A Life Worth Enduring

A Journey with Strangers

I don’t even know where to start this blog because I’m overwhelmed with emotions. Right now, I’m on a trip with a group of strangers – not a single familiar face.

But I’m a people person, and luckily, they are wonderful souls. Within the first five minutes, we bonded.

My crew includes:

• Four amazing aunties in their 50s (which we’ve unofficially decided to cut in half, so basically 25).

• A 25-year-old solo traveler who’s already become a bro.

• A kind mother with two incredibly sweet little girls.

• A recently married couple.

• And my roommate – the tour coordinator – who, being the same age as me, vibes great.

For the first time, I deliberately left my laptop behind. I didn’t want to work. I wanted to let go, to trust others. Recently, I’ve been learning delegation—to shift gears professionally and, more importantly, to face my biggest insecurity:

The fear of being dependent on others.

The Highest Point – In Every Sense

The emotions I mentioned earlier hit me on Sunday, March 16, in Kufri – Shimla’s highest point.

Seven of us rented horses to reach the top. My horse, Pallu, carried me brilliantly through the muddy trails. Once we arrived, we explored the area, took pictures, and I even posed on a yak wearing a cowboy hat and holding a gun—just for fun.

Then we tried the zipline, and as we started heading back, snowfall began.

At first, it was light, almost cozy. But as we made our way to the horses, the snowfall intensified.

I had removed my body warmer earlier, after a morning walk, as I no longer felt the chill. Plus, let’s be real—I wanted good pictures. But now, standing in freezing air, my hands went numb.

As they helped me mount my horse, I realized I needed to hold on, but I couldn’t feel my palm anymore. I asked one of my travel mates to wrap my handkerchief around my hand.

It didn’t warm me up, but it brought life back into my fingers. I knew I would survive.

A Surge of Contentment

As we started the horse ride back, I looked around to soak in everything—

• The snow gently falling, blanketing the trees.

• The horses trudging through the mud, carrying us effortlessly.

• The man in his raincoat and gumboots, guiding us while singing his favorite Himachali song.

It was so beautiful.

A surge of pure contentment washed over me.

I closed my eyes, and suddenly, a memory came rushing back.

The Moment That Broke Me

I remembered the day after my accident, when they had just stabilized me after amputating my left hand.

They moved me from ICCU to the general ward, and my new bed – an elevated one – suddenly collapsed.

The pain I felt at that moment… was unlike anything else. More mental than physical.

Because in that moment, it finally broke me.

I had been strong through everything, but when that bed fell, something in me collapsed with it.

I cried for over 30 minutes.

That was when all optimism failed me.

That was the moment when I lowkey begged for death—because, at that moment, it seemed easier than living.

It Was All Worth It

I opened my eyes again, still seated on my horse, surrounded by the snowfall, the mountains, the serenity.

I soaked in the moment.

And there it was – an ear-to-ear smile on my face, misty eyes reflecting the past and present.

All of it – the pain, the struggles, the helplessness – was worth it.

A life worth enduring.

I remembered a quote from Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece:

“Don’t forget to smile in any situation. As long as you are alive, there will be better things later. And there will be many.”

And I smiled.

Because he was right.