Letter #8 – 07/23/25

On pancakes and balancing our moods.

Dearest Reader,

Each day we rise with a different mood, don’t we? Today, I woke up late but with a spark of energy, determined to make French toast for breakfast. I was moving quickly, my hunger pushing me along. I whisked together milk, eggs, sugar, and added a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, with just a pinch of salt for a little extra flavor. The pan was piping hot as I dipped thick slices of milk bread into the batter, and the sizzle of butter on the pan told me it was going to be delicious. After all, what is French toast without butter? The result was just as I hoped—absolutely divine! Oh, and I must mention, I fed it to my family as well, and they relished every bite—or so they say!

What’s your favorite breakfast indulgence?

Speaking of moods, isn’t it remarkable how many emotions we go through in a single day? One moment we’re filled with joy, and the next, something shifts, and we find ourselves touched by sadness. Then there’s anger, frustration, loneliness, and that gnawing feeling of anxiety—those emotions we often wish we could sweep away like fallen leaves. Yet, a wise person once told me that without these difficult emotions, we wouldn’t truly understand the beauty of joy, the thrill of excitement, or the warmth of love and connection. We need the contrast, just as the light needs the dark to shine brighter.

Life is a balancing act. Just as the sun must set to give way to the moon, our lives are a series of highs and lows, and it’s in the waves of those ups and downs that we find our true selves.

The trick, I believe, is to understand that happiness is an emotion that comes and goes like tides. But when it drifts away, it’s up to us to dive into those deeper, darker waters and bring it back to shore.

It’s a delicate dance of contrasts, and all emotions, whether high or low, deserve our respect. They are a part of the human experience, shaping us into who we are and it is only fair to honor them all, even the ones that feel like heavy burdens. Ah, today I spent quite some time thinking and writing about moods. This also reminded me of the movie Inside Out 2, which I absolutely loved.

So, my dear reader, if you were to choose, what would you say is the emotion that gives you strength, and which one do you find most challenging?

I’d love to hear from you! Share your daydreams and stories with me at nuraine.sadaf@gmail.com or share your thoughts in the comments.

“Let’s bring a little bit of the past into our present, one letter at a time”.

Yours lovingly,
Nuraine

My Substack publication: https://open.substack.com/pub/nuraine/p/letter-1-082424?r=1r1cfn&utm_medium=ios