To the Helgas in my life

Its quite strange why I think of Helga today. Her hair, the brightest shade of red, cut just below her ears, her English a struggle and her body, wobbly and white. We met her at Kaprun in Austria. We had just gone up to Kitzsteinhorn and got down dreary with the sun hitting the snow,…

We are 5 year olds

Every time I get to shower, my 5 year old brings to the door of that courtroom, an issue that requires immediate judgement. And today it was this, “Umma, Yaani called me a loser.” Some other days it is, “Yaani called me a noob.” “Yaani called me a baby.” “Yaani says I dont have friends”…

Oh dear, are you a feminist?

“Oh dear, are you a feminist?”   I looked up once in the eye that asked the woman in me a question such as this.   “Give me a reason, a reason to believe I shouldn’t be one. A reason for that matter, any woman shouldn’t or wouldn’t be a feminist.   As I sat…

They too got to fly away

You think they will stay. But they too, got to fly away.   It is not always that you have the chance to bid the bye. Not always the strength to say the sorry. Not always the time to live the love. While you do, you and me must make every effort to say the…

Go Girl, Fight for it

This is a life of a moment. Everything that happens here, takes one moment to come about, change, destroy, have and lose. This life is less about days and nights. More, moments and memories. Who among us isn’t afraid? Who doesn’t fear that a moment will change lives forever? And some fears are fears that…

Girl, you are strong

So many think of me a strong woman. And on most days I am asking myself, “Who the hell am I pretending to?” I feel so weak and low, vulnerable and broke, pained and cracked. And yet, I know of people who call me strong, while all the time in my head, I so am…