The Sugarless, Non-Bitter Life

In the past five years, I’ve experienced death. In the last three, I’ve experienced the emotionally unavailable, the flaky, the unreliable and, finally, the sweet talkers—with and without chocolates.

As I open up almost every day about the horror stories I encounter with my forever best friend, my mother, she’s torn between giving me two kinds of advice: “Give up. Take a break.” And then, “It will all happen in good time.”

The past five years have been eye-opening, more than anything else. I’ve realised how emotionally available I am, how reliable I am and how blunt I can be with my words. I leave no stone unturned, both in thought and action.

I’ve stepped into the role of two people—not with ease, but with a quiet acceptance and ample support, both physical and mental, from my reliable backup squad, whom you all know very well by now if you’ve been reading my articles and my latest book, *The Story of One Single Mom and Her Backup Squad*.

Despite the deep loneliness and the crazy amount of work I throw myself into, there is peace in the lives and hearts of my son and me.

He’s definitely not lonely, though. That human chimp.

Just last afternoon, he locked his grandmother and me inside my childhood bedroom, transformed his naughty face into his famous Puss in Boots look and tried his absolute best to get away with it.

So, all our hands are full from Monday through Sunday, raising that hyperactive human chimpanzee who swings from one bedroom to the next and locks everyone inside bathrooms and bedrooms, both knowingly and unknowingly.

If there’s a semblance of a life in my otherwise meaningless life, it definitely goes back to my son.

Coming back to the point of this piece: despite the terrible, and then more terrible, experiences of the past five years, I’ve allowed myself not to grow bitter.

Some chapters I close willingly. Some, quite sadly.

Acceptance, above everything else, is what the last five years have taught me.

Accept people and their points of view without an argument, for your own sanity. Some doors shut on their own. Simply allow them to.

All those who were meant to stay, already are.

Keep moving forward, one step at a time—minus hot chocolate, apparently, as per my physician’s warning.

*Cue the heartbreak now.*

I’ve never eaten dates and bananas this fervently in my life. Life without sugary treats is indeed depressing. *Sigh.*

But a life without my voice is even worse.

So I choose the sugarless, non-bitter life.

On that note, have a fantastic week, everybody.

Happy Monday and every other day!