2025

2025 was a sobering year. It taught me, more than ever, that very little is truly within my control. The only thing I can influence is how I show up—keeping my humility, my humanity, and my humor intact for whatever remains.

On Humility

I have always maintained that life has been kinder to me than I ever imagined it would be. Not a day goes by where I don’t marvel at the life I have: a loving family, a dream job, a beautiful home and more. When I look closer, I realize I am a lucky recipient of good fortune. I could have just as randomly and easily been born into a different family, a war-torn country, or a persecuted minority and living a nightmare instead of a dream. Also, even good fortune can turn into fate in a single stroke. What I "possess" is not entirely of my own doing so it is not something to feel entitled to or smug about. It is a gift held in trust and humility.

On Humanity

Because I know how fragile my own "good luck" is, I want to move through the world with a deeper sense of humanity. It’s the simple, golden rule: What would I want to receive if the tables were turned? It sounds easy, but when life gets in the way, it’s the hardest thing to remember. I’ve found that whenever I start to lose perspective or forget my privilege, the universe has a way of grounding me.

On Humor

Often I keep coming back to Rabindranath Tagore’s words: সত্যেরে লও সহজে (accept the truth with simplicity) from his poem বোঝাপড়া that has become my North Star. Crude translation of one verse ...

Not all were made to your size

Nor were you made to fit all,

Some push you to the edge

While you get some to play ball-

But why must there be

So much of stress and aching?

If you reach for it the right way

Bliss is there for the taking.

The dawn’s light still feels sweet

The sky still stays as blue

When death comes, suddenly it strikes

That Life is the better of the two.

For whom the tears flowed

And without whom nothing seemed right

Now it seems even without

The world glows no less bright.

Tell thyself today,

Whether the truth be stormy or breezy

Let it on your mind sit easy.

I’m striving for that simplicity and humor. I want to be the person who doesn't default to offense, who assumes the best intentions, and who can still find a reason to laugh when things go sideways. The underlying truth is really not complex unless we make it so...

|| The Hard Truth ||

2025 tested my resilience multiple times. It brought near death misadventures, health scares, family crises, the deep ache of losing a family member, and repeated trauma from these. Every time I thought I had just weathered one storm successfully, another wave struck, knocking down my confidence. It showed me that no amount of resilience is "enough" if fate is set against you and it reminded me that when everything else is falling apart, my humility, my humanity and my humor could still be strong anchors ⚓.

Pura Vida, 2026. Let's try this again.