Secret Solace

I called sadness to sit with me We hugged each other and watched the fading sunlight on the walls, breathing in the smell of rain lingering in the evening air. I loved the comfort sadness gave me, and I slept in her arms, allowing her to hold me for a little while longer. I felt like a tired bird finally finding a place to rest. When I felt better, she waved goodbye to me, happy to see me smile. “See you next time,” she said. “Enjoy life when I am not around. But sometimes, I have to come visit you. That is the law of nature. But we are good with each other, so do not worry, my dear.” And thus, she left, leaving me with hopes of better days and sunshine leaving me in the company of songs of the wind, and comfort of the meadows.

One of my favorite activities is taking my son to the playground. It's joyful to watch him play, explore, try different equipments, mingle with other kids. It's amazing to see him play in the mud, splash in the little pool of rainwater, smell the flowers, touch the leaves, talk to the birds and lie on the grass. It's a wonder to see him ask me so many curious questions whenever he is outdoors. It's funny to see how he tries to copy older kids, how he tries to do more challenging play. And then there is another side of him which is so amazing to witness. If any kid gets hurt especially the younger ones, he soothes them, runs to me to ask for water and band aids. Oh yes! mom is his first aid kit. I am grateful he shows empathy for other kids.  Some of the younger kids come to the playground with caretakers who would be busy chatting amongst themselves. I started helping those kids actively on the playground, on the slides and other equipments. They squealed with happiness...

I felt like celebrating my birthday more intentionally this year. I woke up hoping today gives me a few moments that feel truly mine. I promised myself I would shower myself with a little more love and a little more kindness than I usually do. I am going to give permission to myself to give more time to me. Today I will take space, not shrink myself.   Today I would do all the little things for myself that I usually keep putting off. I don’t remember the last time I truly allowed myself to do that.  So I did. And I felt so happy.  Today reminded me that amidst the questions, the storms and the wild dreams I am blooming in my own way. I am still growing, still creating, still becoming - and I am deeply grateful for that.  Today made me feel the nicest birthdays are often not the loudest ones, but the ones where you feel light inside for a while… understood, peaceful, and quietly happy. I rested dreaming about sunlit rivers, my spirit warm and flowing.

There was a time when their laughter knew the same roads, when silence between them felt warm like sunlight resting on old wooden floors. They were only friends, or so they believed, hiding little storms inside ordinary conversations. Years passed softly. Life scattered them through crowded days and distant nights, yet somewhere beneath it all, their hearts kept returning to the same unfinished place. And then one evening, truth arrived trembling— not loud, not grand, just two souls finally admitting what love had whispered for years. For a moment the world bloomed. Every memory wore gold. Every word carried wings. But love is delicate when wrapped in confusion. A misunderstanding, a fear neither could explain, grew like fog between them. The boy, unable to hold the weight of lies told closed every door quietly. And the girl remained with echoes of him— with songs that still sounded like home, with conversations replaying at midnight, with the ache of a love that arrived too late and v...

The wild in me does not believe in fences. It does not pause before walls, nor bow before locked gates. It breaks through barriers like rivers that cut through stone. The wild in me is like the restless wind, like untamed fire that wants to explore,  explore and explore, without the weight of fear tied to the ankles. The wild in me loves the freedom of the wilderness that ignites the desires lying latent - to demystify the mystic, to unconceal the concealed, within myself and beyond.

Take that first step, for in it begins an adventure. Leave the maps behind. Let your restless heart wander, tracing paths unknown, drifting gently toward the unseen. Follow where it leads. Through winding bends, along gurgling streams, over steep inclines.  Across rugged trails and stony climbs, where the earth feels raw and alive. Brave the hush of falling snow, stand steady against the biting winds. For in that wild surrender, you will be beautifully lost. You need to remember that you are safe. The ropes and harness are holding your fears at bay. You are moving, and always moving forward. Pause if your soul asks for some stillness. Build a small camp beneath the dark skies, spark a fire and let the cold mountain air seep into your soul in silence. But do not linger too long, for the climb is calling. You still have work to do, learn the language of stone and wind. You need to keep moving, rise higher until the summits greet you. And on the way you are going to be awed by valleys...

And then she smiled A glow in the dark Look at her smile Radiant as a thousand diyas  It's no ordinary smile It's a glow earned Forged through strength Softened by humility Anchored in quiet power That smile carried stories untold Of battles endured and grace preserved In this radiant smile lived The true essence of womanhood

I made a promise to myself this morning. Today I am not going to worry, crib, get angry. I will keep myself free of all those nasty emotions. My day, like any other day is going to be a little bit of messy and a little bit of wonderful. That's how an ordinary day is supposed to be. Most of our days are spent in the simple things we do. Real joy and contentment lie in how well we live our ordinary days. Let me live my ordinary day well today. So I made my bed first thing in the morning, had my tea, showered, cooked a delicious meal and went about my daily responsibilities slowly, singing and smiling all along. When I felt a need for my downtime, I stepped out for my dose of nature sounds. Over the years I have found that regular walking boosts my well being. That time in nature brings me loads of peace. I soaked in all that peace during my long walk. After I came back, I sat in silence for a few minutes. It helped to get rid of those many tiny stains that had crept in my mental spac...

My earliest memories of a library is of course that of my school library. I remember it to be very spacious, well stocked with books and with lots of natural light streaming in. My favorite place in the library was in a corner near a big window overlooking the biggest field of our school. This was the place where I would go, sit and spend an hour of our weekly library period. That weekly library period used to be such a treat for me. I loved spending time reading a book enjoying the silence, the smell, the light. I viewed my school library as a fortress which had rows and rows of books inside it. Rows and rows of books that held the capacity to fuel my imagination. It was a place that opened up windows for me, to different stories written by different authors from different eras.  I used to be an enthusiastic reader at that time. Not that I am less now. I do read enthusiastically whenever I come across a book that appeals to me. In our school, every student was allowed to borrow a ...