My Torn Petals

Every now and then, a quiet longing surfaces in the hearts of many, especially women. A longing not just to be loved, but to be someone’s highest priority. To have a person they can trust completely, without fear, without condition. In our society, particularly in India, this emotional need often goes unseen. The pressure to be “strong,” to “adjust,” or to “be independent” has overshadowed the simple human desire for connection, softness, and mutual care. Strength is celebrated. But the real question is why must strength always be a necessity? Why can’t emotional safety and support be the norm? Too many navigate life carrying invisible emotional burdens. The social structures around them are rigid, outdated, and often dismissive of these subtle yet deep needs. What we truly need is not more resilience training; but a world where trust, care, and emotional priority are part of everyday life. A world where being soft is not seen as being weak but simply being human.

I don't remember the exact year, maybe 2009 or 2010. All I recall is the air in Uttarkashi being lighter than anywhere else, as though it carried the breath of gods. That morning, after spending a quiet night in the town, I began my first real trek to Doditaal. I had no idea I was stepping into a lifelong love story with a land I wasn’t even born into. What followed were journeys that slowly stitched together a second home for me - Gangotri, Dayara Bugyal, Harsil, Chopta... the names roll off my tongue like lullabies. At times, I hiked twice a year. I couldn’t breathe without the lush green folds of the Himalayas wrapping around me. Their tranquility became my oxygen. There is a small hamlet, Dhanaulti, near Mussoorie. I must have gone there four times or more. The visit I remember most clearly was on 15th June 2013. From Roorkee, we had gone for a casual overnight stay. But as the afternoon wore on and I looked up at the sky, something twisted inside me. The clouds weren’t just cl...