Ekta | wisdomekta

Believe. Be Different. Journey on unknown paths. Courage. Acceptance. In the days of social-media-wok-ism when everyone (including myself) seems to be in a rigorous search for self, peace, purpose and meaning in life, this re-read of “The Witch of Portobello” by Paulo Coelho gave a fresh insight on spirituality, love, life and hope.  Coelho's books offer an incredible journey not only into the plot of his story but also into the self-discovery of his reader. The Witch of Portobello is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, aka Sherine, who, at the onset of the novel, has been brutally murdered. The rest of the book is filled with transcripts of interviews with different people in her life- her mother, her ex-husband, a lover journalist, an actress who despised her, her teacher, and others- who claim to know her well—or hardly at all presenting the complex and differing views of “who Athena is” through the eyes of all the characters. As I read this book, I though...

To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, was gentle advice from a fellow (in fact… senior ) reader who, after going through my blog post “book review- Siblings without Rivalry” dated 15.04.2023, suggested an “odd” book for “unconventional” parenting tips. The book was already on my to-read list, and I instantly grabbed it. The decision and the suggestion to read this book were fruitful. This 1960-released book was a refreshing treat to my mind and heart as it deals with critical issues most humbly. The plot and characters are loosely based on Harper Lee's observations of her family, her neighbours and an event near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1936, when she was ten. The protagonist is Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an intelligent and curious though uncustomary girl who ages from six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a prominent...

  Changes are part of life. Being part of transferable jobs, relocation between places is typical. I have trained myself to prepare for these sudden, unexpected, and unwelcome changes, but whatever the mindset, the changes are self-draining. It may sound easy, but relocation is a challenging thing to do. On the one hand, it is emotionally, physically, and financially draining, but on the other hand, it might provide a fresh perspective towards the “ boring ” life. This blog post is the mini-version-saga of the latest relocation my family and I underwent. I just got transferred to the new location. A location that is quite a contrast to the life I have been living for the past 13 years, and the change is overwhelming. The quest of being “lost and found” is most potent and simultaneously appealing.  Somebody once told me that transfers are an opportunity to reset and revise the current lifestyle. It is a chance to put all planning mode ideas into action. For me, the previous tr...