The Fear Behind the First Book People often assume that the hardest part of writing a book is finding something to say. I have discovered that the harder part is deciding where to stop. For years, I have been writing blogs. Most of them begin the same way: a thought catches my attention, a question lingers in my mind, or an observation refuses to leave me alone. I sit with it, examine it from different angles, and eventually write about it. A blog is manageable. It asks for one idea at a time. A book asks for all of them. And that is where the struggle begins. When I started writing Spectator’s Seat , I thought I was simply bringing together years of observations. I imagined the process would be like collecting pieces scattered across a table and arranging them into a meaningful picture. What I did not anticipate was that every piece would change the moment I picked it up again. Every time I revisit a chapter, I discover a different angle hidden within the same thought. ...
When Parenthood Becomes a Choice For generations, parenthood was treated much like the changing of seasons. Children grew up, married, built homes, and eventually became parents themselves. The cycle felt so natural that few people stopped to question it. Recently, I met a couple who had consciously decided not to have children. The decision was not born out of circumstance. It was not a temporary arrangement. It was a choice they had made together after careful thought. As they spoke, I listened with interest. But long after the conversation ended, I found myself returning to it. Not because I disagreed with them. Not because I wanted to change their minds. But because I realised I could not imagine my own life without my children. Motherhood has shaped me in ways I could never have anticipated. My children have tested my patience, rearranged my priorities, and taught me lessons that no book or classroom ever could. They have brought joy, worry, pride, frustration, and a...