LOL: Life Of Leo

Image Source When you do not have the time to rest is the time you need it the most. This couldn't be more true. Last weekend, all my hustle caught up to me and I fell terribly ill. Fever, cold, body ache, stress and what not! Apart from my chronic migraine, my health has always stood by me. This is exactly why I can work at ungodly hours and stay busy throughout the day. Until a few years ago, this was something I took a lot of pride in. Not anymore. I've finally understood that work is just a part of my life and not my entire life.

Image Source How do you both pass time? What do guys talk about? Looks like you guys are forever in the honeymoon stage *wink* *wink*. Especially since you don't have kids. I've lost count of the number of times my partner and I have been asked this. If there one thing that has kept my partner and me going from day one, are our conversations. For me, as much as love, trust and respect is important in a relationship, more vital than that would be the power of conversation. If you cannot talk to your partner or have to think twice before talking to them, then I'm sorry and I say this with utmost sincerity, you need to reevaluate your relationship. Conversations should not be limited to just work, domesticity and/or children. There is so much more in the world to talk about and so much more to being partners and not just a husband, wife, father or a mother.

Image Source Triggers are really funny. As much as you try to suppress or look past them, they pop up like scalding hot toast, leaving a burn or two in its wake. If there is a word associated with me, since childhood, or since I can remember, it is 'Brat'. Everyone I knew called me a brat. Family, relatives, friends, teachers and strangers. Of course each one used their own version of the word. I asked too many questions and was rebellious, they said. It will not bode well for me, they said. I'll end up alone and broke, they said. I'll never be successful with this attitude, they said. While they continue to say this, I'm unapologetically living my best life with a successful career and the love of my life by my side. I thought this no longer triggered me. When Collin's dictionary announced their word of the year as 'Brat', all my layers of defense came crashing down. I was faced with all those questions again, but this time I had an answer.

Image Source There’s something undeniably beautiful about the open skies; how they seem to stretch forever, inviting us to explore far-off lands. But for those of us living with aerophobia, that beauty comes wrapped in layers of fear. I love traveling, the idea of it, the thrill of new cultures, but the fear of flying can turn that excitement into dread. Every time I buckle into my seat, I feel a sense of vulnerability, a complete surrender of control. I’ve often wondered, how can something so exhilarating also feel so terrifying?

Image Source  The dawn awakens with a soft embrace A chance to breathe, to see the sky Though shadows linger from the night before The light is ours, we just must try

Image Source My longest relationship ever, has been with coffee. I honestly do not remember the first time I started having coffee. I remember making cups of coffee every two hours during my late night studies as a student, so I definitely was hooked to caffeine at an early age. No complains though. Coffee has been a constant for me in every phase of my life. While I prefer a deep, dark brew now, earlier I used to consume instant coffee with hot milk and no sugar. The BRU coffee containers that are used to store groceries at my parents' house is testament to the amount of coffee I consumed while staying there.

Photo Credit I'm just back from a two week holiday to Europe and am currently basking in monotony. It is almost funny, how a month ago I couldn't wait to get away from this routine. My partner and I usually get travel fatigue towards the end of every long vacation and we cannot wait to get back to the comfort of our daily tasks. That's the contradictory thing about a set routine. As claustrophobic as it feels at times, it also is immensely comforting. I'm sure I'm not the first one to seek comfort in familiarity and I definitely shall not be the last.

Image Source In the quiet hum of a late morning breeze Where sunlight dances on dewy grass Life unfolds at its own pace A simple joy that none surpass

I started reading when I was about eight years old. Officially, that marks three decades of me as a reader. Reading is something that has stayed with me since I began to make sense of things and a large part of the person that I am today, I owe it to reading. Of late, work has taken over my life and I'm not left with much time for reading. Still, I manage to sneak in a page here and there. Of course I miss those days and nights when I could just sit/lie and read for hours, but as long as I'm reading even if it just a page or two, I'm fine. For me, books and reading possess an incredible healing power that transcends the mere act of consuming words on a page. They offer an escape from reality, providing a refuge where I can temporarily set aside my worries and immerse myself in different worlds, experiences, and perspectives. This act of escapism can be particularly therapeutic during times of stress, anxiety, or grief, allowing me to gain a sense of solace and peace. Anxiet...