Lily

“I have a body too young and a mind full of years. Everything in me has witnessed its own ending. I have lived through nightmares and perished in blissful dreams. What all that’s left— eats me from within but still melts me from without, and that is where my humility takes birth.”
― Akif Kichloo

“People often compare
depression to drowning.

That is not even close.

Consider sitting in a dark room
scared and confused—
Choking on something you
know nothing about,
For reasons you cannot comprehend.

That is depression.

When you are drowning,
you can still flail your arms,
call for help, and try your best
to keep afloat.

In depression, you do nothing.
Absolutely nothing.”
― Akif Kichloo

“They came and they left.
You cried, but you stood your ground.
You stayed tethered to hope as well as
committed to dignified dreams
and little victories of day-to-day life.

You felt different.
Then you started to change.
Your smile returned with reticence
before completely taking over your face.

Today, you are no longer afraid to let that smile be there,
and now you understand it was not about them.
It was never about anyone else.
This was about you from the day you were born.
This was about you learning to love yourself—
not letting the inferiority of the external corrupt
the piety of the internal.

This was your personal revolution.
This was the uprising of your lifetime.

And you won.”
― Akif Kichloo, The Feeling May Remain

“I don't know if you know, but sometimes, hearts have to love in pieces too.”
― Akif Kichloo, The Feeling May Remain