Last night, after publishing my blog, I finally went to bed. For the first time in a few days, I had a peaceful sleep.
Before sleeping, I had already made up my mind—I wanted to wake up at 6:00 a.m.
Not because I had an early meeting.
Not because of work.
But because I wanted to spend a few minutes talking to my Pappa before she left for the office.
For the past several days, her father had been dropping her at the main junction every morning. From there, she would take an auto to work, and that short journey had become our little routine. We’d talk until she reached the office, and somehow those few minutes always made the rest of the day feel lighter.
From today, things changed.
Her father had left for work and wouldn’t be available for the next few weeks. That meant she would be travelling on her own.
I didn’t want her to feel alone during the journey.
So waking up early felt like the easiest decision in the world.
I finished my morning workout from 6:00 to 6:30 a.m., freshened up, and waited for her call.
Around 6:50 a.m. Dubai time, my phone finally rang.
It was her.
We talked throughout her journey, laughing over random topics and teasing each other the way we always do.
At one point, I asked about something that had been on my mind.
Yesterday, she had only sent me a simple “Good night” message before sleeping, which felt unusual because we normally spend a little more time talking before ending the day.
She smiled and explained what had happened.
Her mother had asked her to sleep early because she had work the next morning. They were watching a movie together, and later they slept in the same room. Since her mother was beside her, she couldn’t text me the way she usually does.
She waited for a small opportunity, quickly sent me a good-night message, and promised we’d talk properly in the morning.
Hearing that made everything make sense.
Sometimes our minds create stories that reality quietly disproves.
We continued talking until she reached the office, and after wishing her a wonderful day, we ended the call.
The workout I had done earlier finally caught up with me.
As soon as I returned to my room, I lay down on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
About an hour later, I was awakened by my roommate.
Usually, I’m the one waking everyone else up, but today the roles were reversed.
He reminded me that it was already around 9:30 a.m., and we needed to clock in soon.
While he got ready, I relaxed for a few minutes before taking my bath.
Soon, the two of us headed downstairs to begin another workday.
Before opening my laptop, my stomach reminded me that breakfast couldn’t wait.
I walked to the supermarket inside the hotel and picked up my usual breakfast—watermelon and a banana.
Normally, I also buy a chilled laban drink, but today it had completely sold out.
Looking for an alternative, I found a date milk drink.
Since I love dates, I thought it would be a great choice.
Unfortunately…
It turned out to be one of the least enjoyable drinks I’ve had in a while.
Let’s just say I’ll happily return to my laban whenever it’s back in stock.
Around 12:30 p.m. Dubai time, I found myself glancing at my phone every few minutes.
This is usually when my Pappa finishes lunch and calls me.
Today, however, the call came a little later than usual.
When she finally called, I jokingly asked where she had disappeared to.
She laughed and explained that she had taken a little longer to finish lunch.
During our morning conversation, she had also mentioned that one of her college seniors had messaged her again. From what she had told me before, I felt that he might have been interested in her beyond friendship.
I simply shared what I felt.
I told her that it’s okay to be polite, but if someone continues reaching out with intentions that make her uncomfortable, she doesn’t owe them false hope or unnecessary attention. Sometimes, not encouraging mixed signals is the kindest response for everyone involved.
She listened patiently and told me not to worry.
That reassurance was enough for me.
As we continued talking during lunch, I noticed she sounded a little quieter than usual.
She told me she was sitting on another office floor because her usual area was crowded.
I understood immediately.
She wasn’t as relaxed because people were around her.
I smiled and told her that whenever possible, I hope she finds a quiet corner for our conversations—not because I expect it, but because I love hearing her laugh freely without feeling self-conscious.
Those little conversations mean a lot to me.
Before we realized it, it was already getting late.
I reminded her to head back to work before someone from the office came looking for her.
We wished each other a good afternoon and ended the call.
Back on my side, it was almost lunchtime too.
Since our conversation had gone on longer than usual, I wasn’t particularly hungry yet.
I picked up a packet of Oreo biscuits and headed to the meeting room because I had a 3:00 p.m. client call.
While waiting, I watched a few videos and somehow finished the entire packet without even noticing.
The meeting itself lasted only about fifteen minutes.
It was an important one.
For the past few weeks, I had been working on our Partner Portal, and today was the first review.
Thankfully, everything went smoothly.
The client appreciated the work and said they would review the portal in more detail before getting back to us.
Walking out of that meeting felt incredibly satisfying.
It’s always rewarding when days of effort finally start showing results.
I decided to reward myself with a short break before getting back to work.
Outside, my teammates had already ordered lunch.
Today’s menu included vegetable biryani and curd rice.
To my surprise, the biryani tasted remarkably similar to the ones I used to have back in Chennai.
For a few minutes, it almost felt like home.
After lunch, we spent some time laughing and chatting about random things before everyone returned to work.
Around 4:00 p.m., exactly as I had planned, I opened my laptop once again.
But before diving back into my tasks, I wanted to preserve today’s memories while they were still fresh.
And that’s exactly what you’re reading now.
Sometimes, the most meaningful days aren’t filled with extraordinary events.
Sometimes they’re simply made beautiful by early morning calls, shared laughter, good food, small victories at work, and knowing that someone, hundreds of miles away, is thinking about you just as much as you’re thinking about them.
By 4:00 p.m., I was back at my desk, fully focused on work. The next hour passed quickly as I continued working on my tasks.
Around 5:00 p.m., I sent my Pappa a message asking if she had left the office.
A few moments later, she replied, “Yes.”
Then my phone rang.
It was her.
No matter how many times it happens, seeing her name appear on my screen still brings the same excitement. I answered immediately, and just like every other day, our conversation started effortlessly.
She told me that before leaving the office, she and a few colleagues had gone out for samosas. After that, she caught an auto and began her journey home.
While she travelled, we spoke about everything and nothing at the same time.
We talked about how our day had gone, laughed at silly jokes, teased each other, and simply enjoyed each other’s company.
Those conversations are never planned, yet they’re always the best part of my day.
Soon she reached her first stop, where she had to change to another auto. Even during the short wait, our conversation continued without a pause.
Eventually, she reached her final stop and called her brother to come pick her up.
Once he arrived, we wished each other goodbye, ended the call, and returned to our own routines.
I resumed my work, fixing a few bugs and starting another feature that had been assigned to me.
Everything was moving along quite smoothly.
Around 6:30 p.m., something happened that genuinely made my day.
One of our co-founders visited our workspace along with our founder. They were greeting everyone individually, and when they came to me, he appreciated the work I had been doing.
He told me that I was doing an excellent job and even joked that the amount of work I was handling would normally require several people.
He encouraged me to keep going and said I had the talent to take on even bigger responsibilities.
Hearing those words from someone in leadership felt incredibly motivating.
Sometimes a few genuine words of appreciation are enough to remind you that your hard work is being noticed.
That moment stayed with me for the rest of the evening.
Official working hours ended around 7:00 p.m., but I still had a few bugs left to fix.
So I continued working for another half an hour.
By then, a slight headache had started.
My laptop battery was almost dead as well, so I finally decided to stop for the day.
I headed back to my room, plugged in my laptop, and sat quietly for a while.
Only then did I realize how hungry I actually was.
I hadn’t eaten much throughout the day.
I played a few songs on the television while relaxing until my teammates called me for dinner.
We went downstairs together and enjoyed a simple meal—two parathas and two dosas.
Nothing fancy.
Just good food after a long day.
Earlier that evening, something else had made me smile.
Around 7:00 p.m. Dubai time, my Pappa called me unexpectedly.
I was surprised because she was already home, and it’s usually difficult for her to talk freely there.
When I answered, she laughed and told me she had come downstairs to throw away the garbage.
During those one or two minutes, she decided to call me.
It may sound like a tiny gesture.
But to me, it meant everything.
Knowing that even a brief moment reminds her of me makes me feel incredibly fortunate.
Sometimes love isn’t expressed through grand surprises.
Sometimes it’s hidden in a one-minute phone call between everyday responsibilities.
During the day, another thought kept occupying my mind.
I’ve been thinking about buying a Google Pixel Watch.
For years, owning a good smartwatch was something I could only dream about.
Back in college, I couldn’t afford premium devices, so I settled for inexpensive local-brand watches.
Now that I’m working, I feel like I can finally buy something I’ve genuinely wanted for a long time.
The Pixel Watch isn’t just about looks.
I like its health tracking features, fitness monitoring, and the convenience of NFC payments while I’m here in Dubai.
At the same time, another part of me keeps asking whether it’s really necessary.
I’ll be returning to India in about a month, and once I’m back, I’ll mostly be using UPI for payments anyway.
So my mind is split into two.
One side tells me to save the money.
The other reminds me that it’s okay to occasionally buy something for myself.
After all, we work hard not only to build our future but also to enjoy the present.
I even asked my Pappa what she thought.
She smiled and said, “If you really like it, don’t stop yourself. Buy it.”
Her answer didn’t make the decision any easier.
It simply made me think even more.
Maybe I’ll buy it.
Maybe I’ll wait.
I honestly don’t know yet.
Let’s see what I decide in the coming days.
There was one more thing on my mind today.
During our conversation, I asked her whether her college senior had messaged her again.
I had been wondering about it since morning but didn’t want to keep bringing it up.
She told me that she had replied politely, and there wasn’t much else to it.
That was enough for me.
Long-distance relationships naturally come with moments of overthinking, but I’ve learned that trust and honest conversations matter far more than assumptions.
The important thing is that we keep talking openly with each other.
Looking back, today felt much better than yesterday.
Work went well.
I received unexpected appreciation.
I had several wonderful conversations with my Pappa.
And as I sit here writing this diary before bed, I feel grateful.
Not every day has to be extraordinary.
Sometimes, a peaceful day filled with laughter, meaningful conversations, small achievements, and people who genuinely care about you is more than enough.
With that thought, I’m finally calling it a night.
Thank you for reading another page from my diary.
See you tomorrow.