Van-10 min awakening
Chapter 1: The Boy Who Chose to Stop
Karan was not extraordinary.
At least, that's what most people believed.
He was a middle school student who lived a simple life. His grades were average. He was not the fastest runner, nor the smartest in class. Teachers didn't scold him much, but they didn't praise him either.
He was just… normal.
But there was something rare about Karan.
He never ignored people.
If someone dropped their pen, he picked it up.
If a classmate forgot their notebook, he shared his.
If someone didn't understand homework, he tried helping — even when he struggled himself.
Kindness came naturally to him.
His younger brother Arjuna studied in the same school. Arjuna was confident, energetic, and fearless — everything Karan thought he wasn't.
"Bhai, one day I'll become famous," Arjuna would often say proudly.
Karan would smile and reply, "Then I'll be the one cheering the loudest."
Deep inside, Karan had a quiet belief.
Not about fame.
Not about beating others.
Just one simple thought:
I will become better than I am today.
One week later, the school announced Sports Day trials.
Excitement filled every classroom.
Arjuna signed up for the 400-meter race immediately.
"You should try too!" he insisted.
Karan hesitated.
Running wasn't his strength. Everyone knew that.
But after a few seconds of silence, he wrote his name on the list.
Not because he wanted to win.
But because he didn't want to run away from trying.
The race started under the hot afternoon sun.
The whistle blew.
Students rushed forward.
Karan ran steadily — not first, not last.
Halfway through the track, something happened.
Arjuna tripped.
He fell hard.
For a split second, Karan froze.
If he kept running, he might finish well.
Maybe even prove something to everyone.
The crowd shouted, "Keep running!"
But Karan stopped.
He turned back.
He helped Arjuna stand up.
"Are you okay?" he asked, breathing heavily.
Some students laughed.
"Of course he stopped. He can't win anyway."
The words hurt.
Not because he lost.
But because he wondered if they were right.
Teachers took Arjuna to the nurse's room. It was only a small sprain.
Later that night, Karan sat alone at his desk.
He replayed everything in his mind.
The race.
The laughter.
The doubt.
For the first time, he realized something important.
He had always been kind.
But he had never seriously trained himself.
Kindness was part of who he was.
Effort… was a choice.
That night, Karan made a quiet decision.
Thirty extra minutes of study every day.
Fifteen minutes of morning running.
No excuses.
Not to silence others.
Not to become famous.
But to improve.
Slowly. Quietly. Consistently.
He opened his math book again.
This time, he didn't close it when things felt difficult.
Outside, the night sky was calm.
And somewhere far beyond what human eyes could see…
Something noticed him.
Not his strength.
Not his speed.
But his choice.
The journey toward something greater had begun.
He didn't know it yet—
But this was the first step toward the 10 Minute Awakening.
To be continued…