i always keep a stash of snacks hidden in my closet like a squirrel preparing for winter, but not for the reasons you think. it’s not about hunger; it's about the shame of having to say no to another outing because i can’t afford it. and the awkward moment when someone asks me to go out, and i can see the confusion in their eyes when i say i’m busy. busy being broke, while everyone thinks i’m livi...
last night, i saw a clip about the Ramadan relief package. honestly, it reminded me of how easy it is to feel guilty enjoying a meal while others struggle. it's like my stomach is happy, but my mind won't stop thinking about those extra servings that could help someone else. i miss sharing those pre-iftar snack runs with friends who now seem like ghosts after their weddings. yaad aata hai woh chao...
it's 2am and i'm lying awake, feeling like a fraud. at every family gathering, i get interrogated about my "bright future." meanwhile, my cousins are getting accolades, starting families, living their dreams. i smiled while my sibling took the heat for that stupid thing i did last summer. i couldn't bear the weight of disappointment. sometimes, i think letting them take the fall was easier than standing up for myself.
it's 2am and i'm lying awake, feeling like a fraud. at every family gathering, i get interrogated about my "bright future." meanwhile, my cousins are getting accolades, starting families, living their dreams. i smiled while my sibling took the heat for that stupid thing i did last summer. i couldn't bear the weight of disappointment. sometimes, i think letting them take the fall was easier than standing up for myself.
it's not that i need a fancy new hobby... it's just that i keep pretending my 2 AM thoughts of wandering into a pottery class will fix my life, while secretly eating instant ramen for dinner because groceries? that’s just a luxury i can’t afford right now. my friends think i’ve got my life together because i throw together curated playlists but deep down? i'm drowning in bills that nobody sees, be...