Rohan always wanted to open his own restaurant. However, the uncertainty of business always prevented him from doing so. Therefore, when he got fired from his job due to his company’s restructuring, he decided to take the big step.

After weeks of looking around, Rohan was finally able to find a good, clean place to rent. And soon he started renovating the place. The floors had to be replaced and cleaned, the walls painted, furniture bought and a lot more.

“I don’t think it will work out,” Rohan said to his friend Eli one day as he swiped his hands over his face in exhaustion. They had just finished one coat of paint on the walls, and the dream still looked out of reach.

“What if it doesn’t turn out as I want it to? What if the customers don’t even come?” Rohan asked nonstop as he hyperventilated about all the scenarios that might happen.

“You need to chill and just believe in yourself. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to,” his friend Eli advised. Then Eli guided Rohan towards the restaurant’s kitchen while saying, “Now come on. We have a lot to do. But first, make me a cup of tea.”

It took two months, countless hours, many sleepless nights and random boosts of motivation for them to finally start the restaurant. Rohan was as anxious as ever, with Eli by his side, as they both stood and watched the welcome sign over the front door on the opening of the restaurant.

In the first few weeks after the opening, the customer count was low. At some point, even Eli got worried. Rohan was very anxious and on the verge of closing up, even thinking of starting to look for a job.

One day after yet another disappointing day at work, Eli brought over Rohan to his grandmother’s house, as she was the only one Eli thought could give his friend the best advice.

Rohan told everything about his problems to Eli’s grandma. After listening to him calmly, she said, “Listen, my dear child, I would only advise you one thing: where there’s a will, there’s a way. Both of you have come so far and if you give up now, it would all be in vain and a very foolish thing to do.

“My advice would be to stay patient and not overthink — sometimes, you just have to let things be and allow them to fall into place on their own,” she advised.

Rohan understood and for a while, both friends stopped talking about the ups and downs. Instead, they just chatted about what they were currently doing and the new things they planned to start. Thus, it started again — the hustle and bustle and the hard work. New and unique recipes were introduced, marketing was improved, and offers and deals were made.

Slowly but surely, customers started pouring in. It was as if Rohan’s dream had come to life; his restaurant became a popular spot in town and their business flourished beyond their dreams.

Rohan finally understood the true importance of resilience and hard work. It was this resilience, shared with Eli, that made them succeed. He knew there would be more ups and downs ahead, but he had learned one thing — he must always remain steadfast.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 23rd, 2025