34 Comments

One of your best. :) Loved every bit of it. Bookmarking it for repeat readings.

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If *you* are saying so, I will take your word for it! Thank you for reading all my posts 🌸

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Enjoyed reading it. Thank you!

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Thank you!! 💜

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I have always wondered why winters are so gloomy, they aren’t, they just go slow.

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Haha, well said.

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Lovely piece, Ila! All the lines you’ve quoted, and the context you’ve quoted them in, so wonderful to read.

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Thank you Karthik! Happy to hear that 🌼

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Thank you for sharing your wisdom :-)

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Thank you for the kind words 🙏🏼

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Thanks for this reflective, insightful and deeply personal piece

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Thank you for the kind words, Natasha 🌸

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Every line resonated with my thoughts, and I was nodding along throughout the article. Great piece.

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Thank you so much! Glad to hear the piece resonated so deeply with you 🌸

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Your words are like wintering, soothing, necessary and real. At times it felt like I was reading my own writing. Winters, single women, the ache of loneliness - you write with the authenticity of lived experiences and maturity for one so young. Must read you more. Hope you find whatever it is you're seeking.

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Thank you so much, Renuka! Touched to know that the writing resonated with you 🌸

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Finally made time to read this, and only wish I hadn't delayed it this long. I resonate to every line regarding loneliness as I read this on my way to work in the metro. I know I will eventually move back to India very soon and I look forward to that moment with utmost optimism.

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Thanks Bhaskar 💜 Hope you find what you're looking for.

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Very nice

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Thank you 🙏

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Also inspiring to look at the vulnerabilities,sadness..but not get anxious about them but to accept them and see the best way to live with them

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Indeed! No point mulling over what you can't control. Just got to focus on what you can and do your best 🌸

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Such a nice and heartwarming read. Loved excerpts as well.

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Thank you 🙏🏼

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My birthday falls in mid-january. So i

don't start going running from 1st January itself. I usually take those first two weeks to contemplate and make my lists on habits to change and efforts i need to put in towards my personal growth. But yes, i do feel an added pressure to do something different because of the coincidence of both these calendar events. This year, i joined Yoga classes from February 1st :)

Thank you for writing this. It made me reflect on 'wintering'. Apart from the cold season, there are other phases when we curl up and contemplate. We could do it on Sundays/holidays/festivals, during low physical/mental health phases and sometimes on birthdays. And we all went through a collective winter during the pandemic.

Even if it's not comforting, it is necessary and it is natural. It will help to accept this season when it comes and bring out the warm clothes.

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Amen to that 😊

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I spent many years of my childhood in Chennai. No wintering there! But when I moved to Bangalore to work, I used to put a mattress next to my room in the terrace to catch some sun. This post brings back some nice memories and reminds me that to recharge is also part of living.

Great article!

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Very true! And thank you 😊

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Loved every word of it. The line - "I often think about the fine line between solitude and loneliness." Lovely. The fine line between enjoying one's own company and awaiting rescue. As they say, One breath at a time. :)

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"The fine line between enjoying one's own company and awaiting rescue." 😊 Absolutely! Thanks for reading, as always 🌸

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I opened this to read about your travels in winters.

I read the post. Talking of ‘why single’ or ‘why sitting in dark let us switch on lights’ kind of uncle things most people suffer in India, I remember listening to a song where someone equated finding their soulmate to a nomad who has found a house. I still cannot make sense of that. Most times, nomads are moving because they are moving. They do not need home. Such forced normative BS doesn’t leave those who have a partner either. Tyranny of Indian uncle aunties is just..

Anyway, I opened this to read about your travels. I am humming ‘you know what’ as I write this and am glad you allowed us readers to travel with you. I love that you quoted a book which was the first book in my first ever wishlist @ amazon and am still to read it.

I opened this post to read about your travels. I loved it.

Thank you.

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❤️ ❤️

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