In mid-march I escaped the bitter cold of Toronto with a 4-month old K. Having a baby in the middle of a pandemic without a support network was a challenge. We were glad to get back to India and bask in the warmth of family and well, actual summer. In all this, keeping up a newsletter fell sideways.

In the past I would have chided myself for yet again letting life come in the way of another hobby. On not being consistent with whatever I am attempting to do. Hurling stones at myself. But, not this time. If being around a baby teaches you one thing, be kind to everyone. Starting with yourself.

This leap took me years to understand. So now, we pick ourselves up, take a deep breath, smile and start walking. Until we tumble again. Which we will. And, that's ok.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

In the multiverse, there exists a version of you that is happy. Happy, what does that entail? In Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh's Everlyn starts to realize this when her least successful multiverse version becomes the center of a multiverse battle. A battle between hope and despair.

This movie was a treat. A beacon. Goofy, silly, and heartbreaking. A giant everything bagel.

If you haven't watched it yet. I deplore you to watch it.

Watering the plants just right

As of today, we are at the stage of political discourse about abortion and choice where it has come down to parsing the meaning of words. Smart people, on the same side, fighting with each other about the minutiae of words. Because, everything else seems to be out of control and pointless. Because, without even that amount of control it becomes hard to move forward. But, I am sick of armchair activism. Sick of hearing people shout into the twitter void. Tired of having been that person myself.

It's not enough anymore.

Saying the right thing at the right time. Signalling the right thing at the right time. Shouting until one feels better. Being righteously angry. It's not enough.

This war, is happening in the shadows. Decades in the making. Brewed in red hot fires of hatred, with a dash a focused commitment to a cause.

While the Left sits and fights about the words one should use. Pushes kids and families because they don't fit the boxes they decided for them. Pushes away allies because, hey, you can't have anything to contribute here now could you. You have nothing to learn.

This is the other side. To face them, empty hatred and pointless bickering with each other isn't going to cut it. Going out and voting isn't going to cut it.

We have to educate, build community, and commit.

We have to learn to water the plants just right.