It’s just one hour. That’s what I told myself. My kid moved to 1st standard. School timing changed. Which means… I have to wake up earlier now. Just one hour. Shouldn’t be a big deal. But it is. Nights feel different now. Earlier, I had a rhythm. Work would end. I’d get some time to unwind. Sleep would come naturally. Now, there’s a quiet pressure sitting in the background. A clock that starts ticking even before I go to bed. I lie down. And instead of relaxing, I start cal

It started with something small. A minor accident. Nothing serious. But enough for my wife to be completely out of action for a few weeks. And suddenly, everything shifted. Responsibility fell on me. The kids. The house. The routines we never think about. All of it—on me. At first, I told myself: “It’s fine. I’ll manage.” And practically, I did. Meals were handled. School runs happened. Things got done. But internally… something else was happening. I was getting irritated. I

The other day, I noticed something strange. I was brushing my teeth. And I was rushing. There was nowhere to go. Nothing urgent was waiting. Still, I was doing it quickly—like I needed to finish it. That’s when it hit me. I don’t rush because I have to. I rush because I’m used to it. It’s become automatic. Walking fast. Eating fast. Thinking fast. Even relaxing… fast. As if every moment is just something to get through. But get through to what? The next thing? And then the ne