Coffee And Karma

When a family decides to accept a girl from another culture, it cannot expect it to adopt everything from boy's culture. That would be nothing less than a love jihad - an expectation of a "conversion".  Two cultures coming together is a beautiful moment. It's a fusion that will be born out of that union. Two cultures will bring practices and make new rituals. That's how hybrid variations of culture are born. That's how acceptance and tolerance find it's space. That's how our beliefs evolve, and we humans evolve. 

Festivals exist to bring people closer. They're not about "me time"; they're built around rituals and traditions that remind us to connect. Every festival has its own unique cadence and expression. Navratri is celebrated twice a year, Diwali once, and Mother’s and Father’s Day annually. We still look forward to them and celebrate in whatever way we can. We don’t wait for a day or moment when we “naturally” feel like celebrating Diwali. Regardless of our mood or circumstances, we show up on the date Diwali is. And every year Diwali may feel different depending on the phase of life.  So why does the concept of weekly or daily rituals with loved ones feels like an imposed corporate meeting? Why scheduling a Sunday date with husband, or a Saturday walk with dad, or a daily 5 mins check in with sibling feels "unnatural" ? Why clearing out resentments and counting gratitude before bedtime with your spouse feels like an agenda of a meeting? Sometimes we need struct