Life’s Curry: Stirred with Humor, Spiced with Hope

They say, “Life is what you make it.” I say, life is a curry. Spicy, messy, occasionally sweet, and somehow always better the next day—after you’ve slept on your regrets.

I don’t live by one quote. I live by the feeling of quotes. The breeze of an “it’s okay” when things crumble. The whisper of “this too shall pass” when I stub my toe (emotionally or literally). And the occasional scream of “Why me?!” followed by, “Oh right, because I volunteered to adult.”

If you peek into my mental journal, you’ll find post-it notes that say things like:

“Positivity is a choice. But so is caffeine, and I rely on both.”

“Help others—not because karma keeps score, but because the world needs more decent humans and fewer group chats.”

I believe in being the kind of person who sees sunshine even on cloudy days—and carries an umbrella just in case the universe wants to test me.

There’s a peculiar joy in smiling at strangers, opening the door for someone who didn’t expect it, or complimenting a grumpy co-worker’s socks. These aren’t acts of sainthood. They’re tiny rebellions against the chaos of the world. They say, “I see you. And I choose kindness, even if I’m five seconds away from turning into a burrito of stress.”

One time, a child looked at me and asked, “Aunty, are you always happy or are you just pretending?” I paused. Then said, “Both. But mostly I’m trained like a ninja in spotting silver linings.” And honestly, that’s the truth. Life’s not always a bouquet of roses. Sometimes it’s just the thorns, and you’re barefoot. But I still choose to dance. Carefully. And occasionally on one leg.

And when someone wrongs me or life throws curveballs, I try to respond with compassion instead of bitterness. Not because I’m perfect. But because “carrying grudges is like carrying bricks in a backpack—you think you’re strong until your back gives up and all you have left is anger and bad posture.”

So no, I don’t live by a quote. I live by choice. And every day, I choose to smile, to help, to pause, to mess up gloriously—and still try again.

Thought to Ponder:
What if we treated each day like a handwritten letter to the universe—filled with doodles, spills, laughter, and love? Wouldn’t that be the most beautiful story we could live?