Tag: personal essay
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The World Is Ugly—Until Someone Brings You Coffee: A Corporate Chaos Story
A chaotic workday of missed trains, broken printers, and CXO interviews turns unexpectedly human when small acts of kindness cut through the stress.
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The Weight of Grief: Why no one’s pain is smaller or bigger than someone else’s
Back in 2021, I was open about my struggles with mental health. At that time, it felt like everyone around me was turning on me, reminding me that the cause of my grief was childish – that there were people out there who had it way worse. And I agree, there will always be someone…
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When Wedding Traditions Meet Patriarchy: A Second-Hand Rant I Wasn’t Prepared For
I didn’t even attend the wedding. That’s the best part. I had just come back from work and was done with my snacks. I chose to skip dinner but I wanted to sit with my parents while they had theirs. So I did. I was just existing near them at the dining table when my…
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My Favourite Drink (Or: Emotional Support in a Cup)
What is your favorite drink? People usually answer this question very confidently. Coffee.Tea.Cold coffee.Matcha.Something expensive that sounds like it requires emotional stability and a frother. I, unfortunately, do not have a favourite drink. I have situational beverages. Because drinks, to me, are less about thirst and more about survival. Morning tea is not a drink.…
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The Year I Received the Most Thoughtful Gift of My Life
Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received. When I was a kid, I loved playing with baby dolls. I had three of them — Sonu, Monu, and Tonu — all in different sizes. My favorite was Sonu. Probably because he was very fat and big. He was also smiling. I had given Monu’s…
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Doing Nothing, Accidentally Shopping, and Other Leisure-Time Skills
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time? If I’m being honest—and leisure time deserves honesty—I enjoy doing nothing. Not the aesthetic, soft-life version of nothing that comes with candles and calming music. Just regular, unfiltered nothing. Sitting around. Existing. Letting my mind wander into unnecessary overthinking and then pretending that was intentional.…
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What Does Your Name Mean? (And Why Mine Almost Didn’t)
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc. I’m an Indian. And if you haven’t had the privilege of experiencing Indian/Hindu culture, let me tell you this — names are a big deal here. When a child is born, there’s an entire SOP the family follows. Priests look at the date, time, and…
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Why Discomfort Teaches Us Gratitude (And Why We Only Notice It When Things Go Wrong)
Discomfort Has a Funny Way of Teaching Gratitude Discomfort has a funny way of teaching gratitude. Not gently. Not kindly. It teaches it the way life usually does— by ruining your day just enough to make a point. It doesn’t ask you to be mindful. It forces you to be. The Nose-Blocking Theory of Gratitude…
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The Underrated Luxury of Not Having to Pee: A Survival Guide for Long Journeys
You never think about it.You don’t wake up grateful for it.You don’t journal about it or manifest it or romanticize it on Pinterest. But not having to pee is one of life’s most underrated luxuries. You only realise this when you’re trapped on a long-distance bus, barely one-tenth into the journey, and your body quietly…
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On Play, Chaos, and Letting Myself Be
Yes, but not in the way people usually mean it. Playtime, to me, isn’t about games or scheduled fun. It’s the moments where I stop being useful and start being myself. It’s flirting with ideas, overthinking conversations for no reason, turning my life into a narrative, laughing at my own jokes, annoying the people I…