When I Dared to Step Out of the Boat

When I Dared to Step Out of the Boat

There comes a time in every life when the ground beneath your feet crumbles, and the only way forward is to take a leap of faith. Mine came—not with the sound of trumpets or the waving of flags—but in the quiet ticking of time after retirement. After nearly four decades in the noble corridors of academia, twenty of which I served as a Principal, the curtain seemed to have drawn. Many assumed I would lay my pen to rest, tuck away my chalkboard dreams, and slip into the leisurely hum of retirement. But I had other plans—or perhaps, plans had me.

The last time I took a risk was not in my youth when courage is careless, nor in midlife when the stakes are high and responsibilities peak. It was in the later chapter of my story—at 64, when society often whispers, “It’s time to slow down.” That whisper, I decided to ignore.

I took the risk of starting anew. Of launching Prashant Educational Consultancy Services OPC Pvt Ltd. Of applying for assignments in a world that subtly favours the young, the trending, the tech-savvy. Of writing books that were never marketed but deeply lived. Of being relevant in a space that was rapidly evolving and not always welcoming.

Was it easy? Not at all. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Each rejection taught me something—about resilience, about perception, about the way age is often misread as a liability rather than an asset. The journey hasn’t yet brought me a windfall or a headline, but it has brought me purpose—and in that, I found success.

The experience was much like Peter stepping out of the boat in the Bible. The waters were turbulent, the wind howled in uncertainty, but the calling was stronger. And though the world didn’t always extend a hand, grace did. The mercy of the Divine became my buoy—my unseen strength.

This risk opened avenues I hadn’t imagined: helping schools in need, mentoring young teachers, writing blogs that connect my past with the present, and being able to witness events with eyes not clouded by 9-to-5 obligations.

To those who fear that the sunset years are meant only for reflection, I say: “The sun may set, but it always rises again.” Sometimes, the most glorious dawns come after the darkest nights. Risks do not always guarantee rewards—but they guarantee growth. And sometimes, that’s the greater prize.

So, when did I last take a risk? When I chose to be more than my retirement, to become a voice, a consultant, a writer, a grandfather with stories yet to be written. It hasn’t been a smooth sail—but as the idiom goes, “A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

If you’re standing at the edge, doubting your worth or worrying about the fall—remember, sometimes the risk is not in jumping, but in staying still.