My Manu,
I think of our first bus journeys and the roads around Solan. Before the Activa, before I learned to drive, there was your belief that I could do more than I thought.
You gave me encouragement in practical ways. You helped me learn, and those small beginnings became journeys I would once have been afraid to attempt.
Dolma holds so much of that story. I remember your wish to see the Jimny, your love for the mountains, and the journeys we made together. Ladakh is held in our photographs, but it is also held in the confidence you gave me.
I miss having you beside me. I miss the possibility of a sudden plan becoming a day we would remember.
The road ahead feels different now. Still, when I hesitate, I remember how patiently you helped me begin. The courage I carry has so much of you in it.
Trilok