Hi, let's give hugs.

Job Interviews! MY GOD, what a trouble. The problem's not with giving one, it's more of- networking, meeting with new company owners/HRs; but sometimes - coming across jerks. JERKS , I mean it. A while ago, I met with this person who's in a reputed position in a mildly reputed agency via LinkedIn.  I put up a -" Open to Work" post and I received a message related to an interview with this company via a Zoom call. It was in a similar field to what I was looking at, so naturally, I gave in. Initially, when the call started, it followed with my introduction, work experience, and salary expectations, and then came this question- "This role involves travel from time to time, are you comfortable with that?" to which I said "Yes" as I have traveled for work before, I was comfortable with it. Out of nowhere this man starts talking about- "You will be taking our clients out for dinner and you would be hosting them" followed by "Are you r...

Ironic, isn't it? We spend about twenty/twenty five years of our lives trying to complete our education, aim for a Master's or a PGDM, etc. only to realize that we're never to use it again when we hunt for a job. Okay, let me give you a little backstory about why I have brought this up. With all that I  have grown up learning, I have ended up working in places I'd barely known of- companies with backgrounds I'd never thought I'd be working for.  For example - Last year, I joined this Sports Agency- where I worked as a Marketing Manager who ended up loving on-field executions. I'd travelled to cities where I'd worked on-ground, making sure; along with my team, we'd rule the event out with success. As much as I'm grateful to that agency for trusting me with the roles I'd worked there - I was incredibly sad when it shut down recently.  While I'm writing this and simultaneously am looking for an opportunity that's going to let me pave the...

  ✨What my week 2 of January looked like✨ 1. Consistent workouts. I may not have worked out for all the six days this week but I did work out for five & that’s a win🤸 2. I drove. I’ve not been driving our car so much lately but this week I drove to work almost every day. And mind I tell you, all my anger towards auto walas just came to life😩 3. Dressed up to work in my favourite suit on Makar Sankrant. Didn’t eat TilGul but definitely spoke sweet things🥰 4. Just a lil office girly with her tiffin bag👽 5,6. Mended & Celebrated one of my closest people for her birthdays🤍 - SK

  My fight with my mind is constant but I’ve figured it out; ✨Focusing on myself helps me✨ If you know me, you know I love to read. This week I bought about six books and oh the joy! I love romance. I love short stories. I love a little fiction. I love magic. I love poems. Anything that helps me take my mind off of things and bring me sanity, is reading📚 For the past year I’ve started these Mandala colouring and let me tell you, I ENJOY IT. I don’t think I work for the aesthetics; (clearly if you see the video😂) but whatever color comes to my mind, I’d do it and I find it pretty- so that’s a win🧟‍♀ Journaling has been my #1 take my mind off, vent and my gratitude machine. I journal every night; sometimes throughout the day. And this year I’m journaling in my book, my journal app and an audio tape. And omg, there’s three different emotions mapped to it📝 Working out; or at-least showing up at the gym🤸 Accepting myself the way that I am irrespective of the insecurities I battle w...

For almost three years now, our family has gotten used to visiting Mahabaleshwar once, every year; to spend a little extra time than we do at home. Before I started with my new workspace here, we took a two day trip. This time, with a detour. A detour via Konkan. Actually, Mahad. From here, Kadwai, our native is about 3 hours away. We took a halt at Visava - a place we consider our “Tea Time Halt”. It’s funny how I pictured my entire family sitting on this big table, chatting about what vegetables we have to buy in sangmeshwar for the dinner we’re about to cook at night once we reach but even funnier, when the snap of - “aaj jevan karaila jauya ka ratri Bagicha madhe” hit me.  Simultaneously picturing two scenarios in my head, I forgot about reality. The reality being: I’ve not been here in the past four years since Appa. And every emotion ran through. BEAUTIFULLY.  I had forgotten how Konkan really is. How beautiful it is right now in Monsoon. How it is full of greenery and s...

“Your teenage years are the years you’ll forever cherish” HELL NO. All that I’ve learnt from my teen years is this. 1. You’re never, I mean it, NEVER ALONE. In many ways, it’s great but now that I’ve grown a little ( I feel ) too much is too much. Literally. You’re constantly surrounded with people you’ve considered friends, family, they bring out versions of yours that may silently fade away with your growing up - and that’s okay! 2. All the friends that you make in those years, will slowly start to grow apart from you and so would you, but that is okay; as long as there’s respect and love from a distance. 3. You’ll have to ask for a lot more permissions from your parents when it comes to “taking a trip”. You’re young and innocent, likely with that special someone by your side, though you can't mention their name because your parents are, understandably, suspicious.  4. You may end up doing wrong to some people out of your own irritability / insecurities but you’ll have learn...

 Few “somethings” I’ve unknowingly adapted/learnt from Baba  :  1. He’s the only empathetic person that I know. When I say, “the only” I mean it. Moments where one would expect a reaction built around anger, this man simply tends to replace it with calm; responding with an alternate of letting the situation go, building it with solutions.  2. He’s built our home. They say that the people who live in a house, a home (I AGREE) but here all the credit goes to Baba. He’s built it with immense efforts ensuring all our needs (Aai’s, my sister’s and mine) are brought together even if it meant he’s had to extend the expenditures. Without a single “NO”.  3. Along with being an empath, the power of selflessness is also something he possesses heavily. As much as I like to believe that I would want to inculcate it within me, I doubt if I will ever match his.  4. He’s one mad mad hard working man. He’s retired for about two years now but it just seems like he’s loved wo...

  January has been so sweet by far🤍 Let me take you through the 25 days that I spent with the people I love and most importantly, myself✨ 1. I celebrated three years. Three years of discovering the side I never knew I had - apart from the ounces of forgiveness I’ve given around under the granted-ness that people showed me. I celebrated it with someone who heavily plays the role of being the one to push me till here.🍰 2. My beautiful cousin got married to the man of her dreams. Growing up, I remember us, back when we were young, talking about getting married and seeing her up there, at her happiest felt amazing.💒 3. I started focusing on my workouts. Consistently, working out for atleast 5 days in a week - I had started with, but I’m doing great, feeling energetic. (Going to wish that I go for 7 day workout v soon) OH! A major win was the fact that I was able to do my release in Chakrasan, whilst ensuring I did not hurt my back or bump my back in pain.💪 4. We celebrated my siste...

 #11   You’re willing to cross mountains; or as they say, “bridges” but have you wondered what those bridges are like?  To me, they’re a compilation of trust, empathy, security, love and above all? Friendship.  Friendships are so special. You give your heart to the people who invest themselves into you, their time, conversations, who invest love; or in many cases, rather, you’re investing yourself a lot more than you’ve thought. You start to believe that one conversation with them will fix you. You believe that they’re the serotonin you need. Everything becomes a universe, a universe you build with them. You’re able to do certain things only around them; such as I, I can only dance in front of two people I’ve grown up with. You start your days, missing them so you give them a call and just let them know. Friendships to me, are so intimately beautiful.  You’re able to forgive them irrespective of the damage they may have caused to you; and you’re going to meet, a...

I yearn to be the light, Residing within every heart, Occupying every mind. The one you turn to in pain, seeking solace, The one you celebrate with in moments of joy. I aim to be the light. Though there are days when darkness engulfs me, Days when nervousness shatters my serenity. On those days, I may seek your radiance, For you to be mine. - S K

As we grow up, we do so alongside a diverse group of people, including our parents, siblings, and grandparents. The ones who often radiate the most joy are those I've saved for last in this list - our grandparents! Few of us are fortunate enough to experience our formative years with them. I count myself among the lucky ones. I had the privilege of growing up under the loving and joyful care of my Aai and Baba from both sides. The sheer delight on their faces whenever I'd dash to them every time I laid eyes on them is etched in my memory. While growing up, my mother would usually be preoccupied with household chores or work, while my father would be laboring tirelessly. This remained the norm until my sister entered the tenth grade. Aai and Baba always ensured we stayed connected with both sides of the family, the Karkares and the Pandits. Aaji and Ajoba (Mom's parents) would visit us, or we'd visit them. Appa and Ajji (Dad's parents) would come to Mumbai every 2-3/...

  I would be the one who’d run to make plans and you would be this person who would agree to the 1 out of twenty I would text you every single day to make sure that I am looking after you, and you; you would respond with extreme annoyance Either of us would be seen to crib and cry over the same boy/girl, mostly boys; we would give each other some shit for hours, later come together for comfort  I would involve you with every person that I am close to; and you wouldn’t like it because you would end up liking neither of them  The only thing that we would agree upon, would be the amount of cheese and masala to be put out in the maggie that we’d make which would feel like HOURS because I’d want the flame to be low and you, you’d just be in this rush to eat it off I would make you sit in the rickshaw, go for a ride and listen to Meherbaani on the speaker while we sing to it (sometimes with the music that we’d play, the auto driver would sing it too) Every time that we would fi...

 To you, Thank you. Knowing you was my sweetest treat. From a stranger to a best friend and later to a family, i’ve had the pleasure of being on this journey with you and I could not have asked for more. We were tight-knit, weren’t we! Remember how every other day we’d call just to check in on each other? Remember how we’d sit and have Chai together? Remember all the random laughs we’ve had? The hugs we’ve shared, the beers we’ve had, the dances we’ve done, the singing, cooking, cracking up over the music i’d play, or the drives we’d take! We just…We grew up, together. THANK YOU. Thank you for making me feel secure, for making me feel loved, looked after, for just being my best friend, for being a shoulder to lean on, for those warm hugs, for just doing things what best friends would do, what a family would do. Not going to lie, i’ve been feeling vulnerable lately. I’ve been up in my head for way too long and that’s not been great. Not been great because the reality’s struck and it...

They say that when someone leaves, you realize a lot; but what you won’t realize is what you’ve lost. Her. And she; she’s one gorgeous woman. She will only talk up for you. She’s left, Yes; but she will have your back. She will cherish your memories even when you’re not in the making anymore. She will disregard all that went wrong, and will only regard you with love. She has a lot of love in her heart. She really does. She is a mix of calm and chaos; hyped and wrecked; happy and depressed; but what she isn't about, is hate; like there’s no room for it.  You will find her be disturbed over a certain feeling people made her feel and sometimes, over sunsets too; but never about the way they made her smile, the love that she felt when she was around them. She will be the only person you’d want to run to, when you’re in your good’s; and will be the only thought you’d strike upon, when you’re really, really bad. She will come to you like a cold wave leaving you feeling internally heavy b...

  :) <3 I grew up as a tomboy. Quite literally.  I was obsessed with boy-cuts and I would hate for my hair to grow.  I was a different child. I wanted razorback cycles instead of a ladybird; I’d want to jump off of stairs and compete my neighbour to “who jumps off of the last stair” winding up hurting myself.  I was a big fan of playing football, cricket and especially, PAKDA PAKDI.  Kids in my building back then would pick on me most of the times or would just buzz me off by saying “you’re a girl, girls don’t play this” and I’d end up playing anyhow (by hitting someone in the head).  Well, safe to say, I also abused a boy for  the first time at the age of 11-12; might I add, for a very good reason. (Again, in my head) I also participated during Dahi Handi;  I climbed up crossing 2 rows filled with boys, that would be a big win and a huge slap on the bozos who’d say otherwise.  I’m a very competitive person. Now that I realise, I always ha...

One of the recent thoughts that I've come across has been this: WHAT DOES "SAFE" look like? The more I've dug my mind, I'm blown away. For anyone, safe is what being wrapped around with comfort feels like.  I've grown to know that safe has different routes. Safe is what the warmth of a hug feels like. It is when my Baba brings me, one cup of Chai with a smile of "good morning" along with it feels like. Safe is what Aai giving me a lecture at 10:30 PM in the night asking me about my whereabout feels like. It's what my friends coming and picking me up, to go for a coffee run or some juice; a simple drive only to spend time and have conversations with me, feels like. It's what my partner does to me holding my hand while crossing the road, also feels like.  It comes in all forms and routes. this safety. But lately, I've found it in the routes.  The way that the air's breezy, the sun setting down, walking on a road filled full with people,...

  If there is something that I struggle to deal with; with a heavy heart, it's grief.  You see,  It's not like I don't cry, I do. Over a pair of jeans for the way that it would fit, a cup of Chai which after many attempts, would sincerely be tasteful; I will also cry over a sunset, over the lyric of a song which might simply make my heart happy.  But when there’s a slight ache in my heart or some grief, I find myself quiet. No emotions, no feelings, no sulking whatsoever. Quiet. As if, there are tears that want to roll down but nobody to roll up to. As if, there’s someone with a cupboard running inside but somehow is unable to come out of it.  As if, there’s this indescribable pain/ anger that makes me so anxious, that to an extent I rush to find solace but I am not able to find it. You know I feel like I am not made for this and as I looked around, I wasn't the only one. Till today, I find discomfort in the way that I feel for certain someone’s/ things that bro...

A few years ago, I dreamt about meeting someone. This woman: with an aura such that it would feel as if she lit the room. It would feel as if she was there to make you feel a certain way, like you were about to experience love, and It would literally feel as if you were cared for.  This woman carried herself in a way that her confidence and the nerve collided into each other, for each other. She felt like this magnetic force that was nurtured to see life with a different set of eyes. As if, the evil had scattered through an ample of fireworks lightening up the good. As if, there was this tiny bit of human-ness in the people who committed sins. As if, there was a heart to the ones who made her believe that eternity never belonged. As if, there was a vision over your soul. She knew the answers that you seek. She knew what you’re supposed to do when you’re angry, what not to do when you’re in pain, what to do when your nerves are wrecking over something that could be big for you and w...

  You know how everyone has a plan when they grow up? Someone dreams of being an architect, a movie star, a chartered accountant, a banker, a teacher, etc.  I did not have one, I had many! If you must know me, you should know that I love kids. I love to play with them, feed them, entertain them, put them to sleep (if needed), etc. It sounds childish but there was a point in my life where I had discovered that I'd want to be a teacher. A kindergarten teacher, to be precise. Though I never pursued it, it was a back-up plan for sure. It might still be one. So, a teacher. WOW! As a kid, Baba would take us for trips. We've been to Kashmir, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Manali, Kolkata, Rajasthan, etc. Even though I remember small bits of it, I'd feel happy to be there. I would be happy to roam around, understand those places and the best part of it? Sunsets. I can bet you on this. Watching a sun set in a newer city brings you abundant peace. That's what it brought me. If you were to g...

 Ah! I have never done this here before.  The year is 2023. The date is January 2. The time as of the moment that I type this 12:23 PM. My name is Sayali, by the way. Sayali Karkare. I am a 24 year old trying to fit into a space which has been my only way to grow. Writing. I am not here to talk about people, communities, religions, politics, education...No!  I am here to talk about myself. I am here to talk about my life, my mental, physical, emotional life. I am here to talk about the experiences and learnings I have gotten over the years, here to talk about all the possible failures I have faced and am still facing. I am also here, to talk about friendships and love. A lot of love. You see, for a twenty-four year old, I may be too young to speak of all this but what if I tell you that the experiences that I have gone through are also experiences you might have had too? What if I tell you that situations which you might have faced are also the ones I have faced, only thr...