She pushed away the branch of a shrub which came in her way as she struggled to follow the muddy path in front of her. It left a scratch on her elbow.  “Ouch!” she screamed. Somehow, the pain she experienced was inversely proportional to the depth of the wound on her skin. When she once rammed into the  edge of a wall as a kid, her mother’s alarmed reaction made her realise she was bleeding from her forehead. Until then, she was oblivious of the damage and was happily frolicking around butterflies in the garden. Her brother tapped on her shoulder to gain her attention. She shrugged with irritation and moved her head to see a palatial bungalow in front of her. Close to 10 feet in height and orange in colour, it flaunted the Portuguese style of architecture replete with circular windows which were lined with oyster shells, an art which is already declining in the state. The roof was lined with Mangalorean tiles, half of which were in a dilapidated state. The porch had a tiny wel...

Somedays are just like that - mundane, irritating and lacklustre. And on such days, god help me if anyone tries to strike a conversation with me. Is it just me? I wonder. Are there others who cringe at the thought of a mindless conversation? Was i always like this? I continue to wonder. If i wasn’t, why am i now? And hence, the snowball kicks into motion. No matter how frustrating it gets, if you manage to pull off even one activity that adds lustre to your day, it’s worth it my friend. I just played a coherent song of 4 chords today - the one which i have been practising relentlessly for god know how many years! I also connected with a long lost senior on the pretext of a job referral - the one who I admired as a child as she graduated from high school. Every tiny act makes a difference. It is difficult to notice it in the moment, but i am hoping it would add up when i eventually look back. Until then, keep striving.