But many have much more to shoulder — Women are Nepal’s backbone, we often hear. But while they hold up half the sky for others, there’s not much happening for them in return. Instead, many women are forced to lead an existence that often hides a cruel tragedy. With much more to shoulder than just half the sky. Karmila is one of these bold souls …

It’s a feeling that anchors heart and soul — Six years ago today, I met Bryan. A good-looking leather-dressed coincidence on a ferry crossing between New Zealand’s stunning islands. An unforeseen moment where two lost souls assembled at the railing and silently agreed to create a paradise. Six years is a long time. So much has happened that shaped…

Its secret is enjoying the passage of time — Yesterday a new journal landed on my doorstep. As I was about to wheel out of the courtyard for a little morning spin on a day, I call a New Zealand pearler. I am thrilled. Because starting a new journal is a new dawn. While the predecessor served its term…

Don’t forget to raise them for yourself — Raising your thumbs for yourself may seem selfish. But after mine have gone numb from squeezing them for the happiness of others, it’s now my turn. And I'll tell you why. I am almost broke. My life took an incredible turn about six years ago. After recovering from a burnout…

Rising above abuse, drugs, and prostitution — Each time a woman stands up for herself without knowing it, possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women — Maya Angelou The following story, which deserves a safe space in our hearts, was entrusted to me. …

But only a few genuinely melt our hearts — Don’t know how I kept going. You just do. You have to, so you do ― Elizabeth Wein Everyone smiles in the same language, they say. While only a few genuinely melt our hearts. …

Motorcycling in Tanzania isn’t everybody’s cup of tea — Tanzania is the place to be if you’re after a motorbike trip that offers a great mix of bliss and adrenaline. It’s a country of insane beauty and an incredible variety of almost everything. Home to dozens of distinct ethnic groups, tremendous wilderness, and a topography that is no less…

A sensation filled with love and gratitude — Roaring and mighty, she rushes in. Like a furious dance of many angry beasts. Yet on her crest, as if for adornment, a continuous row of joyfully jigging whitecaps. Claims her ground with nothing to rise next to her. Asserts sovereignty, even if only for an agonizing instant. …

More than a hole in my heart — I could barely put the book “The Absent Wife” down. Felt drawn into the world of a complete stranger, which I ironically began to grasp at a much more intimate level with each page I turned. Aunt Doris disappeared when I was three years old. No one has ever seen…