The In-Between Letters

What I’ve Been Thinking About: The 1-inch barrier

At a wedding last weekend, I experienced something magical. The speeches flowed in two languages I didn't understand - yet the emotions needed no translation. Each burst of laughter travelled through the room in waves, first in one language group, then another as translations caught up. When I finally heard the jokes in English, I realized we were all laughing at the same human moments, just at different times.

It reminded me of Bong Joon Ho’s words:

Once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.

As someone who grew up intimidated by languages (and still has nightmares about high school language exams), I’ve only recently begun savouring words from languages familiar to me:

• Mallige (Kannada) - means "jasmine," like the flowers my grandma loves
• Sabr (Arabic/Urdu) - means "patience," but really it's about keeping faith during hard times

The wedding showed me we all feel the same things - we just package them differently.

What I’ve Been Reading: How to Be an Adult in Relationships

I’ve been working through this book that breaks down healthy relationships into five essential ingredients—the 5 A’s:

• Appreciation
• Attention
• Allowing
• Acceptance
• Affection

While framed for romantic partnerships, these elements apply to all meaningful connections. The book argues that missing any of these components can leave relationships feeling stunted or unhealthy.

I’ll admit: part of me rebels against this formula. Reducing love to a checklist feels too clinical. Yet I can’t deny the value of this framework. For anyone struggling to articulate why a relationship feels “off,” the 5 A’s offer helpful language—like training wheels for emotional awareness.

It’s not the whole truth about connection, but it’s a useful place to start looking.

Recent Joy

(An unexpected side effect of writing this newsletter? It’s trained me to hunt for joy —noticing and collecting little bright spots I might’ve overlooked before.)

While travelling recently, I fell in love all over again with the humble greeting card. Not the generic drugstore kind, but those small shop treasures where the artwork actually catches your eye - a watercolour of two old chairs facing the sea, or a block-print of beautiful tile work from centuries ago. I found myself ducking into every stationery shop I passed, collecting these portable pieces of art to tuck in my backpack like emotional first aid. There's something magical about having the perfect "thank you" or "I'm thinking of you" waiting for its moment, isn't there?

What I Want to Share: Watermelon Pictures

I recently discovered Watermelon Pictures—a film collective dedicated to Palestinian cinema and other underrepresented stories—and immediately subscribed. There’s something powerful about supporting art that challenges mainstream narratives and centers marginalized voices. I can’t wait to dive into their catalog and experience these perspectives firsthand.

Like what you read? Keep the caffeine (and confetti) flowing by buying me a coffee! ☕️✨

Your thoughts, rants, or tiny joys are always welcome here. If you'd like more of these scattered sparks in your life, I'd be honoured to land in your inbox.