A message to all my readers When I first began writing down my stories in this quiet space, it was nothing more than an open diary. A place to put memories that needed somewhere to rest, reflections gathered over a lifetime, and thoughts that felt too personal—or perhaps simply too ordinary—to share in conversation. Conventional wisdom often suggests that personal musings rarely accomplish much on the wider internet. There are no frameworks here, no quick advice, and no polished agendas. Just the raw textures of life as I have experienced it: the sudden turns, the quiet routines, the moments of doubt, and the steady work of beginning again. Recently, as a small corner quietly crossed 30,000 reads, I paused to look more closely at the numbers. What moved me was not just the milestone itself, but where those visits were coming from. While some readers join from home here in India, so many of you are reading from entirely different corners of the earth—from Singapore across the seas ...
I ferried children to school, to sports fields, and to their extra classes. I was involved with their activities for more than ten years. After restrictions on having one television in our home, the end was drawing near. My husband could now install as many idiot boxes as he wanted in the house. The two boys were embarking on their adult lives. They just flew by initially for higher education, later for their jobs, and finally with their soulmates. Silence has been my best friend. In fact, it has suited me always and preserved my existence as an introvert. I have, for this reason, navigated many years by not becoming a member of any group. With so much time to spare now, it was time for the ‘Titans to clash’, not over hierarchical status, money, interests, but over how to effectively spend time. The tilt of the balance proposed a threat, and so finally all ‘kit kit’ stopped, and we became members of not one but two kitties. It took me some time to acclimatize. I realized that even thou...