NRI, what is the cost?

Every now and then a video appears where someone returns from abroad to surprise their family. The scene is always the same. A mother bursts into tears, a father tries to hold back emotion, a wife runs forward in disbelief. These moments are celebrated as joy and shared online as if they capture the essence of love. This is particularly visible in Kerala where migration has become part of everyday life.

Behind these emotional reunions lies a truth that is less comfortable. For such a surprise to move people to tears there must have been years of separation. The videos may capture a few minutes of joy but it cannot show the long absence that created it. The daily silence in homes, the empty seat at family events, the distance between partners, or the fading connection between friends is never part of the video.

Migration is often justified as a pursuit of financial stability. Families accept it as a sacrifice, believing that money will make up for what is lost. But wealth does not accompany parents in their old age. It does not replace the time a couple spends apart. It does not bring back the years missed with children or the companionship of friends. The cost is not just separation but the gradual erosion of relationships that once defined life. Time once lost does not return, no matter how much wealth is gathered.

What is rarely questioned is the pride associated with this choice. Those who leave are celebrated as successful while those who choose to stay are often seen as lacking ambition. The truth may be the opposite because staying requires a different kind of courage. It means choosing presence over prosperity and valuing moments over wealth.

Just one question to all the NRI's out there

Whether this pursuit of wealth abroad is worth the years of absence it demands? 

The Blog That Writes Me

When I began writing I thought of blogs as pages filled with my thoughts. I believed I was the one in control by deciding what to say and how to say it. Yet as I look back at the long trail of blogs, I begin to wonder if it was never just me shaping them. Perhaps the blogs have been shaping me all along.

Each time I wrote I put a part of myself on paper and each time I finished a part of it remained within me. Some blogs made me face truths I had avoided, while others forced me to question what I thought I already knew. Slowly without realizing I began to live with those questions even outside the page.

There were days when I struggled to find a topic, but the act of searching itself opened doors I would not have noticed. A casual observation became a thought then the thought became a paragraph and the paragraphs turned into a blog. By the end of writing I would find myself not the same as when I started. 

And after two hundred blogs, I realize that these are not just records of what I thought at a certain time. They are teachers. They have taught me patience when I struggled to finish, honesty when I was tempted to soften the truth and courage when I feared how my words might be taken. 

If I had not written I would have been someone else. Writing has not simply been a habit. It has shaped my identity, as much as my choices and my journeys do. I thought I was writing to preserve my voice but in truth, the voice I have today was carved by the very act of writing.

So the question is no longer about what I have written. The real question is what writing has written into me.

Soothravakyam Review

Soothravakyam released under the direction of Eugune Jos. The film stars Shine Tom Chacko in the lead along with Deepak parambol, Divya Nair, Vincy and co. The film promised a different take on a crime investigation drama and came with the usual Malayalam authenticity.

The plot is indeed different but it could not hold its grip for long. Till the interval the pace is slow but not boring. After the break it picks up and finally settles with an emotion towards the end. The plot line is not that interesting. There is not much of an investigation happening except for a few moments. The crime is in plain sight. While it brings a bit of suspense the depth is missing.

The acting holds the film together. A few extra characters were poorly cast and acted lousy. But the core cast delivers strongly. Shine Tom Chacko especially takes on a different sort of role in his career. A serious fun type that works well. The supporting cast supports where needed.

On the technical side the cinematography is good just like in other Malayalam films. It has the natural look and authenticity. Costumes, lighting and locations stay grounded and real. But a core scene is missing. An important moment is never shown and only told later. That hurts the impact. The screenplay is the weak link. Certain characters are poorly written. A few scenes happen without explanation. The writing loses grip in crucial places.

The music and background scores are a major strength. The bgms brings intensity to the film. They were well done. The songs also conveyed story in parts. Using songs as a storytelling tool is a smart move and it worked here.

So what makes Soothravaakyam a decent watch and not a great one is its genre. It is yet another usual crime investigation, but loses grip here and there. Not much of the investigation is shown. Most of the film moves through dialogues rather than scenes.

Overall it is a decent watch.

Rating: 6/10⭐️

Between Correction and Compassion

Life often puts us in situations where there is no clear right or wrong answer. There are choices that lean towards fairness and justice while others lean towards kindness and compassion. Both paths have their own burden and neither is easy to ignore.

Take a simple example. You sit in a restaurant and the dish placed before you has too much salt. If you let the chef know, it gives them a chance to correct it and improve the dish for future customers. Feedbacks when shared politely can sound less like criticism and more like a suggestion that helps. Yet you might also choose to quietly finish the meal without saying a word because you do not want the chef to feel embarrassed. Both choices can be defended and both has a sense of good intention.

The same conflict plays out in daily life. When a friend, a colleague or a family member makes a mistake, telling them directly might prevent the same error from happening again. Imagine your mother serves you food and it does not taste the way it usually does. Do you mention it and risk hurting her feelings even though she has cooked with care or do you quietly eat it so that her effort remains appreciated?. Silence spares feelings and avoids an awkward moment, while speaking up shows honesty yet risks being taken as harshness.

The heart of the dilemma is that both honesty and kindness claim moral ground. Neither action is wrong, but the value of each depends on the moment in which it happens. What feels right in one situation may feel unkind in another. This is why the struggle never truly ends. Choosing fairness can sometimes come at the cost of warmth. Choosing kindness can sometimes come at the cost of truth. Each decision forces us to see what matters more in that moment, is it the chance to correct or the chance to comfort.

There is no final rule that fits every situation. The choice rests with the one who faces it and the meaning of right changes with intention and circumstance. Which brings us back to the question that : if faced with this choice, which one would you choose?

Heart That Forgives

Disagreements are part of life in every household. Even the closest relationships encounter moments of tension over small matters. Yet some bonds remain firm. The next morning mom places breakfast on the table as if yesterday never existed. In the evening dad brings snack, a small gesture that says more than words ever could. Past quarrels disappear and love appears again as if nothing had happened.

In the world outside home one may not find this patience. Minor inconveniences or misunderstandings can end connections. Even the slightest difficulty prompts people to move away from one another. Emotions are scrutinized and the errors from past are used to justify the distance. 

On the other hand parents follow a different path. Disputes do not change their approach. They do not withhold care or expect an apology. They move through conflict with patience and offers warmth again without hesitation. This shows a fundamental truth about human bonds. While many interactions depend on give and take. They do not rely on apologies or the passage of time. Ordinary gestures like offering food or a thoughtful word, holds meaning.

In a reality where minor inconveniences or misunderstandings can end connections, this 

love is remarkable. And yet despite its simplicity

it remains almost mysterious. How can this love manifest so fully without reason?

Lets Save Fur Babies

Lets save fur babies because kids today hardly get enough outdoor adventure. What is a trip to school if not being chased by a pack of strays at seven in the morning. Add in the bonus of injections and trauma, and childhood suddenly looks so exciting.

Lets save fur babies because riders on two wheelers need challenges. Straight Smooth (Indian) roads are too boring. A dog sleeping in the middle of the highway or sprinting across the road is the perfect obstacle course. Some even get to skid into hospitals. Truly the perfect way to do a practical crash test.

Lets save fur babies because food/product delivery guys have it way too easy. Balancing ten orders on a bike through traffic is child’s play. But imagine the thrill of a barking stray lunging at you when you are already late. Customers may curse for cold food, but hey at least the Fur baby had a good time.

Lets save fur babies because people walking at night should not feel safe. Because seriously what is democracy. Empty streets should only mean silence and calm. But with stray dogs, a simple walk home feels like a thriller. Adrenaline pumps, heart races and every shadow looks like trouble. Night walks turn into horror shows, all thanks to fur babies.

Lets save fur babies because travelers deserve souvenirs. Pictures and memories are not enough. A bite mark or scar on the leg is more permanent. Forget magnets and keychains. Stray dogs give you token of love that never fade.

Lets save fur babies because hygiene is overrated. Streets without dog feces would look too dull. Sidewalks decorated with feces add character to the neighborhood. Fleas and ticks wandering around are nature’s reminder that sharing is caring. Who wants sterile clean surroundings when fur babies can enrich the environment.

Lets save fur babies because grandparents love company too. After all what is a peaceful evening walk to the corner shop without the thrill of escorts. The shaky legs need a bit of cardio and nothing builds bone strength like dodging dog bites. Why settle for peace of mind when survival instincts can keep them young.

Lets save fur babies because garbage bins are too neat. Leftovers should be scattered around for that AESTHETIC city look. Plastic bags flying, bones tossed across the road and dogs tearing apart waste shows us what urban life truly is.

Lets save fur babies because life without constant fear is bland. Who wants children cycling peacefully, workers reaching home safely or tourists enjoying the city calmly. 

Because Peace is boring and Chaos is culture.