18 Comments
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Sana Ally's avatar

Extra love for using Eric Carle’s art! This essay made me pause and think. A lot. It also made me so uncomfortable. I found myself taking stock of the feelings each of your words evoked in me. Some stung, some resonated so deep it hurt, some made me smile. A good way to figure what’s to be figured. I love that your essays in this season make room for some compassionate inquiry for self. Thank you Raju Tai! Our tai for a reason :)

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you once again, Sana. 💖💖

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Shalini Puri's avatar

Raju another thought provoking, searing essay. You have brought to the fore a critical realization. It is not our gender that binds us but our collective trauma. When our energy drains, our role play ends. So much to reflect upon.

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Shreya's avatar

"It is not our gender that binds us but our collective trauma."

Thank you for saying this Shalini. Going to be journaling about it.

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a moving towards's avatar

"My heart breaks when I see us trade our authenticity for attachment". this is super powerful... Uff thank you Raju:>

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you Gurpreet. 💖💖

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Disha Tandon's avatar

This essay sums up what I have felt for long, but never got to put in words. Your words have done the job so well.

My experiences with friendship - with men or women - has been like a bumpy trip. I rarely keep my thoughts - positive, negative, everything in between - to myself. Not sure if it is a good or a bad trait, but I have realized that the ones that survive the negative exchange, survive almost forever.

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Binu Sivan's avatar

Good one Raju! A topic that we really need to talk honestly about. So much to think about in this one. Aging has helped me clear out a lot of this but reading this, I realise there is more work to be done.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Binu. It has been so good to know that age brings a lot of clarity. And for the rest, we keep writing and reading with each other. 💖

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Alaknanda Sengupta's avatar

You always put new thoughts into my head. And then I realize they have always been there, only no one has written about them before!😊💗💗👏

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Raju Tai's avatar

Beautiful, thank you, that is so amazing to hear! 💖

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All of J's's avatar

Absolutely loved this. This perspective on friendship is so new to me, but yet somehow I resonate with it!

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Jaya. 💖

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Shreya's avatar

"It is not our gender that binds us but our collective trauma." - Shalini says it so eloquently, elevating the sheer brilliance and potency of this essay! I am going to be thinking about this until Saturday🥰

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you, Shreya. 💖

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Monalisa's avatar

Your words are truly amazing! Every time I read your work, I get transported to those corners of my heart where unspoken words have lingered for years. Thank you so much tai for these epiphanies.

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Raju Tai's avatar

Thank you. Words like yours fuel me to keep going. 💖

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Shruthi MS's avatar

Yay to the sisterhood and female friendships 💃🏽💃🏽

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