6 minute read
SCARS AND SHADOWS THE BATTLE WITHIN
BY ABHREKHA JAIN SAHLOT
ar is not only fought on the battlefield; it’s fought in the mind, in the heart, and in the soul.”
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We often imagine war as gunfire, bloodshed, and battle cries. But some wars don’t make headlines. Some play out in silence within the walls of a mind at war with itself They’re the wars we fight with guilt, regret, and the haunting echoes of “what if ” And sometimes, the enemy is not a nation or a stranger it’s the reflection staring back at us
I’ve fought such a war
We all have chapters we don’t read out loud I know I do There are decisions I made when I was barely holding myself together Not because they were perfect or popular but because in that moment, they were my only survival I still get flashes those uncomfortable pangs of "could I have done better?" Maybe I could have But I did what I thought was right Maybe it wasn’t right for the world, but it was real to me
And that’s not ego That’s honesty
The Quiet Conflict
Just like soldiers who return with memories they can’t shake off, many of us carry the trauma of our own choices. These aren’t always violent, but they cut deep betrayals, regrets, broken relationships, dreams buried under expectations. We wear smiles in public, but privately, we are negotiating peace with our past
There’s a unique kind of loneliness in carrying your own mistakes And yet, those very mistakes? They forged my strength They gave me the armor of resilience I wouldn’t be who I am without them The chaos I once cursed is the same fire that tempered me
Redemption: The Silent Victory
"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future "
Oscar Wilde
In the context of war on the battlefield or in the heart redemption becomes the bravest act of all It means waking up and trying again It means forgiving yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it
"The wound is the place where the Light enters you " Rumi
Whether it’s the literal trauma of war or the internal wreckage of past decisions, healing is never linear It’s messy Some wounds leave scars But scars don’t make you broken they prove you healed
So let’s rewrite the narrative. Let’s not hide our past like a scar but carry it like a lesson. Because the truth is: you are not your mistakes. You are who you chose to become after them.
Closing Thought
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”
George Eliot
The wars we fight within shape us as much as any battlefield And while some may never fully end, every day you wake up and choose to try again you win This is my truth Raw Honest Unarmored
And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough
Meet Abhrekha Jain Sahlot, the name is a derivative of her parent’s name (Abhay & Rekha) She is full of life, energy, and enthusiasm A gold medalist computer engineer she has been working with top MNCs for over 13 years now
Blessed with an incredibly supportive family, their Husband Tushar Sahlot stands behind her as the strongest pillar of strength, shouldering equal responsibilities at home. A doting mother of 2 boys (Nabhanyu & Daksh Sahlot), life has given her various opportunities to explore and she seems to have taken the best of everything. From singing, and painting to acting, swimming, and basketball, she has been into various cocurricular activities from artistic ones to sports ones
However, currently, she enjoys sharing her blessings with fellow women by addressing women and parenting forums and helping women in her capacity and spreading the message & about the importance of being happy & content hould I do this or not? Right! We all have some sort of inner conflict. Many questions revolve around our minds. We try to seek unanswered answers from us. We have conflicts within ourselves This finally results in indecisive actions We are left with inner sorrows and resentment
Hi! I am Romita Today, I am going to a reunion party after 6 years I don't know how I will react after meeting Sunita, my best friend We have been close friends since childhood Everything was running smoothly between us Our love and friendship was selfless Sunita and I used to stand up for each other's rights
Our families were conservative There were many restrictions and inhibitions which Sunita and I faced daily Still, we managed to pursue our dream career Come what may, we never used to leave each other's sides
She got married to a businessman I attended her wedding ceremony as well as the reception Unfortunately, her in-laws were not as good as I expected. They too have many restrictions like her family. They were living in the era when women were considered baggage.
These people were narrow-minded. I used to strongly dislike her in-laws and her husband. After four years, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Unfortunately, that little angel was not welcome in her family
This is the time when I came to know the bitter truth of her in-laws I was on my way to the university to get my certificate of higher studies As I was driving, my eyes caught sight of Sunita's mother-in-law She was entering an orphanage
I waited in my car for a while As I sensed something wrong, I got out of my car and went close to the orphanage to listen and watch what was going on inside I was shocked to see Sunita's mother-in-law handing over a newborn baby girl to the matron of the orphanage
She told the matron that this baby girl was her daughter-in-law She does not know that she gave birth to a baby She doesn't want this baby in her family Hence, she approached the orphanage
I was furious upon listening to her words. As she came out of the orphanage, I rebuked her for her actions I told her I will let Sunita know about this unfortunate incident I also assured her that I will make sure that the newborn baby gets her mother
The cruel mother-in-law of Sunita scoffed at me in return She threatened me that if I let her know about her baby, she would be burnt alive or she would be brutally tortured for the rest of her life She also told me not to interfere in her family matters If I do so, the consequences will be bad
I had to shush my mouth, though I wanted to say the bitter truth to my dearest friend. But I couldn't because I couldn't risk her life. I had profound feelings for her little baby. As I was not financially independent, I couldn't adopt her baby.
After that incident, I reduced my conversations with Sunita. I could not stand up for her rights. This feeling of resentment was killing me from the inside. Whenever I talked with her, I always felt like telling her the truth But, I had to strangle the truth for the sake of her life I decided to disconnect myself from her, as I was combating my inner conflicts
After six long years, Sunita and I were meeting at a reunion party I still do not know whether I will be able to reveal the truth that I was carrying within myself If I tell her, how will she react? Will she break our long-standing friendship forever? Will she blame me for keeping her child away from her?
There are so many questions and the answers are not known to me My inner conflicts will cripple my soul I have to keep fighting with the battle that no one can ever see All just to keep our friendship alive
In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon She holds a Master's degree in English Literature from Mumbai University By profession, she is an Executive Content Creator Her poems got published on the Indian Literature website named Facestory Currently, her stories and poems get published in various anthologies published by the eminent Reflection Magazine and in the renowned digital magazine, Storizen. She has received many certificates in the field of writing. She is bestowed with Indian Global Award 2022 and has been felicited with a medal in the Tagore Literature Festival 2022 by Literoma. Her poem got published in the Romance And Compendium book at the Tagore Literature Festival. In 2022, she is again bestowed with the Women Achiever Award by Literoma In 2023, she is again conferred with the prestigious award, Tagore Literature Award 2023, where she is bestowed with a trophy and a certificate Her world revolves around creativity and writing She wishes to make her mark in the literary world, hoping to leave an indelible imprint on the readers' minds
