The Art of First Times

There is a certain magic in doing something for the very first time. The heart beats a little faster. The mind is unsure, excited, and nervous—all at once. And no matter how many times life repeats itself after that, nothing ever feels quite like the first time again.

This is the story of my firsts. Some of them look small from the outside — a wristwatch, a mobile phone, a trip, a camera. Some of them changed the direction of my life completely. But every single one of them taught me something I still carry with me today.

Come, walk with me through them.

The First Steps Toward Independence

Since childhood, I was drawn to anything that involved creativity. I didn’t have a name for it back then — I just knew that colours, art, and beauty made me feel alive in a way nothing else did.

But growing up also meant growing into reality. Somewhere along the way, I understood a simple truth: before I could chase my dreams, I needed a job that could support them. With a lot of grace and with parents who believed in me more than I believed in myself, I landed my first decent job.

That first salary changed something in me. With it came my first branded wristwatch — a Fastrack, which back then felt like the most premium thing a person could own. Soon after, my first smartphone, a Sony. I still remember the feeling of holding it in my hands. It’s hard to put into words — that mix of happiness, satisfaction, and quiet confidence that comes from earning something entirely on your own.

There is a particular kind of pride that money can’t buy — the pride of self-reliance.

An Accidental Beginning

Little did I know that this same phone would plant the first seed of a passion I hadn’t discovered yet. I started clicking pictures — clumsily, without any idea of composition or light. If I’m honest, almost every photo back then was just me, standing in front of something nice.

My first trips soon followed — Delhi, Maa Vaishno Devi, and a few other places with my family. Somewhere between those journeys, without even realising it, a quiet truth settled in me: I loved to travel. I hadn’t known this about myself before. Some passions don’t announce themselves loudly — they arrive quietly, and you only recognise them in hindsight

When Life Asks You to Wait

But life, as we all know, doesn’t always let us follow our inner voice right away.

Coming from a village, I understood — without anyone needing to explain it to me — that certain expectations exist after marriage. I won’t say this out of complaint, and I don’t blame anyone for it; it is simply the reality many of us grow up within. I accepted most of it as it came. But there were two things I never let go of, and my parents never let me compromise on either: my career, and my self-respect.

You can bend in many places in life. But some roots must stay firm — or you lose yourself entirely.

The Trip That Changed Everything

Then came the trip that changed everything — Manali and Shimla.

I know, I know. Overrated, some might say. But for me, at that point in life, it was a dream come true. I explored more freely than I ever had before. And somewhere on that trip, I noticed a shift in myself: I wasn’t clicking pictures of myself anymore. I was clicking landscapes, mountains, flowers, and the sky. I had started falling in love with what was around me, not just capturing where I had been.

That one small change told me something big was beginning.

The First Trek — Valley of Flowers

It happened almost by accident. A random Instagram ad mentioned a trek called Valley of Flowers. I didn’t know the first thing about trekking — how to prepare, what to carry, what to expect. I just saw the word “flowers” and booked it, tempted purely by imagination.

I won’t lie — somewhere on that trail, huffing and struggling, I scolded myself for being so impulsive. Why did I come here?

But the moment I reached the summit, every ounce of that struggle dissolved. What replaced it was a joy so vast, it genuinely felt like it touched the sky.

That was the day I learned something important: this — mountains, trails, the climb — this was what I wanted. But I also learned I needed to prepare myself, physically and mentally, to truly enjoy it.

The First Solo Trip

My next first was a solo trip — solo not because I went alone, but because I went without a single familiar face. I joined a trekking group of complete strangers.

By the time we returned, we weren’t strangers anymore. We were family in every sense that mattered.

That trek taught me something no classroom ever could — how strong I am, mentally and emotionally, when I rely only on myself. And I believe that is one of the most important things any human being can discover about themselves.

Sometimes, the mountain you climb outside is nothing compared to the one you climb within.

Finding My Photography Family

Through all of this, one search continued quietly in the background — I was looking for a mentor, a community, and a group of people who could teach me photography. I didn’t own a camera. I only had my mobile phone and a lot of unspoken passion.

And then, one day, that search ended. I found a community — formed by genuinely talented photographers and even more wonderful human beings — who welcomed me exactly as I was: a self-taught mobile photographer with no formal training, just heart. (You can read the full story of how I found this community here.)

The day I officially became a member, the moment I held my first community ID card in my hand — everything about it felt special. And it still does. Because the feeling of a first never really fades. It stays preserved somewhere inside you, untouched by time.

My First Time Holding a Camera

Till now in my journey, the first time I took photos with a camera, it was — again — a Sony. I truly believe Sony is the main character in my life, the one that begins everything. 🙂

And holding a camera for the first time, even though it was borrowed 🙂 — that feeling is awesome. Taking a photo with it gives you another level of excitement.

The First Time I Never Imagined

Recently, my photographs were selected for the UOH photo gallery on the occasion of World Photography Day. I can’t speak for everyone, but when that invitation landed in my inbox, my heart skipped — genuinely, physically skipped — because it was something I had never dared to imagine for myself.

It was a first I hadn’t seen coming. And even if my work goes on to be exhibited many more times in the future, I know I will never forget what this particular first felt like.

Every First Is a Teacher

In everyone’s life, every “first” happens exactly once. Some are joyful, some are difficult — but every single one leaves something behind that’s unforgettable.

Our firsts teach us. They shape us. They quietly show us the road ahead, even when we can’t see it ourselves.

So here’s what I’ve come to believe: never underestimate your firsts. Learn from them. Cherish them. There is no age limit, no “right time” to experience a first — it can happen at any stage of life, at any age.

All it truly needs is the will to begin. Because somewhere between the fear and the leap, that’s where the story of you begins.