She wasn’t quite aware of this shift yet. No one told her to make this change, but she did, even though she wasn’t told to.

We loved the way she laughed. Her laughter was open. And loud. And clear. And without any hint of the dreariness that her lay before them.

Her parents wanted her to make everyone happy and in turn, they desired to be praised for the great grooming project that they were forcing upon their little daughter.

Sometimes, Amma heard sobs in the dark of the night, interspersed with deep snores. In those times, she lay awake in her bed, only to tell herself a little later that it was just the imagination of her mind.

Loneliness can strike anyone, even when surrounded by people; it is not necessarily because of our circumstances or because of who we are.