Envelope   I'm but a simple sheet of paper, folded and fashioned into a paper holder or cover for documents, money, greetings, letters, etc.  I’m usually functional and plain and not someone who would attract a lot of attention. You’ll find stacks of me in stationery stores and in your homes. I also usually live quietly in drawers, cupboards, or shelves to be picked up and used.  As I mentioned earlier, I have been created from paper and come in varying sizes and shapes. Some of my siblings are fashioned to be pretty and fancy because they carry gifts. I feel important and good about myself because I am a means of human connection. I convey both good and bad news, letters of acceptance and rejection, messages of hope, promise, disappointment, and everyday matters.  I get sealed, stamped, and sent off—I’m quite the traveller too, journeying on ships, trains, and aeroplanes across land, air, and sea. My journeys are not glamorous. I travel in bags and p...

  If Love Knocked On My Door   I imagine love not as an abstract feeling but as a living presence. What would it say to me? It comes carrying appreciation and warmth, reminding us of the goodness inside us. Here’s what I think Love would say to me:   Hey you! May I come in? Open up, it’s me, love, the emotion you humans can’t stop talking about. I’m in your song, your books, your poetry, and your films. I bring laughter, warmth, comfort, and hugs. I can see that you’re already spreading me around pretty generously. I’m so proud of you. I see myself in the patience you have with your aged parents and the care you give to your spouse and children. Your empathy and compassion is born out of your love for mankind. I’m so happy that you talk about me and encourage others to make room for me, given the amount of hate that exists in the world today. I see you encounter difficult people, and it’s really hard for you to show even an atom of me towards them, but I can see...

    It was in college as freshers that Deepa and Anjali first met.Anjali was being teased by some seniors and Deepa came to her rescue asking that Anjali be left alone.  Then they found themselves sitting next to each other in a crowded classroom. Deepa, the bolder of the two, smiled and asked, “Hi, what’s your name?”. There was no turning back. From long chats in the canteen, and even longer chats on the phone to sleepovers, shopping expeditions, and discussing movies, books and clothes Deepa and Anjali became inseparable. The years flew by. Deepa began working for a bank in another city, while Anjali secured employment in a bank in the same city.   “I’m getting married”, Deepa yelled into the phone, one day.  “That’s great,” Anjali yelled back. “Congratulations! When is the big day?” Deepa had confided in Anjali about her blossoming romance with Ashok. “It’s in two months. Mark the date on your calendar.” “I will, I will,” said Anjali excitedly. ...

  I  chanced upon a penmanship contest, the topic of which was "When was the last time that you hand-wrote a letter?" Sadly, my handwriting skills have gone unused and have rusted . The topic interested me, but with underused handwriting, what chance did I stand?  Today, I generally only handwrite cheques and grocery lists. If the grocery shopper happens to be my better half, then the grocery list is often sent through  WhatsApp. Today, receiving invitations to celebrations on social media is no surprise . There   are   many happy memories associated with handwriting and receiving handwritten letters.  As a   child ,  I wrote to my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins scattered across the country. The  schoolgirl in me practiced what I had been taught, paying great attention to punctuation, spelling, and grammar when writing.  So much thought went into the penning of the letter. Then came the actual scripting in m...