Sometimes, life does not make any sense. This can be true, especially when trying to create your space and identity in a new city with nobody to fall back on. Back in 2017, it was just a few months into my relocating to the city. One weekend during the Mumbai monsoons, I remember returning from a short trip to Pune only to discover that I had left my keys inside the house when I left on Friday.

It was 11 pm at night and I realised that I knew no one except my flatmates who had gone home for the weekend. I cursed myself for not being social, scourging my contact list for any distant relative or acquaintance who might offer me a roof for the night. After a while, I sat in the rain on a bench with a stray dog on my side waiting. I had decided to sleep on the bench in the worst-case scenario when the office WhatsApp group pinged. I wasn’t sure if I could call anyone in my workplace since I was a new employee and hadn’t had the time to interact much with anyone. I decided to call one of my colleagues who lived half an hour away, asking if she could help. As it turned out, one of her flatmates had gone home, and she had a spare bed for the night. I took an auto and rushed to her place, thanking her immensely.

She not only provided me a shelter but also a very stable friendship. She was my lifeboat, saving me on a dark and unpredictable night. From that day I started believing that in the darkest of times, there will always be a kind lifeboat, lamp or ladder to help us survive, walk ahead and grow. And it’s okay to lean in on them. After all, we are no one without the community.