Tushar Mangl

Wrapped in Gifts, Starved of Love: A Journey Through Emotional Neglect Growing up in a materially comfortable but emotionally desolate household, Elsa navigates her life burdened by gifts but starved of connection. Her journey of self-discovery, supported by witty conversations and dark humour, reveals the depth of damage caused by emotional neglect. With romanticism and raw vulnerability, she explores the consequences of a hollow upbringing. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" That dreaded interview question. At 28, I found myself staring at the HR manager, genuinely stumped. Where did I see myself? I didn't know where I was now, let alone in five years. When you grow up being showered with stuff — toys, gadgets, and pretty much everything money can buy — but deprived of emotional connection, your inner GPS goes haywire. My name's Elsa, by the way. Named after the Disney character by my mother, who fancied herself a modern-day queen, always too busy managing t

Thursday, January 11, 2007 In a charming café, Anjalika and I discover that quietly listening is an art, more powerful than voicing opinions. Through conversations and humour, we explore the depths of communication, where silence speaks volumes. Sometimes, the best thing we can offer is our attention—making someone feel heard, understood, and validated. Have you ever tried to really listen to someone? Not just nodding along while internally planning your next grocery list or mentally constructing a winning argument, but actually giving them your full attention. I had no idea how hard that was until I met Anjalika. And let me tell you, it is both an art and a challenge. It all started on a Tuesday, in one of those quaint cafés where the air smells like fresh coffee, burnt toast, and a pinch of procrastination. You know the type—wooden tables, potted plants hanging like they belong in a Pinterest board, and overly enthusiastic baristas who refuse to believe you just want black coffee. I

Sometimes, the fragile hope that our toxic parents will change keeps us trapped. This humorous yet deeply poignant tale follows the journey of a protagonist who learns that seeking apologies from those who wronged them can delay healing. Through witty conversations and vibrant storytelling, we explore how moving forward without waiting for closure brings peace and self-acceptance. The universe would probably implode if my mother ever apologized for anything. She once over boiled  the milk but spent two decades insisting I had distracted her by breathing too loudly . Classic Mum. But despite her stellar track record of not owning up to her nonsense, a part of me – that inner child still waiting for Santa – secretly clung to the hope that, one day, she might just utter the magic words: I’m sorry . Spoiler alert: I am still waiting. You’d think by the time you hit your thirties (give or take), you’d grow out of these childish longings. Yet, they are hard to shake. My therapist – a marvell

Summary What do you do when you love someone so intensely, it defies all logic and advice? In this romantic and heartwarming tale, the protagonist wrestles with unshakable love, defying the odds even when everything (and everyone) tells him to stop. The story explores passion, vulnerability, and the madness of love through humour and tender dialogue. What is Love, really? Let me tell you something about love. It is madness, pure madness. If anyone had told me that falling in love with her would turn me into some sort of a poetic, emotionally unhinged fool, I would have laughed. But here I am, standing in the rain, coat soaked, thinking about her for the 746th time today. I’ve counted, obviously. I know what you are thinking: "Get a grip, mate." But it's not that simple. Actually, there is a word for what I feel. It's love. I know it because I feel it every time I see her, every time she brushes her hair behind her ear, smiles that smile that’s half-resigned to the cha

In this heart-wrenching tale, a neglected child, estranged from his community, grows up under the weight of rejection and alienation. Desperate for warmth, he contemplates a fiery rebellion against the very village that pushed him away. A journey that explores the cost of indifference and the search for belonging. How does it feel to burn when the world turns cold? The sky above my childhood home never seemed large enough. Clouds, grey like the stone walls of the village, hung low, as if they were heavy with secrets no one wanted to share. I was seven when I first noticed how cold the village was—not the weather, but the people. There was no warmth in their greetings, no joy in their smiles, only a distant politeness that seemed to say, “You are here, but you don’t belong.” The proverb says: "The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth." That child was Mehar, and this is his story. I knew Mehar, not well, but enough. He wasn’t the sort yo

As a child, I would cry quietly, longing for someone to comfort me, to hug me when I was sad, but no one ever did. That yearning for attention, for validation, stayed with me well into adulthood. But when I met Cara, everything changed. This is the story of my journey from childhood loneliness to a love that finally saw me. --- How did I end up in this predicament? I wasn’t an angry child; I was a quiet one. There is a difference, but people rarely notice it. Anger is loud, explosive, a force that demands attention. Quietness, though—that’s what goes unnoticed. People assume you’re fine when you’re silent, that you don’t need anything. What they don’t realise is that silence can be louder than words, and that quiet kids are often the ones who scream the loudest inside. As a child, I spent hours sitting by my bedroom window, staring at the rain-soaked streets outside. The grey clouds above seemed to echo the emptiness I felt inside. My room was small, cluttered with toys and forgotten d

This story follows Shamas and Anamica, two individuals navigating love, loyalty, and relationships with humour and warmth. Through their sharp banter and deep conversations, the tale explores the nuances of commitment, emotional vulnerability, and what it truly means to be irreplaceable. A charming blend of wit, heart, and laughter — this is a story for anyone who's ever loved deeply. --- You know how some stories begin with "Once upon a time" and you immediately think, “Well, here comes another fairy tale”? My story, though, has no such illusion. This is real life—complete with the kind of moments that are both funny and achingly true. The kind of story that might make you say, “That’s exactly me.” Or perhaps, “I would never.” But whether you like it or not, the tale of Shamas and Anamica is one you’ll remember. Shamas, my friend, was always the funny one. You know the type: quick-witted, always ready with a joke, but rarely letting anyone past his defences. Then there w