“Prolonged pandemic stress affecting physical and mental health”
“Forces deployed amidst rising tensions between religious groups”
“Russia-Ukraine war enters 250th day”
In a world filled with events that will go down in history, rapid change in fields ranging from technology to education to art, where nearly everyone is simply unsure about what tomorrow will bring– harmony can be difficult to find.
It isn’t just ‘inner peace’. It’s routine, relationships, community, and more. We need harmony in every aspect of our lives– lack thereof can be challenging to endure and can be the root cause of a myriad of other troubles. The pandemic undoubtedly disrupted a specific harmony that held different things together– or maybe, a lot of things that have been brewing for some time just came to a tipping point all at once– and we are here to live it and bear the brunt of it. Whatever the case, disharmony plagues our ‘new normal’, for better or worse.
There is a principle that perhaps almost every issue of this magazine is based upon– that something can mean very different things to different people. The same goes for harmony. For some, harmony might be mental well-being. For the community-loving person, it might be an ever-ready neighbourhood to give and also ready to take, one that can look beyond sociopolitical and economic divides even at the worst of times. For the workaholic, it might be meeting deadlines, a smooth schedule and plenty of coffee to get through the day. It can be one or the other, all or nothing, and everything in between.
In the chaos that comes with entrances, academics, college preparation and more, I’m pretty sure my life, along with that of all my counterparts in the final years of school, isn’t quite as harmonious as we’d like. I was fortunate to recently go on a short school trip to Germany for a conference, which helped me find some peace of mind again.
I didn’t think that I could ever fall in love with a city that was not my own. Noida is home, and will always be home, but there was something so terribly special about Sindelfingen and perhaps Stuttgart at large that struck me deeply. Was it the culture, the people, the fresh air, or just how quiet the town was? Or was it the fact that I didn’t have the means to be worrying about my practice tests, projects and notebooks every second? I do not know. In a time that had thus far been and could further have been stressful for me, Sindelfingen gave a glimpse of kindness that I needed to experience harmony once again.
The people in Stuttgart stop for pedestrians. They thank you for helping them with their bags or holding the door for them. They nod politely when they catch your line of sight. They care for the little kids in town. There is something about the place that is so far removed from the stereotype of Germany being closed-off and intimidating that I’m amused I even believed it for the slightest moment. I’m certain that the city has its chaos, its difficulties, its obstacles– but to be pulled away from those of my own, even if it was for a brief period, did help me understand the point of all this better.
It’s important to know that sometimes, if not all the time, harmony has to be ours to find– because the world will keep turning, and things will keep changing. We’re expected to hit the infamous 8 billion mark in November, for goodness’ sake! There’s bound to be chaos where there are so many humans. And amidst all of that, if you can find contentment within yourself– well, you’re winning at life.
In a world filled with happenings and non-happenings, control what you can control, let go when you need to, and try to cherish each moment of peace and happiness you can find. It’s easier not to, I know. But the effort is absolutely worth it. Eat stuff you like eating, watch a TV show or movie or read a book you really, really wanted to, exercise when you feel like running in a great green field of flowers and keep pushing to be the best version of yourself. Relaxation and hard work can very well be harmonious– but you have to learn to make time for both.
With that, I introduce to you the first issue of a new team– created with effort, emblazoned with creativity, and infused with everything good that comes with people doing what they love. Read about how colours meld together in harmony, observe beautiful artwork of an art gallery, and admire scenic photography– as always, every single piece is something of extraordinary value.
Enjoy the festive season!
Yashasvini
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