Hey there,

I know how terrible it feels to be a part of this world right now. On one side, there’s nature creating havoc while on the other there’s in-numerous instances of human cruelty. If you happen to reside in India, you have been in this situation for a long time now. Every time you pick up a newspaper or a news app, there are more bad news. It feels like nothing would get better. Ever! It’s too crippling- the feeling of sympathy, the empathetic tears, the sorrowful helplessness. Every day it pains at the same spot. Your heart cries but your mind hurts. What’s the purpose of life anyway? But then you remember all the battles you have been fighting within yourself. Isn’t it worth it to choose yourself in this moment, for those who love you and support you? Certainly it is. And then one day, just like that, you refuse to be a part of this world. You build your own world- on a metaphorical island where you have setup a humongous filter to leave out the negativity. But is this euphoria ephemeral?

Probably yes. Until some people you know, you love, you worship and follow raise a war cry. #BlackLivesMatter, #StudentLivesMatter, #MuslimLivesMatter, #Don’tRape, #NotAllMen #HelpMigrantsReachHome- the social media lives from hashtags to hashtags. And by saying this I am in no manner degrading their genuine efforts. I feel so proud of the younger generation who are really woke to the current issues, are aware of their own privileges and have the courage to speak up. A number of times, it also makes me jealous and angry because I feel I am not doing enough. And then there are people, near you, dear to you, who tell you one of these:

• N reasons to support their cause followed by a debate challenge
• You are privileged that you have a choice to be silent
• You are siding with the Nazis by not speaking up
• You should be ashamed because you are not aware

At that moment, my friend, do not feel dejected and jump into a spiral of self pity and self loathe. Don’t hate those people for being insensitive to you. They are on their path to the battlefield and they just want to ensure they have enough soldiers. You simply have a different war to fight and remember, #EachLifeMatters. You may not be participating in the debate, protesting on the streets but hey, good thoughts count too. You know I owe my sense of empathy to all the literature I read growing up as a kid. And as a writer or blogger, if I can do the same for the next generation, I would be the happiest. You would never know the power of empathy unless you practice one. So just be kind and have courage. To end it up with some wise words borrowed from Lucille Ball, “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”

Have a blessed life full of self love.

Yours truly,

A friend sailing in the same boat