Hmmm...

That morning she gets up and the first thing she looks at me and says “I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired”, I rubbed my eyes and was not sure how to react…. Planted a kiss on her forehead and asked if I could get a glass of warm water or should I assist her to the washroom, her tears just rolled out and curled onto me and said, “let me just lay down for some more time next to you”. A few minutes later, she looks at the clock he screamed and said: “Have you gone mad, laying next to me, kids are getting late and you have to make breakfast for them and see that they had packed their school bag properly….” She continued “You go ahead I will join in some time”, I knew it was one of her anxiety moments and I knew she will take well over half an hour to come to the kitchen, I am used to her Mood swings, that how my wife is… has been suffering from Fibromyalgia for at least last two decades. Even on a bad day, she does as much as she can…She tries to hide how She is fe...

A walk in the mist becomes nostalgic, Dewy are my eyes and feelings ecstatic, This is what I guess must be called fantastic, Dragonflies, sparrows, and squirrels move as gymnastics, Grass blades and bamboo shoots look bombastic, I am sure I can't replace this with a movie ticket so realistic, Though Jurassic is my favorite but not the lizards so gigantic, I love nature and it's various shades climatic, But not want to live among them as I'm not fanatic, So sorry to admit as I am a realist and not dramatic. By Reshma Raj

Great Success or Big Failure Arun was in his mid-forties and for him being successful in his professional life was, what it was. He was always busy with his work and attending a lot of professional and personal development programs. At home or office, he would be always on working mode, either on his mobile or his laptop, sitting in the back seat of his car he would be working, never noticed the changes happening around him and in his own city, 16-18 hours working every day was normal to him. Hopping from one flight to other, from a city to other, he was happy.  His family had given up on him, he would come late night, heat his dinner which would be kept on the dining table and go back to sleep. Before his daughter wakes up, he would have left for the office or would be sleeping. The only interaction between them would be on Sunday when he would take his family to a temple and then for some meditation class. Harika, studying her engineering, always wanted to go to m...

Everyday Struggles! Mounting workload, an endless stream, Pressure building, like a relentless dream. Colleague's selfishness, a constant strife, In an office filled with unhealthy competition rife. Unreasonable targets, set to dismay, Bosses uncomprehending, no room for leeway. Meagre salary, barely enough to survive, As health starts to deteriorate, we strive. Bills keep piling, a growing weight, Unreasonable wants, desires we can't sate. Relationships strained, expectations high, Family misunderstandings, happiness denied. Traffic chaotic, a stressful race, Always rushing, always late, at a rapid pace. Avoiding accidents, battling road rage, The toll it takes, affecting health in every stage. Self-help books line the shelves, gathering dust, Gurus with theories, advice we can't adjust. Words of wisdom, difficult to implement, Maintaining an image, leaving health to lament. Deteriorating health, the ultimate cost, Amidst life's chaos, our well-being lost. But we mu...

Once upon a time, there lived a seven-year-old girl named Reya. She was a joyful and happy child, always immersed in her own colorful world. With her trusty set of colored pencils and papers, she would bring her vibrant imagination to life through her sketches. Reya's creativity knew no bounds, as she would even sew dresses for her beloved pet dog and her cherished dolls using her old clothes. Her inquisitive nature earned her the nickname "question bank" among her parents and grandparents. Every morning, Reya would wake up early to accompany her father on their daily walk, bombarding him with all sorts of questions, even though he wasn't allowed to answer any. Meanwhile, Sunil and Sunitha had been married for quite some time. Their lives had fallen into a monotonous routine of home-to-office commutes, leaving little time for socializing and enjoying life. Responsibilities and financial obligations consumed their days, leaving no room for outings with friends or parti...

Rita, is a known designer for Living Spaces. She was one of the most sought-out designers for most of the prestigious projects. Single, successful and popular, what else would anyone asks for!!! She was happy go lucky type, most of the time spending her time on new projects and with her staff to meet the deadline. Whenever she found time she used to visit Bhuvana, her close friend and classmate from NID. She used to spend most of her weekends at Bhuvana’s place… it was home for her.  Rita was alone, with parents no more and her sibling settled in Australia, she had few relative here and there. She had a lot of friends or shall she call them acquaintance, she used to party with them, hangout with them, but if looking for an emotional support she came over to Bhuvana…Both of them got married early in life just after their college. Bhuvana married her classmate and after a few years of working and giving birth to her daughter she decided that she will be more a helping hand ...

To My wife and My Best Friend, When we first met Twenty-four years ago, I never thought I would be writing this. As we stood in class front of all of those strangers, I never once believed we would find ourselves here. We’ve come a long way. When we first met, I thought you were different. I was right. Because despite the internal battle you fight on a daily basis, you still manage to be truly the best wife, mother and many other relationships I could have ever hoped for. Despite the challenges illness will no doubt bring to our future, I welcome them head on. So long as we can do it together. I was a foolish college boy with a tremendous crush. I was not properly equipped to handle the effects of illness, nor was I ready to deal with the perceived backlash I thought could only be my fault. I was ready to give in to whatever you wanted, even if those tendencies were reckless or self-destructive. When we met, I’d never been truly close to a person who suffered from fi...