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The Journey Without a Favorite
I have often wondered why this question never stirs excitement in me the way it does in others. People seem to form deep attachments to cars. They name them, dream about them and turn them into symbols of success or desire. I observe this from a distance but I do not quite belong to it. I do not have a favorite automobile and for a long time I thought that meant I was missing something. But maybe I am not. I have looked at vehicles the way one looks at tools, with curiosity rather than affection. I notice…
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How Writing Fuels My Creativity
When I think about creativity inside me, the first thing that comes to mind is writing. Ever since childhood, writing has been my strongest and most natural form of expression. Whether it was storytelling or writing on any given topic, this was the one creative space where I consistently stood out and even won prizes. In other areas, I never really felt that sense of achievement but writing was different. It felt like home. My creativity lives in my words. There’s a quiet satisfaction in taking thoughts from my mind and placing them on paper, shaping them, blending…
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Echoes of an Analog Childhood
I was born in the “in-between.” My birth year sits at the dawn of a massive technological shift, marking the final era before the world moved into the palm of a hand. We were the generation born just before the smartphone and because of that, we inherited a childhood that was grounded, tactile and wonderfully unpolished. Unlike the children of today, whose worlds are often framed by high-definition glass, my early memories are etched in soil and sunlight. I grew up in a time where social media meant gathering with cousins in the backyard. We didn’t need an…
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Embracing Change, Christmas Through the Years
Christmas has always held a quiet, special meaning in my life, even though I didn’t grow up celebrating it. When I was a child, Christmas mostly meant holidays. We used to have a ten-day break after the Midterm exam and those holidays felt like absolute freedom. The moment the exam ended, it felt as if a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and all I could think about was the joy of escaping the stress and finally being myself again. Back then, Christmas wasn’t really celebrated in my home or even in the village I grew up in.…
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Yearning for Places I’ve Never Been
When I read the question “What cities do you want to visit?”, my mind didn’t go to a list of famous names or bucket-list destinations. Instead, I thought of a German word I came across few years back, Fernweh. It describes a deep longing for faraway places you have never been to. A quiet ache for the unknown. That word has stayed with me, because it explains something I’ve always felt but never knew how to name. I don’t yearn for specific skylines or landmarks. I yearn for places I haven’t imagined yet. Streets I’ve never walked. Languages…
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When Approval Stopped Being My Goal
There was a time in my life when I hoped people would say nice things about me. Kind things, gentle things, anything that would make me feel accepted. After years of bullying and body shaming, I learned to shrink myself into corners. I started to speak softly. I existed carefully. I did this just so I wouldn’t attract more hurt. Back then, approval felt like survival. But something shifted. Today, I don’t live with that hope anymore. I no longer shape myself around other people’s opinions or wait for validation to feel worthy. What people say about me,…
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A Bag Packed With Hopes and Dreams
My first day at my first job wasn’t just a career milestone. It marked a moment of choosing growth over comfort. Coming from a place where familiarity often feels safer than change, deciding to move to a new city for work was not impulsive. It was shaped over time by patience, persistence, and the willingness to step into uncertainty with intention. Arriving there, everything felt new. New streets, new routines and new expectations. The challenge wasn’t only about adjusting to a different environment but about standing by a decision I had made for myself. There was a quiet…
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When Bullying Took Away My Love for the Stage
Yes, I’ve performed on stage many times, in school and college. But the way I felt about it changed as I grew up.When I was a child, I loved performing with my whole heart. I was full of excitement, full of courage, raising my hand for any chance to act, sing or speak. I didn’t think about how I looked or what anyone would say. I just felt alive on stage as if the lights were cheering for me. But somewhere along the way things shifted. As I entered higher classes, the bullying started. It began with small…
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The Evening Walk That Feels Like Reading a Story
I’ve been on quite a journey with physical activities over the years. But if I had to choose the one activity that nourishes my soul the most, it wouldn’t be found in a gym or on a yoga mat. It’s something far simpler, yet infinitely richer which is walking during the evening golden hour. This isn’t just exercise for me. It’s an immersive, story-reading experience. It all begins with the Golden Light. The moment the sun starts dipping, everything around me transforms into a cinematic landscape. The warm glow softens the edges of the day, making even the…
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Tom, Jerry and How Perspective Changes
The only cartoon I truly remember watching while growing up was Tom and Jerry. Episode after episode, I watched the same chase unfold and without question, I was always on Jerry’s side. Whenever Tom attacked him, I felt genuinely sad for Jerry. I did not pause to think about reasons or roles. I only wanted Jerry to escape and be safe.Each narrow escape felt like a small victory and I always hoped Jerry would win in the end. As a child, my emotions led the way. I reacted to what I saw in the moment. Jerry’s fear felt…
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