"The Dreams I left Behind "

 

"The Price of a Better Tomorrow"

 

There are days when I sit quietly and think about my life. Not the life people see from the outside, but the life that exists behind closed doors. The life that never appears in photographs, social media posts, or conversations with relatives back home. Today, I wanted to write about that life.

I come from a middle-class family. Like millions of others, I grew up with dreams that were simple yet powerful. I dreamed of having a good home, a car parked outside it, a stable job, and a comfortable life where my parents would never have to worry about anything. These dreams were not extraordinary. They were the same dreams carried by countless young people who wake up every morning hoping for a better future. To chase those dreams, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life. I took a huge loan and left my home country to come to the United Kingdom.

 When I boarded that flight, my heart was filled with excitement. I imagined a life full of opportunities. I imagined travelling across beautiful cities, enjoying weekends with friends, finding a great job related to my studies, earning well, and slowly building the life I had always wanted. Like every young person, I arrived with a suitcase full of clothes and a heart full of dreams. But reality has a strange way of teaching lessons that no classroom ever can. People back home often see only one side of life abroad. They see the pictures. They see the smiling faces. They see the cars, the houses, the foreign streets, and the occasional holiday photographs. To them, it looks like life is perfect. Sometimes people assume that if you are living abroad, you must be making a lot of money. They believe every day is comfortable and every problem has already been solved. What they do not see are the sacrifices hidden behind those photographs. They do not see the night shifts. They do not see the loneliness.

 

They do not see the tears that sometimes fall after a difficult day. They do not see the fear of checking bank accounts at the end of the month. They do not see the pressure of paying back loans while trying to survive in a country that is not their own. They do not see how many dreams are quietly placed on hold while trying to build a stable future. The truth is that moving to another country gives you two different lives. There is the life people think you have. And there is the life you are actually living. The life people imagine is exciting. The life you live is often exhausting. When I first arrived, I had many dreams. I wanted to work in the field I had studied for. I wanted to build a successful career based on my education. I wanted to enjoy life the way many of my friends seemed to be enjoying theirs. I wanted to travel freely, explore new places, and create unforgettable memories.

 But life had different plans. Slowly, those dreams began moving further away. Not because I stopped believing in them. Not because I lacked ambition. But because survival became more important. When you have responsibilities, priorities change. When there are loans to pay, bills to manage, and family expectations to meet, dreams often move to the back seat. You start making decisions based on necessity rather than desire. You stop asking yourself what makes you happy. Instead, you ask what needs to be done next. You tell yourself, “Just one more year.” Then another year passes. And another. Before you realise it, the dreams you once carried so proudly have become distant memories waiting patiently in a corner of your heart. Yet despite everything, you continue. Because giving up is not an option. You wake up before sunrise. You work long shifts. You miss birthdays. You miss family gatherings. You miss weddings. You miss simple moments that people often take for granted. You continue moving forward because you know people are depending on you. You continue because you remember why you started.

 And somewhere along the way, something unexpected happens. You become stronger. Not physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually. The struggles begin shaping you into someone you never imagined you could become. The young person who once arrived with uncertainty slowly becomes someone capable of carrying enormous responsibilities. The person who once feared failure learns how to survive it. The person who once felt lost learns how to stand alone. That strength comes at a cost. But it is real. Today, when I look back, I realise that many of the dreams I once had have actually come true. I wanted a house. I achieved it. I wanted a car. I achieved it. I wanted a better life for my family. I achieved parts of it. At my age, I can proudly say that I have accomplished things I once only imagined. But I also understand the price I paid. Those achievements did not arrive easily. Every success came with sacrifice. Every step forward required giving up something else. Sometimes it was comfort.

 

Sometimes it was time. Sometimes it was peace of mind. And sometimes it was a dream. People often ask questions. “Why are you working there?” “Why are you doing this job?” “Isn’t that below your qualifications?” I have heard those comments many times. My answer is simple. There is dignity in honest work. Every job deserves respect. Whether someone works in an office, a hospital, a care home, a shop, or a construction site, they are working to build a better future. There is no shame in earning an honest living. The people who criticise often do not understand the responsibilities you carry.

 They do not understand the pressure. They do not understand the sacrifices. It is easy to judge someone else’s journey when you have never walked their path. What matters is not what others think. What matters is that you wake up every day and keep moving forward. The truth is 

Many of us living abroad are carrying invisible battles. Some are fighting loneliness. Some are fighting financial pressures. Some are fighting homesickness. Some are fighting uncertainty about their future. And some are fighting all of them at the same time. Yet every morning they get up and continue. That deserves respect. More importantly, it deserves recognition.

 

I think one of the biggest lessons life has taught me is that success is rarely glamorous. People celebrate the result. Very few understand the process. Everyone notices the house. Nobody notices the years of sacrifice that built it. Everyone notices the car. Nobody notices the extra shifts that paid for it. Everyone notices the achievement. Nobody notices the sleepless nights behind it. The process is never as attractive as the result. But the process is where character is built.

 

The process is where resilience is born. The process is where ordinary people become extraordinary. Even today, I sometimes wonder when all this will end. When will the pressure reduce? When will life feel easier? When will I finally have the freedom to chase the dreams I placed on hold years ago? The honest answer is that I do not know. Maybe no one does. Life rarely gives us clear timelines.

 

But I have learned something important. You do not need to have all the answers to keep moving forward. You only need enough courage to take the next step. One step becomes a journey. One journey becomes a story. And one story becomes a life worth remembering. If there is one message I want people to take from this essay, it is this. Never judge someone by what you see on the surface. Behind every smile may be a struggle. Behind every achievement may be years of sacrifice. Behind every success may be countless disappointments that nobody knows about. Be kind. Be understanding. And respect every person’s journey. As for me, I am still walking my path. Some dreams have come true.

 

Some dreams are still waiting. Some dreams may never happen. But I have learned that life is not only about reaching destinations. It is also about appreciating the strength you gain while travelling towards them. I may have sacrificed many things along the way. I may have postponed some dreams. I may have lost certain opportunities. But I have gained something equally valuable. I have gained resilience. I have gained perspective. I have gained gratitude. And most importantly, I have gained the confidence to believe that no matter how difficult life becomes, I can continue moving forward. Because every sacrifice made with purpose is never wasted. Every struggle teaches something.

 

Every setback shapes something.  And every difficult season eventually becomes part of a story that inspires someone else. This is not just my story. It is the story of countless people living far from home, working hard, carrying responsibilities, and quietly building a future one day at a time. And to every one of them, I want to say this: Keep going. The road may be long. The sacrifices may be heavy.

 The nights may feel lonely. But one day you will look back and realise that the person who survived all of it became far stronger than the person who first began the journey. And that strength will be worth every step.

 There is a saying that I could be the prettiest shade of yellow, but I will still not be enough if your favorite color is blue. 

Joice Joy💓