Aananda

A friend of mine recently wrote me a poem. A birthday present telling me that she loved me despite all differences. I have to mention ‘despite all differences’ because our story was never that of just love. Her poem didn’t sugar coat the oscillations of ‘connection, disconnection and reconnection’ that all friendships (including ours) are invariably made of; but rather she hailed them as our battle scars. When I stare straight into love like that, which has the audacity to charge regardless of all differences, I get uncertain of my own ability to do that. Because there have been so many times that I couldn’t. Like with family, where love exists but in some weird corner that is sometimes difficult to access; and I’m unable to love despite all differences. Or with friends I’m so used to taking for granted. I’m sure love exists there too, but I don’t think I ever looked at how I let it blur out; how I let myself grow indifferent to the same things that bring value to life. I hate what th...

It was only three days ago that we (my family) became victims of a cybercrime. Victims of a fraud customer-care number that left us confused, and blind to what was being done to us. It left us lesser not only in money, but also in faith. It was only three days ago that I was at once reminded that the people we live among are desperate, broken, and unjust. Looking back, there were so many glaring red flags during our call that day, and we naively ignored them. We’re an educated family and losing money because of a cybercrime is a reminder struck right across the face of what happens to those who unsuspectingly believe. And I’m not just talking about this one time. Every time you find yourself fooled; gutted by thoughts of your own ignorance, you start building walls around yourself. There is a sense of urgency. A glaring alarm telling you to get everything under control, and to never gamble like this again. As if the only way to get through life is by rigorously protecting yourself ev...