Cough has a character like we humans do. Don’t worry. Just try to understand it. I was pleasantly surprised and couldn’t help but smile with a painful throat, exhausted, sleepless mind, and drained body when I heard this sentence from an ENT specialist in Mahabub Nagar District, Hyderabad.

“Yes, tell me. . . . okay. Hmmmm. . . okay. Anything else? Okay. Alright.” (phone disconnected or a sign to leave office/place of sitting) Can you think of a few names that mostly use such plain, flat, mechanical, and cold words, whether in a phone call or an in-person conversation?

I hail from a small village in Gujarat and was allowed to pursue further studies as a meritorious female student. Thanks to my parents, who stood up for me against challenging odds in the family and village. I was among a handful of girls in my village to get that opportunity over the years.

Ups and downs, rise and fall, pick and pit, highest and lowest, whatever you name, are life’s inevitable parts. We all face hurdles, tests, and moments of trials and doubt in life. It’s natural to stumble and fall, pause and go invisible, but what truly matters is our ability to bounce back.

“I had to pay money to laugh.” I was taken aback when these words were spoken by one of my students in class with a plain face and distressed mind. I start my class with an ice-breaking ‘How are you?’ question.