Fiction. Poetry. Lifestyle.
In one of my classes, we were taught about Buddhist sand mandalas. Monks would spend weeks creating beautiful murals out of sand, only to wipe them away upon completion. Apparently, this is done to illustrate the notion of impermanence. Nothing is permanent but that does not erase the beauty of what once existed.
Without a doubt, 2020 has been one of the weirdest years that we, as a planet, have ever encountered. A huge number of great books have come out this year, and there have been some which truly transported me away from everything that’s been going on. Here are my top five reads of 2020 (plus an honorary mention) and five books to look forward to in 2021!
On 22nd April 1519, after long months of travelling through oceans, a halt in Cuba and several tempests, we finally catch the sight of land. I can exit this wretched boat and step on the ground. The ten other caravels reach us one by one.
Strong
is the word I use
to describe myself.
I have gone through
obstacles,
balanced over pits of lava,
while people stood on the sidelines and watched.
They say, having a disability ‘builds character’ which is true (to an extent), I had grown confidence. Recently, I am hyper-aware of my disability. It is as if I have only begun using a wheelchair and I am adjusting to this new wheelchair-bound life. It is as if this human-surveillance world is something new to me…
The sun is beating down in Oaxaca. In this American-like crisscrossed city, each building has a specific color, there is not a single black or grey or white property. Streets are like rainbows, a place where rain and sun mix up to bring out the most beautiful. These concrete rainbows are just as ephemeral since frequent earthquakes destroy the city’s life. However, buildings have always surfaced stronger and prettier, like a tiny three-leaf plant growing through ruins.
The trees were coated in white, reminding me of the forests seen in Narnia, and the pathways crunched with each step. Our Christmas was a humble one. Between us, we had made a spectacularly simple meal. It was modest and delicious, and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything in the world because it was something we had created together.
With everything going on, it can feel hard to know what to do – we all want to support independent businesses, but with companies like Amazon surrounding us, it can feel hard to know how. Luckily for you, I’ve compiled the ultimate guide to supporting your local bookshops this Christmas…
Sleeping? But the night is long! Now, let’s think about one of those moments from last month…
Just cos I ain’t settled for a life of hustling,bustling on the scrounge -‘I’m a lucky sod.’Felt the skin of a four-leaf clover,or the itch ….