The Only Photo

I used to dream about filling my room with trophies.

And I did.

Debates. Olympiads. Writing competitions. Quiz championships.

Every victory added another shining cup to the wooden shelf above my study table.

But one night, during a power cut, I sat alone in complete darkness. The trophies were still there, but without light, they looked ordinary. Silent.

That’s when I noticed something else.

My mother had fallen asleep on the sofa waiting for me to finish studying. My younger brother had stopped asking me to play cricket months ago because he already knew my answer.

Somewhere while chasing achievements, I had slowly disconnected from the people celebrating them.

The next morning, I removed one trophy from the shelf and placed a family photograph there instead.

Strangely, the room felt fuller.

I still work hard. I still dream big.

But now I know that achievements look brightest when you have people beside you to share them with.

#ZorbaStoryContest2026