Ishaa

“I don’t think people are capable of understanding the people they love. This may come across as somewhat cynical because we’re frequently told about the healing power of empathy. But we often forget that empathy is a rare commodity. People are innately self-serving, especially when it comes to love. It is impossible for them to love every facet of our being; they only love those elements that serve their own narrow interests. The parts they neglect are invariably what they choose not to understand. Unfortunately, they develop a myopic view of our identity based on their own perceptions of us.
Ideally, love isn’t about extracting what we can from others. Instead, it requires people to give each other the space to blossom into full-fledged individuals. In a South Asian context, we allow love to become where people are stripped of their individualities.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Grief is something I live with everyday. It has its own language and I’ve learnt to speak it. Memories of my mother are no longer “sacred territory”. I can now answer questions about her without any emotion. I suppose we grow accustomed to the aches we must carry for life.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“In an earlier note, you mentioned I was your superior when it comes to grief. I find it difficult to accept that a hierarchy exists in these matters. All of us are mourning some loss. How can anyone claim ownership over grief when it is a collective burden to bear?”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“She learned that no matter how hard you try, sometimes it’s not enough. She learned the only person you could trust, the only person you could truly rely on, was yourself.”
― Ashley Elston, First Lie Wins