I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.

(Lewis Caroll)

If you would ask Aida who she is, she would tell you a hundred things about herself. All of those things could be true. None of those things could be true. Like the Great Gatsby, she believes in an idea, the ideal version of herself - a model of enlightenment, well-versed in the intricacies of the French Revolution and the chronicles of the American Civil War. This ideal embodiment, whom we shall refer to as Ida, has committed the verses of John Keats to memory and has perused the grand works of the Western Canon. In your company, she will discourse upon the poetic musings of Edgar Allan Poe and the masterful creations of Oscar Wilde, enamored by the charm of life's beauty, the elegance of art, and all that shines with the radiance of aesthetics.

But just as the moon has a side that's always obscured from us, much to her dismay, there lies a vast gap between Ida as she thinks she is, and Aida as she truly is. Though nowhere near as interesting, if you should like to make her acquaintance, she will unveil herself before you. In a small town of India, named Jamshedpur, Aida was born as Aarfin on the 25th of July, 2002.

Aarfin was a child with a mind ever-wandering and eyes ever-gazing. From the hills that rose before her home, she looked upon the stars and wondered at the mysteries concealed within the celestial realm of the Milky Way. At the tender age of six, she discovered the music of Justin Bieber and was captivated by its allure. She soon began to sing, her voice a sweet melody that carried her dreams of becoming a musician. Aarfin, like many young children in her formative years, struggled to discover her place in the world. In a quest to fit in, she experimented with various facets of her appearance, from adorning her eyes with kohl to trying out beauty creams in the school bathroom. This journey of self-discovery took her through many phases, from changing identities to cutting her hair short and donning tomboyish attire. Her aspirations also underwent a transformation, from a desire to become a fashion designer to a longing to study Astrophysics at MIT. Unfortunately, this period was not without its challenges, as she battled the demons of chronic depression from 7th grade to late 8th grade.

Aida's journey of self-discovery has been a winding path, filled with twists and turns. It was only when she learned of her diagnosis with Borderline Personality Disorder that the pieces of her past began to fall into place. Her ever-changing personas, beliefs, and aspirations were all part of her complex and tumultuous journey.

She is the young performer who once sang "Set Fire to the Rain" in a boarding school assembly. She is the aspiring fashion designer who honed her skills in Paris, where she created a stunning collection titled La Danse Macabre. She is the adventurous soul who traveled from India to the United States, armed with four suitcases full of dreams and aspirations, to pursue her passion for film-making.

Amidst the chaos of the pandemic, Aida's world crumbled as her father's businesses failed. Returning to India from the US, her once shining aspirations now lay shattered, leaving her feeling lost and devoid of purpose. Plunged into a cycle of self-destruction, she found solace in her work as a content writer at a reputable agency and in her studies of English Literature. In her writing for Meer, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, exploring her attempts to reconcile the person she is with the person she wants to be.