Inspired by my amphibious friends, I have been job hunting with a passion. That passion seeped into my regular life and a while ago, I planted a few red radishes. The plants grew slowly and steadfastly in the beginning and then exponentially in the last couple of weeks. Now, they have flowered and are about 3 feet tall. One of them is my favorite. It was the first to start growing and the first to flower too. But once it flowered, it could not bear its own weight and its stem broke.

In an attempt to save it, I straightened it, placed a stick and some sticky tape around it for support. It was the least I could do. Hoping that it would help, I rested it against the wall and watered it for a couple of days. In the meantime, job hunting continued. But it was one exhausting activity! This was a deity who demanded continuous efforts regardless of how exhausted I was. I realized I was on the verge of breaking! Working on healing my radish made me realize I needed some healing too. I needed to pause and refuel in order to continue. No one flowers with a broken stem.
And so, I exchanged my computer with a canvas. Picked up my paintbrush and painted. An artist friend became my stick and sticky tape, and we collaborated on a painting project. We decided to paint ‘Spring in the Netherlands’ in our own styles. We were inspired by the tulips that bloom in spring in the famous Keukenhof Gardens of the Netherlands. He painted a series of water paintings while I painted a set of three oil paintings that made up one single landscape when put together.
I think of my paintings as my flowers because they are the manifestation of ideas and hours of efforts and they create a sense of achievement. My blog is akin to the wall that the radish is resting against; a solid support for me. A place where I pause, recharge and refuel myself to continue doing what needs to be done.
Every day, some of my fuel is expended in job hunting. Some more is spent in dealing with the rejection that comes with it. Even more is used up to keep going despite the rejections. In the end, when my fuel reserves are almost empty, I look at my radish, resting against the wall wearing the stick and sticky tape proudly. Its tenacity showing in its tiny white flowers and its shoots growing strongly. I grow with it, onwards & upwards.

When not actively job-hunting, she is learning a new language, creating oil paintings or writing. Her blog is a slice of life sprinkled with some of her career-oriented experiences.
You can follow Aryayashoda on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aryayashoda-anturkar/
This post was written by a guest contributor. If you'd like to write for Go For The Quill, please Get In Touch with us.
- Onwards and Upwards – My Job Search Adventure (Part 3) - July 1, 2020
- Leaps and Bounds – My Job Search Adventure (Part 2) - June 2, 2020
- Snowy Blossoms – My Job Search Adventure (Part 1) - May 3, 2020
Absolutely stunning with every single word having it’s own weight. Every sentence as powerful as your courage and strength of mind and patience. This blog is one of the rear and memorable blogs I have ever read. I am sure every time I will read it, it will inspire me too!