A new year is an invitation to experience more of life, of hope, love and laughter. That’s what we wish each of you, dear readers. We have curated this anthology to remind you and ourselves of the gift and wonder of possibilities – the openings that seemingly random events offer us, the happy endings that difficult experiences sometimes lead to, the serendipity that we occasionally stumble upon and savour. And it is in this spirit that we have made a special selection from our treasure trove of In Plainspeak articles for our 2023 anthology issue.
We will keep this editorial short because we know that many of you have returned to work after a break and probably have a ton of things to do! One thing it might be wise to remember in the dizzying rush of a new year is to make time for self and collective care. Raj Mariwala in an interview with Shikha Aleya talks about the importance of being present, of considering self-care from a perspective of interdependence and balance, of coming to matter to oneself and to each other. In another article, Shikha Aleya herself writes about the power that lies in vulnerability and expands for us the meaning of vulnerability and safety by turning these seemingly contradictory concepts topsy-turvy.
ElsaMarie D’Silva sends a thoughtful and loving letter to her 16-year-old self encouraging her to “stay focussed on your dreams … and live your life freely and fully”. Sami S’s erotic short story evocatively explores power and desire while Damini Kulkarni’s poem celebrates learning “not to give a damn” and Wesley D’Souza reflects on how, through acting on stage, he came to act like himself. Shweta Krishnan reviews the sub-plots of three films against the backdrop of many others to conclude that when movies don’t pit their sub-plots against each other, they yield narratives that “exist side by side, with no one possible conclusion, and only infinite possibilities”.
To round it all off and bring a smile to your face, watch In a Heartbeat, a delightful four-minute animated film, as well as a short recap of TARSHI in 2022.
May 2023 bring you infinite possibilities! Happy New Year!
