The Chapter Of Hope
When the sun shone loud and bright during the early days of June, I was sitting in the balcony with my overheating laptop, just there. There was a heatwave in Delhi; I remember it distinctly because the district had been silenced by the second wave of Covid-19 and the trauma that accompanied it. It was then that I felt utterly blank, with the cursor blinking on my laptop, an empty google document staring back at me. "I do not have words for you right now. I do not have words-that could speak-anything at all", I say.
Living alone, I had built a habit of speaking to the birds that step inside the balcony every afternoon, but the raging heat wave of Delhi had burnt away those conversations. All that remained was I, and my inanimate companion, mocking me because I had no words left for it.
Grief is an unavoidable part of life; I have known, and so have all of us during these past two years. But isn't it absurd how much we avoid talking about it? Each one of us here has been through grief, no matter what form. Some of us have seen death afar, some up close, some have coped, and some have grieved. Yet, we all stand here together for those who couldn't.
Navigating through these moments, this limbo of sadness is tough; Tougher than we would imagine it to be because none of us had the answers to the questions, "How to deal with grief? How do you stay hopeful?"
I cannot give you the answer to this question but I shall tell you what I believe; I feel, hope is not about being happy all the time, it is about how you are still here, reading this letter. Hope is breaking down when you need to; hope is asking for help when you feel alone; hope is sharing; hope is to keep life going on - together, as a community.
Redstockings Chronicle presents to you its 2nd Volume of 2021, "Chapter Of Hope"
We call it so because literature and writing for us is the center of all that life has been, is, and could be. And more so than not, it is the culmination of both grief and hope, much like our present scenario.
On a concluding note, I would like you, reader, to remember that the light of hope may be dappled in this forest of darkness; but it shall return, much like my beloved birds did, once the wave of heat calmed down.
We wish this Chapter Of Hope helps you find that light, even if briefly, dappled or not.
We also express gratitude towards our contributors from colleges across the University of Delhi, whose pieces we have featured in this edition; additionally, to make this edition be a droplet of hope for you to get through the week, we have created a special crowd-sourced playlist of songs that have helped us through the worst:
We have dedicated an article for the same in this edition - talking about these songs, and the story behind each.
The editorial team of The Redstockings Chronicle wishes you a hopeful read alongside a soothing playlist.
Paromita Sarkar
Editor-in-Chief
The Redstockings Chronicle
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