My Musings on Life

 Bye-bye 2024 and welcome 2025 ... almost everyone is in this mode. As we bid farewell to 2024 and embrace the new year, it is a natural moment to pause, take a step back, and reflect on the past twelve months. This period of reflection allows us to appreciate the blessings that helped us survive through hardships and become more grateful. It opens a bag full of emotions—nostalgia for the memories we've made, gratitude for the lessons learned, and anticipation for the possibilities that lie ahead. While reflecting, we often begin to form resolutions and promises to be better and do better. Everyone reflects in their own way. For me, reflection is like a good old friend who shows me my flaws, even if I don’t love to face them. It always gives the best advice. This year, a mix of nostalgia took me down memory lane. Most memories were happy, but the loss of my father early in the year was particularly tough to cope with. We all know that death is the ultimate truth, but losing l...

 After a long, exhausting day, there’s nothing quite as comforting as returning home to the welcoming smiles of your loved ones. It is a profound relief—a sense of belonging, of being seen and embraced without the need to justify or apologize for simply being yourself. During my travels, I am frequently asked, “Where do you belong?” This question underscores the universal human need for belonging. Brené Brown captures this sentiment perfectly: “Belonging is a deep emotional need, and when it is met, we feel seen and valued.” It is the warmth that makes us feel wanted, part of something larger than ourselves, and cherished for who we truly are. To me, belonging is freedom—free from judgment or pretence, a safe space where masks are unnecessary. It is the simple comfort of being surrounded by people who genuinely understand and accept you, and vice versa. This profound sense of belonging offers a liberating sense of ease and peace. Reflecting on my upbringing, being a gi...

We've all heard the timeless tale of the six blind men and the elephant. Each of them, encountering a different part of the animal, formed a unique and wildly varying perspective. To one, the elephant's sturdy side resembled a wall; to another, its tusk felt like a spear. One mistook its ear for a hand fan, another its tail for a rope, and its sturdy leg for a tree trunk. This classic tale artfully reminds us how subjective experiences shape our perceptions—and often, our deeply held opinions. Humans, complex and inherently social beings, thrive on connection. We bond over shared laughter, quiet moments with a warm drink in hand, and the inevitable exchange of ideas. But have you ever paused to wonder why we become so fiercely opinionated about, well, everything? Our opinions, much like the blind men’s interpretations, are often formed by fragments of past experiences. They intertwine with our thoughts, reinforcing themselves until they define how we approach various topics. Ye...

O ver a quiet cup of coffee, my son’s simple yet profound words, “Be thankful... it happened,” ignited a renewed sense of gratitude within me. As I looked at him, pride and awe welled up inside me. This young man, standing at the threshold of life, had unknowingly reminded me of something fundamental yet often overlooked—the transformative power of gratitude. These four words made me pause and reflect on the blessings that weave through life’s journey. They reminded me that, no matter what life throws our way, we always have a choice: to dwell on what went wrong or to embrace what went right. Reflecting on my own path, I see how challenges have shaped the person I am today. The struggles, setbacks, and even heartbreaks have been catalysts for growth. This realization drives home an essential truth: gratitude isn’t just for the easy moments—it’s for all moments. Being thankful for the difficult times is about finding the silver lining in life’s storms. Setbacks are universa...