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Compliments

Compliments 
in the middle of
the office corridor,
In between the walk
to the grocery shop,
At lunch, during work socials
feel nothing short of a
long lingering hug-
affirmatory and validatory
to the peaks of hope
landsliding with each little
missed deadline
and each tiny failure.
As apprehension grips me 
day after day-
Will I make it?
Or will I eventually fail?
It is surprising how
the lack of belief in yourself
can make so much space
for how others feel about you -
your appearance, 
your cerebral capabilities, 
your creative stint
and almost everything
under the sun.
Compliments to some
might simply mean 
a few warm words;
While to some others
it means a whole story-
The story that they could
never write in their own words.

 

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