REFLECTIONS BY ANUPRIYA

Tomorrow is my Life Writings exam, and one of the books in my syllabus is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, A psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. While the book is about his life in Nazi concentration camps and his ideas about finding meaning, what I’m about to share here is not what Frankl said, but my own thoughts after reading it. From my perspective, many people who choose to end their lives ....they do so because they can’t see any purpose ahead. I believe that the best way to fight that feeling is to stick to one clear aim something you truly want to succeed in. That aim becomes your reminder to keep going, even when you’re bored, tired, or hopeless. I’ve noticed that when you keep yourself busy with meaningful work, you don’t have as much space for your mind to wander back to painful past memories. Empty time can be dangerous and it can pull you into overthinking, sadness, and, in some cases, thoughts of suicide. But here’s my personal belief: taking your own life is n...

Today, I wore a jasmine flower, and it was truly beautiful. I didn’t even feel the need to use perfume because the jasmine flower itself gave off such a pleasant fragrance and a calming feeling. While some people might get a headache from the scent, for me, it’s more like an emotion, something special and comforting. Jasmine flowers also hold a special place in Tamil culture, and wearing them feels like connecting with that tradition. When I wore the jasmine, I experienced a sweet, girly feeling that I really enjoyed. Wearing jasmine doesn’t mean someone is very traditional or old-fashioned. It’s just that many people like it, and I recently started loving this flower, especially wearing it in my hair. It makes me feel happy and connected.

Today I want to share something special, a sweet dish I made all by myself. It turned out so tasty that when I gave it to my family, they said, “Wow! This is amazing!” It’s not the first sweet I’ve ever made, but this time it came out just right. I’ve tried many sweet recipes before, sometimes they tasted sweet enough, but the texture or consistency wasn’t perfect. This time, I really tried my best, and it worked! I’m not a perfect cook, but I love sweets. I enjoy baking and making different desserts, and this one made me so happy. Getting appreciation from my family felt even sweeter than the dish itself. What I really want to say is this: never think you can’t do something. If you truly love it, and you work hard at it, you’ll get better every time. Passion and practice make a big difference even in cooking! So if you love cooking, keep trying. One day, you’ll surprise yourself with something amazing.

Every now and then, I get these sudden sweet cravings. They're not exactly frequent, maybe once a week or sometimes just once a month. But when they hit, they hit hard. A couple of days ago, it happened again. I was seriously craving something sweet. You know that kind of craving where nothing else will do? Yeah, that. But strangely enough, I couldn’t get my hands on any sweets that day. No chocolate, no dessert, nothing. I just had to let the craving pass unmet, which was kind of disappointing. But then, the very next day, like magic one of my classmates showed up with sweets! Totally unexpected, completely unplanned. And of course, I had some. It honestly made my day. Not just because I finally got to satisfy that sweet craving, but because of how randomly perfect the timing was. I didn’t even say anything to anyone about it. Sometimes, it’s the little surprises that make a regular day feel a little bit magical.

Today, my professor gave every student a rose. Each and every one of us received one. I took the rose, looked at it, admired it, and held it in my hands. It made me feel happy. A kind of quiet happiness. I really liked that moment. Then I placed the rose in my notebook, trying to preserve it. I wanted to keep it safe, maybe as a memory of that day. It had been a long time since someone gave me a rose. That small gesture made me feel really good inside. The whole day went well after that. I felt happy in my heart just looking at the rose.

Today, after coming back from college, I opened an old file that I hadn’t looked at in a long time. As I flipped through the pages, I found a drawing I had made around six years ago. The moment I saw it, so many memories rushed back to me. That time of my life was so peaceful. There were no worries, no stress, no pressure, just pure fun and happiness. I used to spend joyful days with friends and family, laughing, learning, and enjoying every single moment. Life was simple, and our hearts were lighter. Seeing that drawing made me realize how sweet those memories are. Even after all these years, I can still feel the happiness from those days. It’s amazing how a small thing like an old drawing can take you back in time. This made me think deeply. We should really enjoy every moment of our lives. We can't go back to school, sit in the same classroom, or relive those days. Life gives us only one chance, one set of moments, and it moves forward, never backward. So we must liv...