Vidhi Dev, Class X A
John rushed into the room screaming, “I’m going to Mars!” His mom, who was calculating the monthly expenditure, did not pay much attention to his words. John had always had an overactive imagination. She replied distractedly, “That’s great honey!” John squealed with excitement, “So, will you send me to the NASA place?” His mom looked at him at last, “What? John, you’re only six years old. You cannot go to NASA.” John was devastated. He asked his mother how he would go to Mars then. She told him to come up with some other way to reach his goal.
John took her advice. He decided to put Plan A into action immediately. A really simple plan. He would get his dad to drive him to Mars in his car. He approached his dad while he was eating breakfast and said, “Dad, let’s go. We have a long trip ahead.” His dad looked confused, “What long trip?” he asked. “You’re driving me to Mars,” John said innocently. His father laughed, “John, space is not a place you can reach by car. People go to space in rockets and shuttles. Come on, now off you go. You’ll miss the school bus.”
All day long John didn’t feel like doing anything. He didn’t play with the other kids, he couldn’t concentrate on his studies. But there was not time to be sad. The next day, John moved on to Plan B. He spent the day building the biggest catapult he could. Unfortunately for him, it was only about the size of a chair. He wasn’t aware that his plan would never work. He called his friend Jake and asked him to come over to help him. When Jake arrived, they both put the catapult out in the yard. John sat in the swing like part of the catapult and Jake pulled the rope and released it. Well, he didn’t get to space but badly sprained his ankle.
John went straight to his mother. He told her that his plans to go to Mars had failed and he was really upset. She comforted him, “Oh John, you’re only six years old. You can’t go to Mars just now. But don’t you give up. I believe in you. If anyone can go to Mars, it is you!” John smiled. So what if he had failed today? He wasn’t going to give up. He would keep trying till he reaches his goal.
