Alleviate: verb (with object), make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.

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There is a house in the town of Udaipur, in Rajashthan, India. A prosperous house, occupied by an elderly couple. They have two sons, the older lived in Tokyo then, and the younger in Mumbai. The couple… Read full post »

"It's really cold in this room," she said.

"Turn the heater on," he replied.

"Oh, the heater's on, but it makes no difference."

"Well, then I don't know what else you can do."

She brushed her hand against his, as he continued to stare at the computer screen.

"Oh, wow! Your… Read full post »

There is a place in this world I knew to be home. That place is still what it used to be. But I have changed.

A little over five years ago, I stepped out of Terminal 5 at O'Hare International Airport, into a chilly September morning that had barely stirred awake.… Read full post »

Christmas gets me feverishly excited. I won't even bother trying to explain why, because everytime I try - even just to myself - my words come out as an untidy bunch of hokum. Ever since I can remember, though, come December, I would begin scouring the shops on my way to… Read full post »

I don't remember how old Saira* was when this happened, but the child could have been no more than six or seven. I was in middle school then, so I must have been 12. Saira was in primary school, a kid almost everyone in school knew by name. I didn't envy… Read full post »