.”

He smiled.

“It’s okay to be mild. It’s okay to fail. Don’t be harsh on yourself. Smile. Focus on what gives you comfort. Think just one step forward… and slowly, you’ll see progress.”

Karthik listened carefully.

“I beat stress,” Subba Rao continued. “I take a moment every three hours for a short prayer. No matter what’s going on—failure or success—I stay consistent in gratitude. That rhythm grounds me. It makes me feel right. Once your mind believes you're doing the right thing, positivity naturally follows.”

After a pause, he added, “But this is just my understanding. A psychiatrist can guide you much better. Never hesitate to seek help when needed.”

Karthik thanked him with deep sincerity. For the first time in a long while, it felt like someone had offered him a shoulder to lean on.

On the bus ride back, Karthik opened one of the books Subba Rao had given him—How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. The words were simple but impactful. Then he opened another—filled with the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Each line struck a chord, igniting something within him.

Subba Rao’s voice echoed in his mind:

“These are just a few books. There are many more. Find the one that speaks to you.”

The knowledge was empowering. but a few days later, self-doubt crept back in like a familiar shadow, threatening to undo everything.

Still, he began visiting Subba Rao more often. Subba Rao’s wife started treating Karthik like her own son. Sunanda, too, grew attached. She was in the final year of her studies and often came to Karthik with academic doubts—questions he could answer.

Subba Rao would often take him along on his bike during errands. Once, while they were out, Subba Rao said, “Well, did Ratan’s parents accuse your father of stealing money?”

“No,” Karthik corrected him, frustrated. “They accused my mother.”

Karthik couldn’t understand why Subba Rao kept getting the details wrong. Didn’t he know how painful it was? Karthik would get frustrated and raise his voice to answer whenever Subba Rao brought up the past.

And yet, Subba Rao kept repeating the same question on every visit.

One day, during one of these visits, Subba Rao asked Karthik to pick up Sunanda from the city, as he was caught up with other work. Karthik took Subba Rao’s bike.

On the way back, a group of four masked men stopped them. Frightened, Karthik instinctively got down—nervousness gripping him.

Sunanda held his hand and whispered, “Protect me.”

Something changed in that moment.

Karthik drew all his strength. He stood tall. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightened, and he muttered under his breath.

He spotted a piece of wood nearby, picked it up, and warned the group: “If you come closer, I won’t hesitate to hit you all.”

The group, startled by his sudden courage, dispersed.

Later, Subba Rao was informed of the incident. He gently patted Karthik on the shoulder and smiled.

One evening, while watching a talk show, a speaker mentioned how hormones regulate emotions. Curious, Karthik began researching. He learned about mood-regulating chemicals, the role of diet, exercise, and even herbal supplements in emotional health.

It was a revelation.

He had always believed he was the problem. But when he shifted his focus to solutions, everything changed.

He discovered that many great personalities had once been timid—a national leader, a cricket legend, a musical icon. It wasn’t timidity that held them back.

Karthik thought, his withdrawn nature had led to isolation. That isolation triggered emotional overreactions. Rejection followed. Negative thoughts multiplied—a vicious cycle.

But now, he had a plan. He began focusing on what was right.

And just to add here—Subba Rao did what a true mentor would do for a struggling child. He used similar ideas like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Psychodrama. He kept bringing up the painful memory about Karthik’s mother, always starting with the wrong details—because he knew Karthik would correct him, often with anger and frustration. But Subba Rao never reacted for Karthik’s anger. He let Karthik to put out his frustration and anger, He didn’t show any emotion—because reacting would have made Karthik feel worse.

He was creating a setup.

He had planned for Sunanda to go with Karthik that day. And the masked men? They were four of his own students—carefully told what to do. Sunanda, standing in place of Karthik’s mother, helped recreate a situation where Karthik had to face his fear—and finally overcome it., As the saying goes, “The best way to beat fear is to face it.”

Even nature has the power to heal depression. God designed this world in such a way that if you dive deeply into any pursuit, you forget your pain. You forget the emptiness.

As life began to improve, Karthik enrolled in an MBA program. It wasn’t easy, but he faced every challenge head-on—and completed it.

After graduation, he turned to something close to his heart: a water bottling company—just like the one his father had once dreamed of. He created a business plan, drafted a rough budget, and searched for financing. With help from a government startup scheme—and a small amount of gold contributed by his mother—they launched the business.

It was built in the same town where his father had once worked. Obstacles came. Objections were raised. But Karthik handled them with tact—offering small incentives to local influencers to gain support.

Operations began—slowly, steadily.

 Karthik worked at the ground level. He drove the trucks. Lifted cartons. met shopkeepers. He treated every worker with respect. His leadership was personal, not corporate.

He hired Rashmi, a smart young woman in quality control—coincidentally, the daughter of an employee from Ratan’s company. One day, Rashmi’s father fell sick and needed urgent medical attention. Without hesitation, Karthik rushed him to the hospital and arranged for his treatment. That one act of kindness rippled outward. Sympathy and goodwill spread. Locals began to see Karthik as one of their own.

Even Ratan’s workforce began to split. His harsh, authoritarian style—once feared—now faced resistance.  Karthik’s company became the better option—because he respected people.

Using branding strategies from his MBA, Karthik crafted a unique message: His water bottle stood for land, purity, and belief. It wasn’t just a drink—it was a symbol of trust, Karthik’s company began to shine—tactfully, ethically, and steadily eroding the dominance of his old rival, Ratan.

Karthik began expanding his business, opening multiple branches—even at the cost of short-term losses. the company’s popularity surged—and with it, the sales.  Gradually, he diversified into juices and related products. His brand value grew steadily, and soon, his company was listed on the stock exchange, Karthik had become more than just a businessman—he was now a symbol of success, born from pain and perseverance.

But one goal remained - Ratan.

By then, Ratan had sunk deep into debt. His unchecked spending and failed marketing strategies had crippled his business. The company’s liabilities exceeded its value, and the bank was preparing to seize the plant. Though Ratan was willing to sell, most buyers stayed away, knowing the dire reality.

That’s when Karthik stepped in. He sent a team to audit Ratan’s company. Then, casually, he dialled Ratan’s number.

“Hey brother, how are you? I heard you’re thinking of selling the plant. Got a new business in mind?” his tone was light, almost teasing.

Ratan didn’t say much but invited Karthik to a pooja that evening. Karthik agreed. He wanted to witness the downfall up close.

He attended with his mother. The atmosphere was emotional. Everyone praised Karthik’s success. Rati—vibrant and cheerful as ever—welcomed them with her usual charm. But later that evening, Karthik’s mother quietly told him that Rati’s engagement had recently been called off due to financial difficulties. The groom’s family had withdrawn.

Concerned for Rati, Karthik messaged her on WhatsApp:

Karthik: Hi
Rati: Hi :)
Karthik: Had dinner?
Rati: Yes… and you?
Karthik: Yeah, I had.
Rati: How come you remembered me today?
Karthik: Just felt like talking. There’s nothing better than remembering the old, beautiful days, with a beautiful woman.
Rati: Ohh hoo… you remember me now?
Karthik: Perhaps life takes its turns and twists… Who knew one day I’d cherish those memories?
Rati: Yes, those were beautiful days. But what to do? Life hasn’t been kind to me since.
Karthik: I heard... That’s life. Sometimes, people meet again just to share the feelings they never could.
Rati: You’re successful now. You must have people around to talk to.
Karthik: I never looked at that side. Life never gave me the chance to walk that path.
Rati: Ohh hoo… you sound so innocent now.
Karthik: I mean what I say.
Rati: You can always share anything with me. We’re connected now, aren’t we?

Later that night, as he drifted toward sleep, Karthik sent a single kissing emoji.
To his surprise, Rati replied instantly.

His eyes widened.

In that moment, he realized how deeply he felt for her. Rati had always been kind—a bright light in his life. She had all the qualities he hoped for in a life partner. Her presence was beginning to wash away the bitterness he once held toward her family. For the first time, he felt the weight of forgiveness rising inside him.

The next morning, he hugged his mother and softly began to speak.

She smiled knowingly. “Come to the point, son. I can see something’s going on in your heart.”

“It’s Rati,” he said.

A silence followed. Then, with a sigh, his mother said,
“Think again, son. If you ask me, Rati is much different in their house. She’s a good girl—just unlucky to have faced so many hardships.”

But that was all Karthik needed—it wasn’t a no.

He invited Rati to visit a temple. She agreed. As they stood before the deity, Karthik Proposed her, Rati’s eyes sparkled, but she softly said she needed some time to think.

The next day, her messages grew warmer, more intimate. During one chat, she teased:

“Now I’ll have to bear everything—Later, you’ll know who the real boss is!”

To Karthik, that was as good as a yes.

He scheduled a meeting with Ratan.

“Hey Ratan, hope everything’s okay,” Karthik said, sitting across from him. “What are your plans after selling the plant?”

“Nothing really,” Ratan admitted, visibly broken. “If this goes through… I’ll be out on the streets.”

Karthik paused, then placed a formal proposal on the table.

“Time is cruel, Ratan. We never know what nature has in store for us. That’s why we must always be kind— To autistic children, to the differently abled, to our aging parents. They are all a part of life. Caring for them is a biggest blessing. Nothing else compares. In nature, everyone has a right to dignity and compassion.”

Let me come to the point. My mother suggested I marry Rati. I’m still undecided,” Karthik said, purposely giving credit to his mother. “What do you think?”

“It would be her good fortune if you married her,” Ratan replied, almost in a whisper.

“Okay then, listen,” Karthik continued. “I’ll make you another offer. I’ll buy your plant—above market value. You can clear all your debts and keep your house and other assets. I’ll invest in upgrading the plant. You’ll stay on as my partner—same brand name, same administration. Just under my umbrella. After all, we’ll be close relatives again.”

Ratan was stunned.

There was a long pause.
Then, with tears in his eyes, Ratan stood and hugged him tightly.

Author’s Note:
In an ocean of challenges, we must stay afloat and keep swimming. Nothing is unusual in this world—everything depends on time. When the right time comes, even the unchosen stone can the main. Just like the divine logic says: The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.   In the end, it’s all in His hands.