The city lights glittered outside Tara’s window, but her apartment was silent. Too silent. Every day of her life seemed scripted wake up, rush to work, return home, eat alone, sleep. Repeat. On paper, she had everything: a good job, independence, a tidy routine. But in her heart, there was a quiet emptiness she could no longer ignore. Tara often told herself, “Love lives in the heart, not in actions. Why spend so much energy on constant calls, endless visits, or gifts? If I care, I care. People should understand that.” It was her shield, her way of staying safe. But slowly, cracks began to appear. The phone hardly rang anymore. Festivals felt no different from ordinary days no laughter, no gathering, no warmth. On her birthday, the screen lit up with a few polite “Happy Birthday” messages, nothing more. And the day she broke down after a rough week at work, she realized with a heavy heart that no one truly stood beside her. That night, unable to bear the silence, Tara walked to her grandmother’s house. The old wooden lamp flickered softly as they sat on the veranda, sipping tea. The air carried the faint smell of jasmine. For a while, neither spoke. Finally, Tara broke the silence, her voice almost trembling,“Dadi… why does it feel like I have no one? I never hurt people, I stay good to them. Yet when I need someone, no one is really there.” Her grandmother looked at her for a long moment, her eyes kind yet piercing. Then, with a gentle smile, she said,“My child, being ‘good’ is not enough. Relationships are like plants they need watering. They need time, attention, effort… sometimes even a token of appreciation, gifts in some form or financial support. If you don’t put anything in, how will they grow? If you don’t stand by others in their joy or pain, why should they stand by you?” Tara frowned, almost defensively. “But Dadi, I do care. Isn’t that enough?” Her grandmother reached over, holding Tara’s hand. “No, Tara. Words and silent feelings are not enough. Sympathy is easy it costs nothing to say ‘I’m sorry.’ But empathy? That is harder. It means stepping into someone’s world sharing their joy, their pain, proving it with action. And that requires intention. Some people may have very little, yet their hearts are so big they always find a way. And some, blessed with everything, give nothing because their intention is missing.” The words struck Tara like a mirror. Her mind replayed images of her cousin Meera, who, despite her modest income, always arrived with home-cooked food at family gatherings, or simply showed up with a smile when someone needed comfort. And then she thought of her well-off neighbor, who had never once offered a hand or even a kind word when others struggled. That night, Tara lay awake. The ceiling fan whirred above her, but all she could hear was her grandmother’s voice echoing again and again:“If you don’t know how to nurture bonds, learn. If you refuse to learn, then perhaps you should live alone in the jungle because society is built on give and take. And when the time comes that you need others, you cannot expect them to stand for you if you never stood for them.” Something inside her shifted. The very next morning, Tara decided to change. She called her parents and, for once, listened without rushing. She stopped by her sister’s house and ended up staying late into the night, laughing until tears rolled down their cheeks. She quietly helped a friend with a problem, not waiting to be asked. At first, it felt awkward foreign to her. But slowly, she noticed something magical. Her phone began to ring more often, this time with warmth. Family invited her over without hesitation. Festivals returned, filled with color and laughter. And when sorrow came again, she was no longer alone hands reached out to hold hers, voices comforted her, shoulders carried her burden. One evening, surrounded by family and friends at a noisy dinner table, Tara looked around, her heart swelling. She finally understood:Practicality has its place, but not in relationships. Bonds survive on love, care, attention, and empathy. And above all, they survive on intention. Smiling softly, she whispered to herself,“Yes… Dadi was right. If you want to live in society, you must nurture your relationships. Otherwise, you may as well live in isolation in the jungle. But then, don’t expect the world to stand by you when you never stood for them.” For the first time in years, Tara’s heart felt full overflowing with love she had once taken for granted, now cherished with every beat.

✨ Relationships are a living exchange of love, care, effort, and empathy. They are not kept alive by words alone, but by intention and action. If we wish for support and warmth, we must first offer it.

~Chandani Kapoor

~September 4th,2025, 13h07m IST