My winning entry at the Inspired Memories Contest

Breaking with tradition

Diwali is a celebration of good over evil, darkness over light and knowledge over ignorance. In India, Diwali surrounds us with excitement, extravagant shopping, fire crackers, exchanging gifts, feasting on lavish meals, wearing new clothes, buying jewelry and lighting up homes and neighborhoods with oil lamps. Streets are transformed into a whole new world, bustling with life, glittering with dazzling light bulbs, the air oozing with cheer, laughter and the spirit of festivity. A long stretch of holidays at work and school makes it possible for everyone to meet and greet loved ones living far away and spend quality time with those near and dear. Celebrations begin early in the day and last for days after the festival is over, leaving precious memories to linger in our minds. After moving to the United States in 2015, my definition of Diwali changed drastically. Though I followed all the traditions as I had in my home country, the feeling was never the same. The five-day festival that

The two of US

The month of March is dedicated to my late grandmother. Just like March brings everything to life, she would add beauty and grace to everything around her. It is also her birthday month. Here’s a piece that brings back memories of my relationship with her. It’s the two of US There are times when I think she is me and I am her, Two peas in a pod, Two friends on a picnic, Two granddaughters playing board games, Two daughters on a stroll, Two mothers in prayer, Two artists soaked in inspiration, Two singers hitting the same notes in the song, Two minds with brilliant ideas, Two hearts overflowing with love, Two writers with unfinished novels, Two cooks with the same secrets in our recipes, Two creative souls with the same amazing genes, It’s true, I am HER and she is ME!

Welcome 2021

A shimmer of light is crawling in, giving us hope to break free from the darkness that has engulfed us in different ways, since the start of the pandemic. This was a year when illness, unexpected death and hate raised their ugly heads, shocking me beyond belief. The year 2020 is finally reaching its end. 2021 is gently tiptoeing into our lives, carrying the promise for better things. I have been struggling for the best words to describe this hugely challenging year. I recently learned about a carinaria shell through Anthony Doerr’s book, All the Light we cannot see. A carinaria shell is simultaneously light and heavy, hard, and soft, smooth, and rough. This is exactly how this year has made me feel. I feel like I have turned into a carinaria shell: heavy with pandemic fatigue and yet, wearing a light smile, thinking about the possibility of the bringing in newness, I feel rough around the edges and still soft enough to soak in the goodness that brightens my days. It has not be

Writersmind.Surabhi

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