Sidewalks

Category: Books

  • Book Review: Mother Mary Comes to Me

    Book Review: Mother Mary Comes to Me

    This is my first book by Arundhati Roy… and I have to say, I was speechless. I remember staying up late into the night devouring it, falling completely in love – not all at once, but slowly and surely.

    The book both begins and ends with her mother’s death at the age of 89, bringing the memoir full circle. In between, Roy tells the story of how she became the writer, activist, and woman she is shaped partly by circumstance, but largely by her complex and often dreadful relationship with her mother.

    Now, let’s talk about Mary Roy. An icon.

    After being thrown out of her family home, she arrived in Kottayam and began her own school in a space that once hosted Rotary Club meetings. She transformed that humble beginning into a thriving, respected institution.

    Despite her domineering presence, I found myself admiring and deeply respecting Mary Roy for being the trailblazer during the time women were expected to be accept things their fate in silence. No complaints or demands.

    She was an intimidating feminist and an inspiring educator who transformed countless lives of people in Kerala. How you ask? When forcefully evicted from her own father’s house, she took matters in her own hands and challenged the law in the supreme court. She won. As a result, Syrian Christian women were granted equal inheritance rights under the Indian Succession Act of 1925. That victory alone cements her legacy.

    But now, let’s talk about Mary Roy — the mother.

    We are conditioned to believe that mothers are warm, safe havens. This book bluntly dismantles that stereotype. Roy refers to her not as “mother,” but as “Mrs. Roy.” That choice alone reveals the emotional distance between them.

    As the memoir progresses, we see Roy intentionally build both physical and emotional distance from her mother’s overpowering presence. The separation feels necessary even inevitable.

    Before reading this book, I wasn’t fully aware of Roy’s political activism, and I found myself deeply impressed by her fearlessness and her willingness to call a spade a spade. There is a raw honesty in this memoir that took me by surprise. Despite the delicate and deeply personal subject matter, Roy tells her mother’s story without nastiness or bitterness. There is no finger-pointing, no victim narrative but neither is there any varnishing of facts. keeps Her tone is mostly neutral, focusing not on complaining or whining about her lot in life but on the life lessons gained from being her mother’s daughter.

    I remember telling a friend while reading this that there is a remarkable level of stoicism and maturity in the way this book handles the subject of toxic parenting.

    I also felt profound empathy for Mary Roy. Her marriage to an alcoholic “nothing man” as she refers her ex husband, her admission that she had not wanted children, and the immense pressures she faced, the book does not excuse her shortcomings, but it gives us a context as to why she was an emotionally unavailable mother. It offers a sobering portrayal of what forced motherhood can look like. We cannot expect softness and warmth from someone living a life they never chose.

    The memoir spans Roy’s entire life. From her childhood in Ooty with her mother and brother, to the dizzying heights of being catapulted to global fame with The God of Small Things, to the humiliations of being shamed in court and serving a one-day prison sentence for simply speaking her mind.

    The writing is lush and immersive. At times, I felt as though I were right beside her — a little girl in Ooty, and later, a woman saying her final goodbye to her mother.

    So buckle up. This memoir will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and it will linger with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

    Rating: 5/5.

    xo

    Yachna

    P.S. 9 timeless lessons from The Little Prince, and what’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read?

  • Book Review: The Palace Of Illusions

    Book Review: The Palace Of Illusions

    Hi! What are you reading these days?


    I recently finished The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, and I was instantly hooked. This reimagining of the Mahabharata, told through Draupadi’s voice, is a powerful, intimate exploration of what it means to be a woman born into a world ruled by men.

    In today’s post we take a deep dive into this remarkable story about a woman born into a man’s world. I’m also experimenting with a new way of writing book reviews in a Q&A format. Think of it as a conversation with the book rather than a traditional critique.

    I’d love to know what you think of this style as you read along.

    General Impressions

    What drew you to Palace of Illusions in the first place?
    Every time I visit India, I find myself drawn to Indian literature because I refuse to see everything from a Western point of view. I picked this book up from a roadside stall, and as soon as I read the little summary on the back, I knew I wanted to read it, especially when I saw it was written from Panchali’s point of view. No questions asked. For those of you who don’t know, The Palace of Illusions is a feminist retelling of the Mahabharata told in Draupadi’s voice.

    How did you feel right after finishing the book?
    Honestly? I was really sad and a bit gloomy while reading the last few pages. Of course, I knew in advance how it would end, but I still couldn’t help feeling heartbroken for pretty much all the characters.

    What one word would you use to describe the overall reading experience?
    If I had to sum it up in one word: sublime.

    Story & Themes

    What part of Draupadi’s story resonated with you the most?
    Since the very first page, I was hooked. From the moment Panchaali was born into her father’s home and reluctantly accepted because she was a girl. I loved how even as a young girl she had such strong, confident opinions and stood up for herself, especially during the time when women were not allowed to have a voice and were basically treated as property.

    For instance: I related to her childhood dream of having her own palace, a place that reflected her inner world. Quoting her from the book:

    “When I had my own palace, I promised myself, it would be totally different. I closed my eyes and imagined a riot of color and sound, birds singing in mango and custard apple orchards, butterflies flitting among jasmines, and in the midst of it—but I could imagine yet the shape that my future home would take. Would it be elegant as crystal? Solidly precious, like a jewel-studded goblet? Delicate and intricate, like gold filigree? I only knew that it would mirror my deepest being, there I would finally be at home.”

    Can you imagine being that young and already knowing exactly what you want in life? I found that so inspiring and oh so relatable.

    Her bond with her brother Dhri was one of the many things that stayed with me. He was her trusted friend in an otherwise lonely palace. I felt her ache when she was denied an education because it wasn’t “princess vibes.” Her rebellion burned quietly but powerfully in every page.

    “King Drupad had balked at the thought of me studying with my brother. A girl being taught what a boy was supposed to learn? Such a thing never been heard of in the royal family…Even Dhai Ma, my accomplice in so many other areas of my life, regarded the lessons with misgiving. She explained that they were making me too hardheaded and argumentative, too manlike in my speech.”

    Reading this, I could feel her frustration. It made me think of how many women across time and even today are denied education. Their curiosity and brilliance are treated as the biggest threat to society.

    And then, of course, her marriage to the five brothers. Honestly? I was furious. She loved one, but was forced to marry all five. She had no say in the most important decision of her life. She was consistently throughout the book treated as property, no different from cattle or a pawn in a political game. And the infamous Cheerharan scene? Despite having five husbands, not one stood up for her honor. I kept asking myself: what gave them the right to pawn her off in a gambling match? Her rage became my rage. And, I understood why vengeance consumed her.

    What softened this for me was her friendship with Krishna. He was her only true mentor, confidant, and friend. Their bond felt timeless and healing. As she said:

    “When I thought myself abandoned, he was busy supporting me—but so subtly that I often didn’t notice. He loved me even when I behaved in a most unlovable manner. And his love was totally different from every other in my life. Unlike them, it didn’t expect me to behave in a certain way. It didn’t change into displeasure or anger or even hatred if I didn’t comply. It healed me.”

    This quote has since become one of my favourite quotes ever because isn’t this what love is supposed to be?

    Did this retelling change how you see the Mahabharata or its characters?
    In all honesty, I’ve never read or watched the Mahabharata fully, so my knowledge was pretty basic going in. But one thing I found odd was Panchaali’s longing for Karna. Knowing his role in the Cheerharan in real life, it felt strange that the book romanticized that connection knowing that he was one of the perpetrators . It left me a bit conflicted.

    What themes stood out to you—love, destiny, power, feminism, longing, war?
    The theme of destiny really hit me. If everything is pre-written, as the book suggests, are we just vessels carrying out fate? Are we puppets with no say? I’ve always believed destiny is an excuse people use when they give up. I believe in making things happen despite the odds. But in the book, everything unfolded as predicted, making me question just how much power we really have.

    The other theme that stayed with me was war. I’ve always believed war is never a sane answer. The Pandavas “won,” but at what cost? Duryodhan’s last words to Yudhisthir were haunting:

    “I’m going to heaven to enjoy all its pleasures with my friends. You’ll rule a kingdom peopled with widows and orphans and wake each morning to the grief of loss. Who’s the real winner, then, and who the loser?”

    This is the most devastating I’ve read about real implications of war. No winners. Just broken homes, hearts, and families.  

    Character Reflections

    How did you feel about Draupadi’s voice as a narrator?
    Her voice was fresh, confident, and bold. A woman who knows what she wants. Looking at the world  through her eyes felt relatable especially as a woman. When her teacher declared that a woman’s highest purpose was to support men, she fired back: “And who decided that a woman’s highest purpose was to support men?” That line gave me goosebumps. As a modern woman, I could relate so much to her defiance and loneliness in holding views that didn’t match the world around her. Even though the story is set in an ancient time, Panchaali’s voice felt modern and timeless.

    Were there moments when you admired her, felt frustrated with her, or deeply related to her?
    Absolutely. I admired her grace in accepting situations forced upon her, even when she had no say. Like being married to five men or being humiliated in court. I understood her pent up rage when her palace and dignity were gambled away without her consent as if it didn’t matter. I admired her strength, but I also felt her frustration deeply.

    Favorite Quotes

    Throughout the book, I highlighted so many lines that spoke to me. Sharing just a few of my favourite ones:

    • “Wait for a man to avenge your honor, and you’ll wait forever.”
    • “Your childhood hunger is the one that never leaves you. No matter how famous or powerful they became, my husbands would always long to be cherished…”
    • “Love comes like lightning, and disappears the same way.”
    • “A situation in itself is neither happy nor unhappy. It’s only your response to it that causes your sorrow.”
    • “I thought that if lokas existed at all, good women would surely go to one where men were not allowed so that they could be finally free of male demands.”
    • “His love was totally different from every other love in my life…It healed me.”
    • “To see a loved one in pain is more wrenching than to bear that pain yourself.”
    • “What is the most wondrous thing on earth? Each day countless humans enter the Temple of Death, yet the ones left behind continue to live as though they were immortal.”

    Each of these quotes stopped me in my tracks, making me reflect on life, love, and resilience.

    Final Thoughts

    I would highly recommend this book to everyone especially my women, since this is a feminist retelling of the Mahabharata from Panchali’s perspective in a patriarchal society. The book flows beautifully, and I found myself not wanting to put it down once I picked it up. I was so eager to finish, and while reading, I often found myself discussing it with a friend who knows the Mahabharata deeply. He would tell me intriguing stories, which only made me more curious, enchanted, and eager to learn more. This book has actually inspired me to read the original text and even watch the televised series.

    Have you read The Palace of Illusions? What did you think of Draupadi’s story? Or do you have another retelling of the Mahabharata to recommend? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

    xx

    Yachna

  • 10 Timeless Words From Books, Leaders, & Beyond

    10 Timeless Words From Books, Leaders, & Beyond

     

    How are you today? I was watching In The Bag with Emma Watson, and during the interview, she said something so wonderful and brilliant that it stuck with me. It inspired me to share it with you and other wise words from wise people. Here are 14 of my favourite quotes for whenever I need a dose of wisdom, and I’d love to hear yours too!

     

    “Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be. Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.” ― Cheryl Strayed

     

    “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” ―Maya Angelou

     

    “When I’ve really been in love with someone, it’s not because they looked a certain way or liked a certain TV show or a certain cuisine. It’s more because when I watched a certain TV show or ate a certain cuisine with them, it was the most fun thing ever.” ― Aziz Ansari

     

    “Girls, if a boy says something that isn’t funny, you don’t have to laugh.” ―Amy Poehler

     

    “I tell people this a lot – go to the gym, and just sit there, and read a magazine, and then go home. And do this every day. Go to the gym, don’t even work out. Just GO. Because the habit of going to the gym is more important than the workout. Because it doesn’t matter what you do. You can have fun — but as long as you’re having fun, you continue to do it.” ―Terry Crews

     

    “Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.” ― Viktor E. Frankl

     

    “You’re beautiful, but you’re empty…One couldn’t die for you. Of course, an ordinary passerby would think my rose looked just like you. But my rose, all on her own, is more important than all of you together, since she’s the one I’ve watered. Since she’s the one I put under glass, since she’s the one I sheltered behind the screen. Since she’s the one for whom I killed the caterpillars. Since she’s the one I listened to when she complained, or when she boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing at all. Since she’s my rose.” ―Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

     

    “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” ―Carrie Fisher

     

    “No is a complete sentence.” ―Elizabeth Olsen 

     

    “In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted short cuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try to live so that our death brings no pleasure to the world.”
    ― East of Eden

     

    “Sometimes you just have to put on lip gloss and pretend to be psyched.” ―Mindy Kaling

     

    “You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.” ― Brene Brown

     

    “You can’t always be in the reaping stage or harvest stage of life. Life has seasons.” ―Emma Watson

     

    ………………………………………………..

     

    xx

    Yachna

     

    P.S.

    Timeless wisdom from The Little Prince  &  What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read? 

     

     

     

     

     

  • A Page Turning Book to Get Lost in

    A Page Turning Book to Get Lost in

     

     

    What books have you read lately? Anything good?

     

    Here’s a book that I devoured  in less than a week-



     

     

    Reading this book felt like stepping into someone’s extremely fascinating life. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put the book down. I devoured every word, staying up until 5 am for three nights in a row just to find out what happens next.

    It was not the writing as much as the story that captured my heart.

    Evelyn Hugo’s character was so brilliantly portrayed that I believed she was a real-life person. The book was so immersive that I felt I was with her, experiencing everything firsthand.

    When I finished the book, I was so invested in Evelyn’s story that I had to Google her to find out if she was a real person.

    What I really appreciated about it was how it shed light on what was happening behind the scenes in Old Hollywood. Instead of glorifying it all, the movie touched on some of the less glamorous aspects of the industry.

    For instance, it showed how actresses like Evelyn were forced to hide their true ethnicity and how many of them resorted to extreme measures like cabbage soup diets and smoking cigarettes to maintain their slim figures. It was eye-opening and made me appreciate the book even more.

    It taught me so much more about homosexuality during that particular period, the experience of being in an abusive relationship, and the different forms of love that one can have.

    After reading this book, I realized that love comes in many different forms, although to the outside world, it can seem very black and white. Every loving relationship is different and doesn’t need to fit into a certain category. Rather, it should be celebrated for its uniqueness. I thought it was such a friendly reminder that we should embrace and celebrate all forms of love and relationships.

    As much as I tried to slow down my reading to extend the experience, I couldn’t resist turning the pages. In fact, it was the only book I’ve ever read that made me forget I was even reading!

     

    What are you reading these days? Please share below…

     

    xo,

    Yachna

     

    P.S.

    What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read?  & our first book club book <3

     

    Image Credit- Pinterest 

     

  • 9 Timeless Lessons From The Little Prince

    9 Timeless Lessons From The Little Prince

     

    Hello Readers,

    What have you been reading lately? I just devoured The Little Prince, and it has left me devastated. It has certainly left a profound impact on me. On the surface, it may seem like a children’s book, but the Little Prince’s messages of friendship, compassion and love continue to move hearts. Here are nine timeless life lessons from this enchanting story, as told through quotes.

    1. Our lives are measured in love, not numbers

    Grown-ups are very fond of numbers.

    When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask you the kind of questions that should be asked, such as: “What kind of voice does he have?” “What are his favourite games?” “Does he collect butterflies?” Instead, they ask: “How old is he? How much money does his father earn?” They really do imagine this is the best way to discover what sort of person he is!’

    “If you were to say to the grown−ups: “I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof,” they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You would have to say to them: “I saw a house that cost $20,000.” Then they would exclaim: “Oh, what a pretty house that is!”

    2. Don’t judge others by their words but by what they do

    “[My rose]She cast her fragrance and her radiance over me. I ought never to have run away from her… I ought to have guessed all the affection that lay behind her poor little stratagems. Flowers are so inconsistent! But I was too young to know how to love her…”

    3. Dare to have a mind of your own

    “Who are you?” said the little prince.
    “Who are you-Who are you-Who are you?” answered the echo. “Be my friends. I am all alone,” he said.

    “I am all alone — all alone — all alone,” answered the echo.

    “What a queer planet!” he thought. “It is altogether dry, and altogether pointed, and altogether harsh and forbidding. And the people have no imagination. They repeat whatever one says to them . . . On my planet I had a flower; she always was the first to speak . . .”

    4. Relationships make life worth living

    ‘”What exactly does ‘tamed’ mean?”

    “It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.”

    “To establish ties?”

    “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…”

     

    5. Money can’t buy love or friendship

    “Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends anymore.”

    6.  It is time you give to something that makes it precious

    “You are beautiful, but you are empty,” he went on. “One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you—the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars… because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.”

    “No one has tamed you and you haven’t tamed anyone. You’re the way my fox was. He was just a fox like a hundred thousand others. But I’ve made him my friend, and now he’s the only fox in the world.”

    7. The essential things in life you cannot see with your eyes

    As the little prince dropped off to sleep, I took him in my arms and set out walking…I felt deeply moved…it seemed to me that I was carrying a very fragile treasure. It seemed to me, even, that there was nothing more fragile on all the Earth. In the moonlight, I looked at his pale forehead, his closed eyes, his locks of hair that trembled in the wind, and I said to myself: “What I see here is nothing but a shell. What is most important is invisible to the eye.”

    8. The greater the effort, the sweeter the reward

    “I raised the bucket to his lips. He drank, his eyes closed. It was as sweet as some special festival treat. This water was indeed a different thing…Its sweetness was born under the stars, the song of the pulley, the effort of my arms. It was good for the heart, like a present.”

    9. Always finally, always remember to look up at the stars

    “All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For travellers, the stars are guides. For others, they are no more than little lights in the sky. For scholars, they are problems… But all these stars are silent…In one of the stars, I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night…You, only you, will have stars that can laugh!”

    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

     

    Have you read The Little Prince? I’d love to know 🙂

     

     

     

     

  • The Book Club Review

    The Book Club Review


     

     

    Yesterday was my first book club meeting ever!!

     Our book is, A Gentleman in Moscow, and I am excited to discuss it with you. 

    What would you do if you, at 30 years old age you were sentenced to house arrest?

     At the beginning of the book, we find the main character, Count Alexander Rostov, sentenced to house arrest in a grand luxurious hotel, the Metropol. 

    Even though we just read up until the first 100 pages of the book, I have loved this book so far. The Count feels like a real person as we accompany him in an epoch of his life’s journey.

    He is irresistibly charming and effortlessly cool. He instantly pulls you into his classy and sophisticated mind and world. 

     If there’s a word to describe the feeling of the book until now, it’s nostalgia. Nostalgic to feel romance, not between lovers. But, the romance of life and ideas.  

    We discussed how sentimental we felt as we observed the time passing in The Count’s life as he became a witness in his own life. It’s heartbreaking to see The Count’s life unfold. At only 30, everything in his life is already in the past tense. 

    Lastly, we discussed quotes from the book that moved, inspired, and enlightened us—sharing some of these quotes with you too. Here goes-

    “Adversity presents itself in many forms; and that if a master his man does not master his circumstances, then he’s bound to be mastered by them.”

    “…Imagining what might happen if one’s circumstances were different was the only sure route to madness.”

    ” The count took pride in wearing a well-tailored jacket; but he took greater pride in knowing that a gentleman’s presence was best announced by his bearing, his remarks, and his manners.”

    “…Perhaps a mirror will suddenly serve its truer purpose-revealing to a man not who he imagines himself to be, but who he has become.”

    “A slouching posture tends to suggest a certain laziness of character, as well as a lack of interest in others. Whereas an upright posture can confirm a sense of self-possession and a quality of engagement.” 

    “A sad but unavoidable fact of life…that as we age our social circles grow smaller. Whether from increased habit or diminished vigor, we suddenly find ourselves in the company of just a few familiar faces.”

     

    Have you read it? Or would you like to? We are discussing it next Saturday (a week from now). Please comment below if you’re on board! We’d love to have you. 

     

    xo

    Yachna


  • 15 of The Best Quotes From Our Favourite Books

    15 of The Best Quotes From Our Favourite Books

     

    Hello Readers,

    Today, Aug. 9, 2022, is National Book Lovers Day. This unofficial holiday is observed to inspire book lovers to celebrate reading and literature. Today, as any other day, you are advised to put away your cell phones and every possible distraction and pick up a book to read. Here’s a list of books we are reading this year.

    In honour of National Book Lovers Day, here are the 15 best quotes from the most hauntingly beautiful books we’ve read-

     

    “That same night, I wrote my first short story. It took me thirty minutes. It was a dark little tale about a man who found a magic cup and learned that if he wept into the cup, his tears turned into pearls. But even though he had always been poor, he was a happy man and rarely shed a tear. So he found ways to make himself sad so that his tears could make him rich. As the pearls piled up, so did his greed grow. The story ended with the man sitting on a mountain of pearls, knife in hand, weeping helplessly into the cup with his beloved wife’s slain body in his arms.”

    ― Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

     

     “Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”

    ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

     

    When you compare the sorrows of real life to the pleasures of the imaginary one, you will never want to live again, only to dream forever.”

    ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

     

     “I hate this life of the fashionable world, always ordered, measured, ruled, like our music-paper. What I have always wished for, desired, and coveted, is the life of an artist, free and independent, relying only on my own resources, and accountable only to myself.”

    ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo

     

     “. . .sometimes one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that?” “Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as he wishes to think we are.”

    ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind

     

    “Remember me, even if it’s only in a corner and secretly. Don’t let me go.”

    ― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind

     

    “I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be and feel alone.”

    ― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

     

    “Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”

    ― Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

     

    “So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

    ― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie

     

    “Then you must teach my daughter this same lesson. How to lose your innocence but not your hope. How to laugh forever.”

    — Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club

     

    “‎I know you’re still young but I want you to understand and learn this now. Marriage can wait, education cannot.”

    – Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns

     

    “You can be lonely even when you are loved by many people, since you are still not anybody’s one and only.”

    ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

     

    “If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.”

    ― Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale

     

    “Even though I’m often in a mess, inside me there’s still a calm, pure harmony and music. In the poorest little house, in the filthiest corner, I see paintings or drawings. And my mind turns in that direction as if with an irresistible urge.”

    ― Vincent Willen van Gogh

     

    “Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and being alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You have to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes too near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could.”

    ― Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

     

    Comment below if you have a favourite quote you turn to — whether it’s from a book, a famous person or someone in your life? <3

     

    P.S.

    What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read?

     

    (Featured Image From Pinterest)



  • A Spiritual Poem About Loving What You Do

    A Spiritual Poem About Loving What You Do

     

    Hello Readers,

    I hope you are all doing well.

    As you may have noticed, I haven’t been posting regularly on the blog.  This is mainly because I have just started a new project that I cannot wait to share with you all very soon.

    Also- does anyone read The Prophet by Khalil Gibran? This book is absolutely amazing, and I am very inspired by it, especially this spiritual poetic essay that I am sharing with you today-

    Here goes-

    Then a ploughman said, Speak to us of Work.

    And he answered, saying:

    “You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

    For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

    When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.

    Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

    Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

    But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when the dream was born, and in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life, and to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.

    But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

    You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary. And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge, and all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

    And all knowledge is vain save when there is work, and all work is empty save when there is love;

    And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

    And what is it to work with love?

    It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

    It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

    It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

    It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit, and to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

    Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, “He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

    And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet.”

    But I say, not in sleep but in the over wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;

    And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

    Work is love made visible.

    And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.

    For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.

    And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

    And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.”

     

    Thank you so much for reading. Have an amazing, wonderful and magical day/ night everyone!

     

    xx

    Yachna

     

    P.S.

    If not now then when. 

     

    (Exquisite Artwork by Haylee Morice)



  • 9 Captivating Books We Are Reading This Year

    9 Captivating Books We Are Reading This Year

    Hello Readers,

    What books are you currently reading?

    Here’s a list of 9 captivating books that we are reading this year, in case you are looking for some book recommendations-

    1. Forgotten Women: The Writers

    2. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

    3. Men Without Women

    4. Vincent Van Gogh: A Life in Letters

    5. Autobiography of a Yogi

    6. The Essence of Alan Watts

    7. Rumi: The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing

    8. Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book For Everyone and No One

    9. Anne of Green Gables

    Have you read any of these before? Do you have any recommendations? I’d love to know in the comments below.

    xx

    Yachna

    What’s the most beautiful thing you have ever read?

  • What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You’ve Ever Read?

    What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You’ve Ever Read?

    “What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever read?” I ask because…

    Earlier this week, when I sat down to research what to write next for my blog, my mind was running a blank. I felt lazy, uninspired and out of sync with myself. Every night after dinner, I would get under my covers, reading the saved quotes from my favourite movies and books. I stayed up late at night, rereading them while they brought me comfort and joy. You could say, like a warm blanket on a chilly day. 

    At that moment, I decided I would compile these beautiful quotes as this week’s blog post for you in hopes that you find comfort in them, just like I did. 

    “For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”
    ― Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

    “Maybe… you’ll fall in love with me all over again.”
    “Hell,” I said, “I love you enough now. What do you want to do? Ruin me?”
    “Yes. I want to ruin you.”
    “Good,” I said. “That’s what I want too.”
    — Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell To Arms

    “She wasn’t doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.”
    —J. D. Salinger, A Girl I Knew

    “Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”
    ― Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

    “Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
    “Pooh!” he whispered.
    “Yes, Piglet?”
    “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.”
    ― A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

    “If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart.. I’ll always be with you.”

    “I wonder what Piglet is doing,” thought Pooh.
    “I wish I were there to be doing it, too.”
    ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

    “He kisses—how do I explain it? Like someone in love. Like he has nothing to lose. Like someone who has just learned a foreign language and can use only the present tense and only the second person. Only now, only you.”
    ― Andrew Sean Greer, Less

    My mother did not choose a leaf or a head. She chose my father. And to hold on to a certain feeling, she sacrificed the world.”
    ― Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

    “If he loved with all the powers, he couldn’t love as much in eighty years as I could in a day.”
    ― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

    “I think, quite frankly, that the world simply does not care for the complicated girls, the ones who seem too dark, too deep, too vibrant, too opinionated, the ones who are so intriguing that new men fall in love with them every day, at every meal where there’s a waiter, in every taxi and on every train they board, in any instance where someone can get to know them just a little bit, just enough to get completely gone. But most men, in the end, don’t quite have the stomach for that much person.”

    ― Elizabeth Wurtzel, Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women

    “I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don’t want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing out loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down. And I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift.” 

    — Shauna Niequist,  Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life

    What about you? If you have a minute, I would love to hear your favourite line from a book or a movie.

    P.S.

    A beautiful love story.

    xx

    Yachna

    (Image from the Instagram of wanderlustface).