#1: Pause
Hello Reader!
I’m Adithi, a medical student and I enjoy writing, even though it’s kind of erratic currently. After subscribing to, and thoroughly appreciating how well put a few newsletters are, for instance, The Alipore Post, I’ve decided to start one of my own, just so that I have the chance to write regularly, to keep in touch with my creative side and share with you, dear Reader intriguing bits and pieces I had come across in the world wide web and in real life as well!
I feel like my life is on pause right now. I’m desperately waiting for Player One to hit play and let me resume my journey in the game that is life. But that’s the thing, this whole situation was never under my control in the first place. If you’re not familiar, 2nd year in medical school is a tiresome one and a half years long, so I feel like I’m already way behind when compared to my friends in other streams - and yes I’ve accepted and welcomed this one and a half years. But, because of the unprecedented ( I think ) rise in the Covid cases, my exams keep getting postponed - the latest announcement is that it may be in June, but who knows, it might get postponed yet again. So currently, it looks like my younger brother might finish his second year before I do - a situation, I find both hilarious and depressing at the same time.
The pandemic has disrupted everyone’s lives, depriving us of simple pleasures to completely changing the way we function in the world, and it looks like it’s not going to leave us anytime soon. It’s sad that we have to think twice before hugging a friend, visiting our grandparents and overall showing our love via the sense of touch, an extremely powerful yet subtle means of appreciation. I had recently done a brain dump ( you basically jot down everything that’s been on your mind, no qualms whatsoever ) of things I wanted to do once my exams are over. Starting this newsletter was on top of the list amongst catching up with friends, reading that one book which I’ve had my eye on for too long and cleaning my room ( which I don’t think I’ll ever get to doing! ). I thought that enough is enough and that I have certain things under my control and I’ll be better off acting on them instead of trying to change the existing situation, in vain. So, here I am!
Why Nizhal? Nizhal means shade in Tamil - my take on this is that maybe this newsletter can give you, sweet Reader, a refuge, some happiness, some shade from the big bad world out there!
This excerpt really resonated with me this week -
“Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads - at least that’s where I imagine it - there’s a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off once in a while, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you’ll live for ever in your own private library.”
— Haruki Murakami, Kafka On The Shore
Links you’ll love
Worry Lines on Instagram, which perfectly captures complex emotions through simple drawings
Ann Patchett writes on getting rid of her possessions for a reason
That’s all from me this week! If you like what you see, do subscribe and spread the word! It would be amazing to have you here every week!
Sending you socially distanced hugs,
adithi
Great job Adhu.Keep the posts coming.💌
Lovely aditi! Keep them coming. Awesome quote by Haruki ....thanks for sharing