An Unwritten Ending | Kavya Reddy | TEDxThe Gaudium School

A TEDxThe Gaudium School talk by student Kavya Reddy that opens with an Indian tradition in which a six-month-old child is presented with four objects in the hope of predicting their future. The talk looks at how the wish for certainty, and waiting for permission, confidence or a clear plan, can keep people from discovering what they are capable of. Using personal reflection and the image of a sailor reading water in the dark, it considers moving forward thoughtfully without having every answer.

• An Indian tradition of predicting a child's future with four objects
• Why waiting for certainty can hold people back
• A sailor reading water in the dark as an image of navigating uncertainty
• Learning through experience and beginning without all the answers

How often do we call ourselves “not ready” before we’ve even taken the first step? Opening with an Indian tradition in which four objects are placed before a six-month-old child in the hope of predicting their future, this talk explores our desire for certainty, even before we are old enough to make our own choices. It examines how waiting for permission, confidence, or a clear plan can keep us from discovering what we’re capable of, and how we can learn to navigate uncertainty rather than use it as a reason to stop. Through personal reflection and the image of a sailor reading water in the dark, it considers what it means to move forward thoughtfully without having every answer. It invites us to question the limits we mistake for locked doors, recognise that understanding can grow through experience, and permit ourselves to begin anyway. Kavya Reddy is an 11th-grade student at Excellencia College and a two-time national declamation winner. She enjoys anything that involves speaking and is an avid MUNner who loves a good debate. When she’s not juggling her hundred hobbies, internships, and approximately seventeen side quests, you’ll probably find her doomscrolling or eating ramen. She looks forward to making the most of this TEDx experience, meeting new people, and interacting with everyone. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx