Drink lots of coffee. It may give you
Acidity later but so will people doling
Out meaningful advices you will reject
Because you don’t like the shape of their
Nose. Allow only very few things
To destroy you. Let coffee be one of them.
Don’t fall in love with your cat. She will go
Missing leaving your heart in your month
Only to come back a few days later
Snuggling up to you on a cold rainy night.
Don’t give in. Resist the urge to love.
Did nobody tell you that it doesn’t work on
Cats? There she is and there you are, looking
Like an absolute fool in love with your cat.
She will understand. People won’t. The
Same people with good advices who give
You acidity. Ignore them for good.
Move to the other end of the world with
Your cats. Make a home by yourself.
Learn to put shelves on the wall. Don’t
Be afraid of the drilling machine. Just
Don’t drill into beams and columns.
Take your clothes off and jump into
Any clear lake you find. Check for
Crocodiles and sewage, of course.
Apply sunscreen diligently all over
Your body which will soon be more
Flesh than bones. Like your flesh.
Flesh is good. Water the plants daily
And remember some of them will still
Die and so will you. Water yourself too.
Water will help when you find that
People who wrote your favourite books
And made your favourite films are
Horrible sexual predators. Don’t
Separate the art from the artist.
Appreciate kindness more than talent.
Unlearn everything they taught you in
School or college or any goddamn institution
You went. Concoct your theories about
This world. Swear by them for a few years
And debunk them yourself later. You
Are not your opinions. You are a tiny tiny
Particle of the universe with no real
Consequences or meaning. Let this
Realisation liberate you. You still matter,
You are still valid. Self-care is a capitalistic
Sham. Don’t fall for it. Think of people
Who are dying at the hands of oppressive
Totalitarian regimes when you wake up.
Google ’10 best beach vacation ideas’
When you sleep. Life is a paradox.
Don’t be ashamed. Don’t be afraid.
Just be kind, okay? Just be kind.
Bhawna Jaimini is an architect, writer, and activist-in-making. You can follow her here.