Once upon a time there was a fish named Ruby. It lived in an incredibly vast ocean. Being open minded and free, this fishy feared no obstacle in the sea. Or as it seemed to Ruby, because it might have lived with an open mind, but it certainly was not truly free.

For there in this particular ocean, existed two classes of fishies swimming about. Worker and Elite.

While Elites lived in a place far beyond and away from the city of Workers, they were the ones only to employ and order the required works that would be done by Workers themselves. And belonging to this working class, for entire generations in fact, was our fish named Ruby.

As for our blue skinned fishy, Ruby was taught to always stay well excited and elevated about each task that it would be ordered to perform by the Elites throughout its finly life. And that it certainly did, always being forth-coming about every piece of work that it was told to do.

Performing all quite brilliantly, Ruby had managed to land the role of a navigator. Because for a reason unknown, our fishy showed immense talent in navigating through different pathways, becoming the so-called navigator within this city. This lead to no doubt in anyone’s mind that our fishy was, in fact, everything an Elite would wish for in a good willed Worker.

But what did Ruby wish for?

It was a question that our fishy had never asked itself, or rather, it was never allowed to for most of its life.

Then one good day, it all changed for Ruby, as it stood in awe with millions of other Workers alike, witnessing the rare arrival of an Elite within their city. It was red, and white, and the most incredible fish Ruby had ever seen. Somehow, among millions, our excited blue fishy had reached out with its small fins and managed to grab little attention of this seemingly great visitor. “How did you become an Elite, sir?” Ruby had asked.

The Elite chuckled with its enlarged fins. “Come to our city; The Vast Beyond, and anyone can become an Elite. Even you!”

And that was the moment it all transformed for Ruby.
Anyone can become an Elite…
Even me!?
Our fishy continuously grew wondering.
Yes, even me!

From that day forth, Ruby had ultimately decided to set path for this city; The Vast Beyond, where it would go to undoubtedly become an Elite. And who better for this task, but a brilliant navigator like Ruby itself.
I am destined for this!
Our fish had concluded.
I can no longer stay a mere Worker…
It grew determined.
Elite, I will become!

Then swimming along with grave conviction, our blue scaled Ruby set out on the path of its ultimate purpose, possessing no hindrance in its vision, it was resolute to reach The Vast Beyond, knowing that ultimately, the destination would deem worth to its ordinary Worker life.

As Ruby danced its fins along, reaching half-way of its journey, it surprisingly encountered another fishy, being gray scaled, and on its way towards a different direction. “Hi!” it sparked.

“Hello!” Ruby sparked back.

“Can you please help me with something?” the stranger asked desperately.

“Sure!” showing excitement as a reflex, our fishy replied.

“I have lost my way terribly! I live in Trench City, can you please help me reach my home, mister?”

Oh, Trench City…
Ruby wondered.
I know where that is!

“Do you know the way, mister?”

“Yes, it should not be far from here…” our fishy concluded. “I can tell you the way.”

“Oh, I am really terrible at directions, mister…” the gray scaled stranger offered shamefully. “I know it might be a lot to ask but, can you please escort me to my city?”

Ruby grew silent and thinking.

“Please! I would be in your debt, mister.”

Our fishy hesitated then.
Trench City lies in a completely different direction.
Realized Ruby, knowing completely well that our fish might have to put its purposeful plans to become an Elite on hold.
I cannot say no to this stranger, can I?
How would it feel?

The asker anxiously waited.

“Okay!” Ruby cried. “Of course I will help you!”

“Oh, thank you so much, mister!”

“I am no mister!” our fishy replied with a smile. “Call me Ruby.”

“Thank you, Ruby!”

Our fishy nodded in effect. “And you are?”

“Amber.”

“Okay, Amber…” Ruby concluded. “Let’s get you home!”

And through the complex ways, our determined fishy led its gray skinned friend towards its utter home. Travelling along the steep valleys and deepened ocean, ultimately both the travelers, quite soon enough, had reached the boundary of Trench City.

“Here we are!” Ruby exclaimed.

Amber stood in awe. “I cannot thank you enough!” it spoke in a tone of amazement. “I must say, you are very good at finding ways.”

Our fishy smiled. “Actually, that is what I did for a living back at my place.”

“Oh!” Amber realized. “But what is a fellow navigator like you doing out here of all places? Aren’t you needed in your city?”

“Well, I am not a navigator anymore…” Ruby took a deep breath within its blue gills then. “I want to become an Elite, and I am going to The Vast Beyond for it!”

“Wow!” Amber felt surprised. “That is incredible! But I must tell that you are…’ it corrected. “Or were… quite brilliant at your job. If I were this good, I would always stay a navigator!”

But I do not want to anymore!
Ruby internally exclaimed.

“Anyways, I apologize for putting you quite off course from your way,” Amber felt warm-faced then.

“Oh, it is okay…”
Actually, I am a lot off course now!
Our fishy realized.

“Please, let me pay you back in someway,” the gray scaled companion suggested. “I do not have anything to give, but I can offer you my place to stay.”

“There is no need…” Ruby grew hesitant.

“You have come so far. You must be tired, mister!” Amber insisted. “Please, do not disagree. It is the least that I can do.”

Well, I could use some form of rest…
Our fishy perceived. “Okay, staying for one night should suffice.”

“Great!” Amber concluded. “Follow me.”

And momentarily then, our blue fishy who led its gray friend to Trench City the entire way before, then only followed its friend right inside this beautiful place. Witnessing its tail wiggle upfront, Ruby swam behind its gray new companion.

Moving through this new sea, Ruby found an immense number of fishies, all living about their daily and bustling lives, working their keep, and going on with their respective tasks.

“This is quite the place!” Ruby sparked with astonishment, witnessing the aura around, before seeing its companion up front come right to a halt.

“We are here!” sparked Amber, as it swam towards the small and white coral dome on one side. “Home sweet home.”

Curious, Ruby first had stood still in observation of this rustic place before following its friend straight inside, realizing how small the dome actually was.

“I know that it is not great…” Amber felt of warm skin yet again. “But it’s all that I can offer.”

“Oh, it is more than enough!” our fishy grew modest. “Even just a bed could suffice at the moment,” Ruby smiled.

Amber smiled back. “Grab some rest! I will go out and get something to eat meanwhile.”

Ruby nodded its blue-skinned head, as after, it moved with tired fins along and inside a darkened small burrow. It was nice, dark, cozy, and just the kind of quarters our worn out fishy needed. Shortly, it closed its eyes and grew utterly stationary, nodding off to a deep replenishing sleep.

Slowly, its body started to show movements within this darkness, indicating of its mind to wake up and open its eyes. So our fishy did, waking up in the process and shaking off the particles from its scaly skin.
I needed such good sleep!
It concluded upon being quite satisfied then.
Let’s head outside…
Decided Ruby, as it finned out of it’s burrow and into the small yet sweet coral home of its gray-scaled friend.

“Oh, you are up!” Amber sparked, swimming right towards the middle of this dome. “Perfect timing!” it added, placing the collection of green twigs and shrubs in front. “You must be hungry, I figured…”

Yes I am!

“Come, eat, my friend. You have a long journey ahead of you!”

Ruby agreed vividly as it swam rather quickly towards the green food to eat.

Not long it took for our famished and finly friend to get fed aptly, as soon after the feast was over, Ruby was getting ready to leave for its cause, the ultimate purpose that it left its own world for, becoming an Elite.

“I have packed some snacks for your journey,” Amber offered a small pouch in turn.

Ruby smiled. “Oh, you shouldn’t have!”

“Just take it, mister…”

Then suddenly, the farewell of our fishy felt interrupted by the arrival of another.

A small, orange scaled and finly being gunned right inside the white dome with exhilaration. “Am’ uncle, Am’ uncle!” it called

Amber grew aware. “Yes, what happened?”

“I lost it again!” offered this being with deep worry and concern.

“How many times I have told you not to play with those pearls, kid!”

The kid grew silent.
I am sorry…

“Where have you lost it now?” Am’ uncle asked, agitated.

“It went down one deep valley…” the child felt almost trembling. “I can see it but, I cannot reach it, No one can!” it exploded into tears.

Ruby felt the sadness of this innocent child’s pain. “Maybe I can help…”

Its weeping stopped with a sudden arrival of hope. “You can, mister?”

Amber realized the dire need for a proper introduction. “Maggie, this is Ruby… Ruby, this is my careless niece, Maggie.”

I am not careless, Am’ uncle!
Maggie sparked internally.

“Oh, it is nice to meet you, Maggie!” Ruby sparked with a smile. “I am… or was a fellow navigator once. Can you lead me to where you lost that pearl?”

“Yes, navigator mister. Follow me.”

Ruby then glanced back at Amber who seemed to whisper sorry for the offered situation.

Then leaving its travel pouch inside the white dome itself, our helping fishy followed this orange-scaled kid through the sea. And soon, the fast pace of Maggie had become slow, indicating of their reaching.

“Here…” offered Maggie, pointing in front.

Ruby immediately began scanning the offered terrain ahead, consisting of an entrance to a deep v-shaped valley, at the extreme bottom of which, glistened the pearl in question.

“Me and my friends were playing…” Maggie continued. “When one of them stupidly shot it quite behind me!” it grew in frustration. “And following the fast stream, it spiraled downwards with quite the force.”

Fast stream…
Ruby picked up one pebble from aside and threw it straight in front. And not to his surprise, it quickly got caught within the strong stream and swiveled down to the bottom of this valley.

“I wanted to try and go down but…” Maggie felt frightened. “I am scared that I will never be able to come back up again!”

“Yes, Maggie!” our analyzing fishy sparked. “You should stay well back from this. It is very dangerous to get caught in a stream such fast as this!”

Maggie listened, as it moved many paces back, realizing that its friends had also arrived witnessing this scene.

I can’t go through the front…
Ruby thought.
The stream would toss me right away!
It realized.
But how about I enter the valley from upwards…
It gazed above, contemplating the options as it threw another pebble up in order to check for any other dangerous streams present. And to his surprise, the pebble above had flung onto one side.
Another fast stream!
It analyzed, throwing another rock quite near to previous aim and finding that it did not move as such.
There is a gap!
It concluded, instantly beginning to create a feasible path to reach at the bottom of this valley.
But that gap seems very thin…
I need to come down pretty fast in order to get through it!

The numbers around and observing this scene grew exponentially then.

No one has gone down that valley before!
Collectively, the witnessing crowd had thought.

Taking a deep breath through its blue gills, Ruby began swimming upwards.

Amber arrived to see what the incredible gathered crowd was about.
Is that Ruby going up?

Yes it was our fishy scaling quite above and beyond to where all of the observing citizens stood.

I think this high is enough…
Ruby concluded before turning around and facing down towards the utter valley.
I can do this!
It grew determined, as it began swiftly swimming downwards, its fins pushing faster and harder than ever before.
There, I see it!
Ruby saw the minuscule gap it needed to pass through quickly.
Faster!
It became even faster.

Each witnessing fishy felt their gills travel up their mouths in anticipation.

Swiftly, and rather cleanly, Ruby passed through this gap of streams.

Yes!
It exclaimed, as it knew then only swimming down and getting to this pearl was left, the hardest part seemed over.

Maggie not from afar, saw in awe as the blue skinned navigator mister swam right towards the bottom of this treacherous valley and picked up the pearl in question.
Incredible!
It offered astonishingly, and so did the entire crowd spectating this event.

Ruby then began its journey back up, knowing that the way it came would be the only way out of this dangerous valley. But as our fishy had passed through the seeming gap previously, it realized a new fact.
I do not need much speed to go through…
It analyzed.
I just need to be precise.
It concluded before ditching the need for speed and swimming at a leisurely pace towards and through the deadly gap of streams, along with pearl held in its one fin.

The people direly witnessed as this stranger fishy had somehow went where no other known fishy in their city had gone before.
Amazing!

Gently, Ruby began finning towards to where Maggie was before, only finding a horde of spectators standing with astonishment alike.
When did they all gather here?

“Spectacular, mister!” Maggie sparked with excitement and appreciation.

“Here,” our fishy offered the pearl that it brought, before gazing at all the astonished eyes staring straight.
Am I a shark?
Wondered Ruby about the sudden attention it was getting.

“That was really amazing!” Maggie further shot, exclaiming with its orange fins. “You are the greatest navigator I have ever seen, mister!”

And these words of this small fishy then seemed to reach every spectating finly being present.
A navigator!
They all wondered curiously.
Wow!

“Oh…” Ruby felt increasingly shy.
Greatest navigator?
I just did the bare minimum!

“Navigator mister!” one of the Maggie’s friends arrived near then. “I once lost my lucky pebble down in a hole not far from here, can you please help me find it?”

Ruby felt hesitating. But it was no time for our blue fishy to take in a breather as the swarm of people swam right towards it with purpose, with each finly being requesting a task of its own.

“My mother has been told to by the Elites to change our home, can you help us navigate to a different city?”

“I was told to bring in food from a new place, can you help me navigate, mister?”

“My life has been a rut! I want to travel mindlessly, can you help me navigate?”

And amongst the incredible outpour of requests that flooded right towards our astonished fishy, Ruby had nothing but surprise to offer in reply.

Amber watched it all from afar.

What should I do?
Ruby severely wondered then, staring at all of the desperate and requesting faces of other fishies in front.
I can’t say no to them all, can I?
How would they feel?

“Will you please help us, mister?”

Ruby contemplated.
I have no other option…
“Yes, I will…” it ultimately concluded.

And as the peculiar days that followed, our fishy who was right on edge and ready-packed with its travel pouch to leave Trench City for The Vast Beyond, now found itself overstaying the welcome within its friend’s white dome.

Maybe, I can leave after I help all of these people…
Ruby reassured itself, as day in and day out, queues of requesting people began arriving at the doorsteps.

Each day, from the morning it started. Ruby would ask the requesting person, “What is it that you need my help with?”

And the person would reply in one of any millions of ways they would need a good navigator to help them with.

Ruby would eventually agree for a payment in either food or needful supplies and deliver them perfectly on what exactly was asked for. Then as one request was completed, our fishy would straight away head to the next person in line. Starting it all over again, asking what’s needed, navigating the person to their desired location, and coming back to ask the next requester yet again. And during all of Ruby’s work each day, little and excited Maggie would instinctively follow its blue scaled navigator friend with incredible purpose and zeal.
I am learning!
Maggie would exclaim excitingly. But that did nothing for our fishy who felt severely pale, just moving rounds within his daily colorless cycle of work.

Days went considerably faster for Ruby than the slow and hollowful nights. Many at times, Amber would witness its friend arrive inside late after dark, consistently tired and overworked by sheer requests of each day. Our fishy would directly head inside its little burrow of darkness, sometimes not even eating anything, and waking up the next morning straight to start working another day.

Maybe, I can leave after I help all of these people…  
Ruby still continuously reassured each day.

By now, how much time had passed, our fishy had entirely lost track, embedded deeply within its daily routine. Each day arriving grew utterly same, and as did the nature of requests coming.
Maybe, I can never leave this place…
Ruby wondered through countless nights.
Maybe, I do not need to…
It realized.
Maybe, it is for the best…
I can settle for this, can’t I?
It agreed, seemingly helpless.

Then, upon just one of these speculative and long nights, overworked Ruby had finned dreadfully inside its white kingdom. And as always, Amber had witnessed, its heart ached woefully seeing its friend in such a state.
Poor Ruby…
Felt Amber, as it further observed its blue skinned companion suddenly halting in place and growing deep in certain thoughts. And Amber knew exactly by the face of Ruby, that those thoughts were far from any happiness or content.
I have to do something!

I can settle for this life, can’t I?
Ruby grew wondering.
I have to…

“Hey, mister!” Amber sparked, finning up close.

Ruby gave a silent yet gentle nod in reply.

“How was your day?” Amber further asked.

Our fishy contemplated for a while. “Fine, I guess…” it offered plainly.
What do I know?
Must have been fine only, I think…

“Navigating to all such different places for different people must have been fun, no?”

Ruby scoffed lightly.
Fun!?
”Yes… why not?”

Amber hesitantly chuckled in reply before a deep and utter silence started to resonate between them.

“Anyways…” our fishy utterly added. “I am really tired, should go off to sleep,” it concluded before slowly drifting towards the all familiar burrow of his.

“Wait,” Amber shot suddenly.

Ruby stopped halfway. “Yes?”

At first, this gray scaled companion seemed to eat its own words before coming out of its mouth. Nervousness and hesitation grew ten folds by each moment passing.

“What happened, Amber?”

“I just wanted to say that I am sorry…” it cried eventually.

Ruby felt perplexed. “For what?”

“For everything, Ruby…” it added desolately. “I feel that I am somehow responsible for your unhappiness.”

“My unhappiness?”
I am perfectly happy!

“Yes Ruby! I remember when I first met you…” Amber grew a smile. “You seemed really lively and happy. You helped me out of good will. You had this great spark of purpose in your eyes. You wanted to travel other worlds and become the Elite that you were destined to be. I admired it all so much at the time. Your sheer purpose and will baffled me!”

Ruby gravely listened.

“But, then I dragged you into this mess. The mess that you had already left behind to reach your ultimate goal… and I made you fiddle back into it somehow,” Amber felt trembling with realization. “And I am really sorry for that, Ruby.”

“Hey!” our fishy came reassuringly close to its companion. “None of this was your fault.”

It was my fault!

“And it may seem like that… but I am quite happy.”
Aren’t I?
Ruby paused to wonder before continuing its words. ‘I like helping others, and I am somewhat good at navigating… I am glad to be combining those things in my daily life. This is exactly what I deserve to do. This is what I should do!”

“But is this what you really want to do?”

Ruby felt utterly silent in reply.

“Just because you are good at something, does not mean that others can hold you into doing it for the rest of your life!”

Ruby felt taken aback, severely thinking upon the said words then.

“You are brilliant at what you do… that is your talent. But doing it, that should be entirely your own choice. No one can force it upon you, mister!”

Ruby felt understanding.

“I once said that if were as good a navigator as you, then I would never leave my worker life…” Amber continued. “And that is quite true. But for me that was, not for you!” it grew assertive. “You have settled for things that you should never have.”

Have I?
Ruby asked itself then.

“Actually, you remind me a lot of an old friend that I had…’ Amber grew remembering. “Similar not through physicality, but through mentality.”

Ruby stood silent in listening.

“The name was Sammy, and Sam was the best worker I had ever met in my life, the most brilliant negotiator our city had ever seen!” Amber continued. “And like you, my friend… Sammy dreamt of becoming an Elite one day, Sam wanted to travel towards The Vast Beyond. But as each day passed of its worker life here, fulfilling every incoming request without fail, I saw Sammy slowly loose its purpose and grow more of dread and unhappiness unknowingly. Until I finally witnessed Sam settling for what it should never have. Sammy loved to help but, felt trapped in its own doings, and felt that nothing could be done otherwise.”

Sammy really does sound like me…
Ruby felt astonished by the implemented coincidence.

“But that is when I told Sam, what I think that I should tell you right now as well…” Amber took a deep breath within its gray gills then. “You should learn when to say no.”

“No?” Ruby asked, perplexed.

“Learn to refuse things things that you do not wish to do, so that you can accept what you really want to do, no matter how much anyone might persuade you for or against it.”

“Oh…” our fishy began to understand slowly.

“Why, day in and day out, you continue to fulfill each person’s request here? Why do you take in queues upon queues of people every morning? Why you have taken this right to fulfill every request to yourself?”

Ruby felt thinking. “Because they ask me to…”

“Can’t you simply say no to them? Can’t you refuse?”

“But wouldn’t that make them unhappy?”

“Listen to me closely…” Amber paused to mark its next words. “You are never entitled to people’s happiness, Ruby. You are only entitled to your own.”

Ruby felt the truth strike its beady eyes, pausing to think before it spoke. “But when we first met… you clearly needed my help to reach your home. I am not the kind of person who would say ever no in that situation.”

“And I am absolutely glad for it, Ruby. I was very pleased that you helped me when I needed it,” Amber continued. “But remember… that you came here by necessity, and you stayed here by choice. All of these people who line up everyday, their lives went by just fine before you, and they will be fine without you, Ruby. You have inspired enough little children here to grow up and become navigators alike! But you already know this, yet you still remain within the walls of your own constructed prison.”

Ruby felt contemplating this fact.

“Tomorrow when you wake up, you have a decision to make, Ruby. The choice of you becoming an Elite is still with you.”

Yes it is…

“And that is all I have can say to you now…” Amber concluded before finning away from its friend.

“Wait!” Ruby sparked suddenly. “What happened of your old pal Sammy?”

“Only what was destined to happen!” it cried. “Sam went on to become the Elite it always wished to be… Every now and then, ol’ Sammy does visit this city and me. And I believe that Sam must have traveled to your old place once or twice as well. Its great scales of red and white, which were only deemed odd and made fun of before, are now the symbols of Sammy’s success.”

Red and white!?
Our fishy sparkled with old remembrance. “Yes! I think, I have met your friend!”

Amber smiled in realization. “A small world we live in.”

Ruby felt agreeing upon this fact.

“Okay, mister… Go rest now,” gray scaled companion insisted. “Tomorrow’s a big day.”

And when our blue fishy finned inside its darkened burrow then, any kind of sleep was of little providence as the only thing running rounds inside Ruby’s mind was the previous words offered by its utter friend.
You have settled for things that you should never have…
You still remain within the walls of your own constructed prison…

The choice of you becoming an Elite is still with you!

The next morning inevitably arrived. And quite early, our fishy was more than ready for it to begin. The travel pouch was packed and the mind was truely made.
I will say no!
Exclaimed Ruby then.
I will reach my destiny!

With seemingly infinite amounts of determination, Ruby finned right out of its burrow, only to find its gray scaled friend standing with pride.

Seeing the travel pouch ready, Amber knew that its blue friend had taken the absolute right decision then.

Ruby swam close. “Thank you, Amber…” added it with a smile. “You have been the greatest companion I could have ever wished for.”

Amber smiled back.

“And friend… ” Ruby continued. “I believe that every person has a thing in which they are good at. Ol’ Sammy was a negotiator… I, a navigator. But you, my friend!” Ruby moved closer. “You possess the most unique and valuable talent of all! You help people who become lost… find their true purpose.”

Amber felt warm-skinned in shyness.
I guess, I do…

“Thank you so much for everything!”

Amber grew of warm heart. “Now, go!” it smiled. “Before I change my mind and make you stay another night.”

Ruby nodded with arriving content. “Until next time, friend.”

“Until next time…”

And instantly then, as all of the requesting people had begun arriving and forming queues of a regular workday, they saw a new being emerge from the all-familiar white dome.

Ruby took a deep breath within its blue gills. “I am sorry, everyone! But I will not be addressing any more of your requests…”

The anticipation of people felt flat.
Oh!
They exclaimed.
How rude!

“And I am leaving not because I have to… rather because I want to.”

Crowd listened, and as did little Maggie arriving on this scene.
Navigator mister is leaving!?

“It is quite unfortunate to have come to this… but I have goals which I want to achieve in this life. And I cannot reach them by staying here.”

Maggie begun understanding Ruby’s words then.

“I hope you all to have great lives ahead!” concluded our determined blue fishy before spreading its fins and beginning to swim away from the crowd and towards the boundary of Trench City.

“Navigator mister!”

Ruby suddenly halted its determined pace. “Yes, Maggie?”

“Can I ever become a navigator like you?”

“Of course!” Ruby sparked. “What is stopping you, kid? You already know enough of my ways, don’t you?”

Maggie nodded vividly.

“Then go out there and be whoever you want to be, kid!” spoke Ruby with an enlarged smile.

The orange scaled fishy smiled right back, as it witnessed the navigator mister to continue its firm pace up ahead.

And then, our blue fishy, who once felt imprisoned within its own mind, who felt bumbled down by the sheer pressure of people’s words around, had realized a whole new truth.
I don’t always have to say yes…
It thought with epiphany.
Sometimes, I can say no too!
It exclaimed.
And do not worry about how they would feel!
Realized Ruby.
Because they will always feel something regardless…

And whether it would succeed in reaching its purpose, Ruby did not know. But our fishy had then realized that sometimes failing in what one wants to do can give more happiness than always succeeding in what one has to do.

As it began swimming towards its undoubted destiny, our fishy had ultimately learned a crucial thing which could finally lead it to its definite purpose. A thing so simple, yet so powerful that it could change one’s life entirely.

Ruby had finally learned to say no.

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Author’s note

How often do we find ourselves in a situation where we feel to have trapped within our own minds, doing things how they are supposed to be done, performing because we absolutely have to and not want to?

And numerous times we may not have a choice, feeling limited and bound by the inner workings of our society, compromising and working our keep to earn a life of some satisfaction.

But seldom in our lives, we do end up in scenarios that we somehow chose our way into. We took decisions which seemed to have been taken in helplessness at the time, instead in reality, we were anything but it. We had the choice, we had the power to say no. Rather we didn’t, thinking “How would they feel?”

There is no doubt that many of us are guilty of saying no too little, or never in some cases. And I too quite unfortunately, fall under this category. I too succumb to agreeing upon whatever is said to be done by me. Because saying no! would be rude, it would not look right for my character, it would not make the other person feel any better.

And so, understanding that helping others is the most noblest of tasks, we get in the habit of taking this responsibility to our own selves (and only our own selves!) to perform whatever is asked.

Now, if you are in the business of doing what makes you happy then its a blessing. But if this ends up shredding away your entire happiness in dread and depression, then that is the time to say no! Because nothing is worth losing one’s utter happiness. Nothing.

You are never entitled to people’s happiness, Ruby. You are entitled only to your own.

In this reckless world, not every being is noble. We get exploited for our weakness to say no! Those who realize the power of disagreement save themselves, but many who fall short are the ones broken down and exploited to the brim. They are the ones ending up in a horrific and infinite cycle of sadness, a cycle which might destroy their very will to ever be happy. They ultimately settle for what it is.

“Let’s give them this to do…”

“They always agree for it!”

But if it means torturing and scraping away our happiness, then we shouldn’t. We absolutely wouldn’t! Because we now realize the power of saying no!

And just like us, in the above depicted story, Ruby was inevitably stuck in a conundrum of its own choices, the habit of always saying yes had led it down a path of absolute unhappiness. But following its incredible journey, Ruby had finally learned the lesson of disagreement, it had learned to say no!

So, the real question worth asking now is…

Have we?

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Special Mention

I am very pleased and quite excited to inform you all that the beautiful art (painting) for this particular post has been made and provided by my incredibly beautiful partner, my better half, my love, Semintaj Pathan 🙂

Thank you, honey! You have provided the all-important and vivid colors that this story needed, just like you have splashed such colors into my very life. I am incredibly blessed to have you, my love!

Alhamdulillah! (Thanks to Allah)

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Now, if you found my above story worth reading, do leave your claps in appreciation below!

Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments!

And be sure to check out all my previous Short Stories! Click on the red font and head there!

For my recent posts, do check them out below!

• Taking a Break
  Why I haven’t written a new blog in over 4 months, and why I probably won’t for much longer.
• Death of Criticism
  When did “good” and “bad” become “offensive”?
• Why is Motivation a Big Struggle?
  Lost, undriven, hopeless… Is there a way back? Can we find Motivation and never lose it again?
• What does Pain make you?
  Dissecting the true nature of pain…  What does suffering turn us into? What does Pain make you?
• A Look Back…
  If we turn around for once and stare deep at our own footsteps, what would we find? Have we strayed too far from our original path? How much have we lost along the way?
• What is our Thought-speak? (Understanding the Language of Thought)
  We all talk to ourselves, think in a certain language to ourselves. But what if we never learned our speech? Would we simply be unable to think?

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