Little Things That Matter

  Sitting under a night sky full of stars, looking deep into the flames, she forgot she was surrounded by a beach full of names. People behind the names. People from all around. People she knew nothing about. People she had never met. People she wouldn't meet ever again. Or maybe she would ... Floating ashes and falling soot from intensely flickering flames made her forget everything from the surroundings and focus on the smoke that's freed from burning wood now and then. For a moment, as if there was no one around. It was just herself and that bright burning bonfire. No matter how loud the music was, the only thing she could hear at the moment was her heartbeats; loud and clear . Despite the roaring sea breeze filled with moisture and salt, the only thing that touched her right now was her breath; deep and intense . Despite campers going all 'gung ho' for the New Year's celebration on the beach, the only thing she could feel at this very moment was the stillnes

This year is wrapped up in stories poles apart. It’s been too tough for some. But at the same time, it's been too blessed for others. Some lost their loved ones. But then, others found themselves this year. There are some who missed on their goals due to the aftermaths of the pandemic. But, on the other hand, there are people who attained theirs just because of the pandemic this year. For some, it's been the  worst year ever , for others, it has been a  blessing in disguise . Different people take different things / people / lessons / memories from a passing year. But, if there's one thing we all can take into 2021 for sure, is the 'Mask' . 2020 has gifted us a mask to wear all the time. But, weren't we all wearing one all through? Mask to hide the pain we endure. Mask to avoid getting into uncomfortable conversations. Mask to not let anyone see through our sorrows. Mask to hide the scars on our souls. Mask to pretend everything is hunky-dory. Mask to hide our v

You're on mute! The most heard words of 2020. After speaking half of the first sentence of what we wanted to say, we hear someone from the listeners inform us, 'You're on mute'. This not only breaks the momentum, but also throws the entire feel down the drain. The more excited you are for what you're going to say, the greater the chances are that you're gonna miss this very simple alert that you're on mute. Forgetting to turn on the mic before speaking doesn't mean you're inattentive to the fact that you were on mute. It rather means that you are so indulged into what is being discussed and what you're going to contribute that you miss this little detail. We are not accustomed to clicking the mic before speaking. This is such a novel concept that even spending the whole year doing this hasn't really made us habitual of clicking before speaking. Don't we all wanna go back to simple in-person meetings and discussions? Don't we all miss