The thought balcony

  The Illusion of Certainty Sometimes, all it takes is a single word to make you pause. A few days ago, I heard the term situationship . I had a rough idea of what it meant, but the more I thought about it, the less interested I became in the word itself. Instead, I found myself wondering what it says about the way we approach relationships today. Not just the younger generation. All of us. Perhaps a situationship is not simply the absence of commitment. Perhaps it is a reflection of something deeper. A fear of making the wrong choice. A hope that if we analyse enough, question enough, and understand enough, we might somehow protect ourselves from getting hurt. It sounds sensible. After all, shouldn’t we know the person we are choosing? Shouldn’t we recognise red flags, understand emotional needs, and make thoughtful decisions? Of course we should. But somewhere along the way, I wonder if we have quietly crossed a line. We no longer just get to know people. We evaluate t...

  The Teacher Who Planted Forests Schools have a beautiful kind of chaos before an event. There are teachers checking the programme schedule one last time, students carrying props from one corner of the campus to another, clubs putting the final touches to their displays, and someone always looking for something that seems to have disappeared at the last minute. It is a kind of chaos that only schools understand. Somehow, despite everything, it all comes together. Yesterday was one such morning. It was the 72nd Raising Day of our school, and every corner of the campus was alive. One group of students was preparing for the tree plantation drive. Another was getting ready for the cake-cutting ceremony. Different clubs were busy with their own responsibilities. There was excitement in the air, but there was also the familiar rush that accompanies every school event. The Reading Club had its own little challenge. Our banner had not arrived. For a moment, we wondered what to do. B...