Have you ever had your parents keep moving the goalposts?
pata hai aaj kya hua
Something happened today that brought back a lot of childhood memories.
Growing up, I was often told, *“If you achieve X, we’ll get you Y.”* But every time I achieved X, somehow the condition changed.
I was told that if I scored **60%**, I’d get a skateboard. I got 60%, and suddenly the target became 80%. I eventually got 80%, but still never got the skateboard.
Then there was the **PSP**. I was told that if I scored 80%, I’d get one. I ended up scoring **95%**, but the PSP never came.
Eventually, I bought my own PSP with my scholarship money. Instead of being happy for me, my parents scolded me and said I had taken my own money from the bank. They even threatened to break the PSP.
They had apparently discussed it with their colleagues, who suggested that I should have bought a **tablet instead of a PSP**.
Looking back, I’m actually glad I chose the PSP. 😂 Because honestly, **which one is more legendary today—a random tablet from that era or a PSP?** 😭
Then there was the **red Royal Enfield Classic 350**. I was told I’d get one if I got a first division in Class 10. The funny thing is, I wasn’t even interested in bikes at the time—I was more interested in my bicycle. But that didn’t happen either.
Later, I was told I’d get a bike if I got admission into a good college. Again, nothing.
And now the same thing is happening with a car.
Our old Alto is getting quite old, and my parents actually need a new car. But whenever the topic comes up, I’m told, *“We’ll buy one when you get a job or get married.”*
The funny thing is, **I don’t even need the car for myself. They do.** Yet somehow the purchase is still being tied to something I have to achieve.
Today it suddenly hit me how many times this has happened throughout my life. At this point, it’s not really about the skateboard, PSP, bike, or car.
It’s about constantly feeling like **whenever I reach the goal, the finish line gets moved.**