When the universe sends rain and croissants

A day of much-needed unexpected magic

Creative block, piled-up work, and knee pain.

I wasn’t in a good place. Missing Kalari practice and falling behind on work are things I struggle to make peace with. So, I gave myself a break—and that’s when the magic began.

The weather shifted from unbearably hot to blissfully cool. Perfect. One of the residential Kalari students was leaving, and someone suggested a women’s group photo—cool ones, of course.

Dressing up like this had been a dream, but I never had a reason. That day, it just happened. As we posed, Ashan (our Kalari guru) joined in. Then it started drizzling, and we danced.

Ashan suggested chaiya (tea), so we dragged him to a tea shop. Out of nowhere, he mentioned a bigger Kalari he was building in a nearby village surrounded by fields and a river. Before we knew it, he was driving us there.

The drive? Stunning. Fields, old houses, and a car full of laughter and songs. The destination was even better: walking through fields (another dream checked off), dipping our feet in a cool river, skipping stones (well, I tried), and visiting an ancient Kalari temple, now just a relic of its past.

We didn’t want to leave, but a chikku milkshake on the way back made it all okay.

After a soothing nap, I enjoyed the breezy weather upstairs. Evening Kalari training was rough on my knee, but I met a new student who—out of nowhere—offered croissants. Not just any croissant. Almond croissant. My favourite.

I’d been craving one for days, scouring menus with no luck. And here it was. The universe at work? Maybe.

I savoured every bite, relaxed, and fell asleep early.

Some days, life feels like it’s nudging you to smile. My knee still aches, and the creative block hasn’t fully lifted, but my mind feels lighter—ready to tackle what’s next.

Have you ever had a day where everything just clicked—like the universe was in your corner?

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Little Joys

“Joy is always around if only we pause to acknowledge it.”

With life's burdens and big ambitions, it's easy to overlook our everyday joys. These are my small joys from the last two weeks -

• Did something like Karaoke for the first time and loved it!

• Performed a stick sequence in a Kalari display.

• Had delicious warm pancakes that felt like a hug.

• Allowed myself to take a break.