Bohemian Ray of Sunshine

I know this year had been very hard on you. There were a lot of things I wanted to apologise for. I have seen that since so long I have been living for others, on other's terms. I'm sorry for pressurizing you to constantly improve without thinking that if it works for you or not. I have always dumped you under heavy load of tasks to complete in one go and I'm sorry for that. I have always pushed you harder everytime to prove your worth and seek validation from others forgetting that you are not at all liable to live up to other's defination of fulfillment and happiness.  It's so damn okay if your defination of socializing, calmness and happiness does not coincide with others. I'm sorry for all the times when I allowed other people to crush your dreams into pieces, I'm sorry for all the times when I let them impose their rules on you, when I didn't stand for you, when I allowed them to burden you, when I blamed you for not being enough by comparing you to...

                   It was Ruskin's sixteenth birthday. His Indian mother- Raashi wanted to have a small 'Rudra Abhishek' ritual whereas his American father- David wished to organise a 'Sweet Sixteen' party. Ruskin had always been grinded between the two cultures of his parents and never felt like he belonged anywhere.                   Ruskin rejected his parents' ideas and instead suggested going out for dinner. They were served with hot savory dishes. Ruskin was busy multitasking between eating and scrolling through his phone while his parents continued chattering whether they should move back to India or not. The conversation was gradually getting heated when Ruskin banged the table with his fist and glared at his parents.  "Are you done arguing? I need to tell you both something. "Yes, go on.", said David.   Ruskin disclosed, " I'm gay."            ...

                 The pipe which was thrust into my uncle-in-law's stomach dreaded me. I tried not to look at him or more specifically the poly bag which was attached to the side of his stomach but curiosity often made my eyes flicker a bit in his direction. I saw fluid slowly travelling from the pipe into the bag. Her daughter- Priya tried her best to not let that gross feeling creep up to her face. Her younger brother- Anand was braver and also a great Chemistry teacher. He explained to her, "It's not what you are thinking. It's just the semi digested food which is not even going any further than his stomach." I had come to the rented house ,to deliver the lunchbox, where my uncle, his grown up children Priya and Anand, and his wife, Aunt Pushpa were staying for the time being while uncle was going through his chemotherapy for the treatment of Gastric Cancer.                  The dead silence in t...