Fear

Introduction

Tightropewalking is the skill or art of walking along a thin wire or rope. It is a skillwhich very few people possess and I am one among them.

My name is Zufar Ahmed. I am a 23-year old who is an aspiring tightrope walking artist. I would have been an artist by now if it wasn't for my biggest obstacle, my fear. I have this huge fear of..... heights. My name 'Zufar' means 'brave', and the same me is scared of heights! Just see how satirical it sounds, but it is the truth. The maximum height that I can stand straight, bold without having my knees shaking was only 4 meters. That is why I cannot perform skywalk acts which earns an artist more fame and name. That is also the reason as to why I am still aspiring and not a successful artist!

Let me quickly brief you about my past. I grew up in a well-financed middle class family at Ahmedabad. I did my studies at a government school there. I wouldn't label myself as 'social student' but I did have a few friends, two who were especially close to me, Aryan and Jahangir, who have become successful doctors, unlike me, and have established their own group of hospitals. As I entered middle school (5th grade), my life started changing. I felt ambitious and powerful. I wanted to do new things and learn new things. I was inspired a lot from my seniors who were then in 6th grade. The students who were then in 6th grade then would talk about their seniors who were a living breathing form of kindness but studying in 7th grade. They would help them with their homework's and buy them ice creams. We weren't a lucky batch though. Our seniors were jerks. Total jerks. All they knew was to bully and break a person's spirit.

I still remember those day in 7th grade where they used to call me a 'coward' due to my fear of heights. I was so driven with rage that I went to an extent of tying a rope in our playground and start practicing tightrope walking, in order to prove them wrong. The next thing I remember, I was at the local hospital with 7 stiches and a fractured left arm.

For some reason though, I wasn't shattered. I still went behind this crazy dream of mine. Gradually, I mastered the skill of tightrope walking.

My biggest inspiration, who always reminded me never to give up, was Maria Spelterini- the first woman to cross Niagara Falls. She conquered a living beast so why couldn't I?

Moving back to my story, from seventh grade to today, there hasn't been even one day where I haven't practiced my art. As a child and now, my dream was to be a part of the Great Indian Circus. It is the most successful circus company in Asia itself. Thousands of spectators come here every year to witness their shows. Thousands of artists, started their career's here. Through the upcoming chapters you will know more about my encounters with the the 'Great Indian Circus'.

That is, it about my past and my ambitions. Through this is story, I will take you through the chapters of my life and through my success story.

Starting on the 25th of March...