NihshabdBlog

Category: Poetry

Poems born from silence, memory, and reflection.

  • How Do You Build Loyal Subscribers?

    How Do You Build Loyal Subscribers?

    People ask,

    .

    “How do you build loyal subscribers?”

    .

    As if they’re ingredients

    .

    and I’m missing one crucial spice.

    Add a pinch of consistency,
    a dash of wit,
    stir vigorously,

    and voilà—loyal subscribers.

    .

    If only.

    .

    I don’t think loyal subscribers
    are built at all.

    .

    I think they begin
    with a stranger.

    Someone who finds
    a piece of themselves

    hidden in your words.

    A thought they recognize.

    A feeling they’ve carried.

    A smile they didn’t expect.

    .

    They read a post.

    Then another.

    And that’s where the mystery begins.

    .

    Because the second visit
    is always more interesting
    than the first.

    .

    The first is curiosity.

    The second is choice.

    And somewhere between
    one post and another,

    something small happens.

    .

    A shared laugh.

    A familiar thought.

    A sentence that quietly says,

    “Me too.”

    Without either of you noticing,

    the stranger becomes familiar.

    .

    And isn’t that extraordinary?

    .

    In a world full of endless scrolling,

    someone pauses.

    In a world overflowing with voices,

    someone remembers yours.

    Not because every post is perfect.

    .

    Thank goodness.

    Perfection is exhausting.

    But because, every now and then,

    your words make them feel
    a little less alone.

    Perhaps that’s how
    loyal subscribers are made.

    .

    Not through clever tricks.

    Not through algorithms.

    But through tiny moments
    of human connection.

    One post.

    One smile.

    One “I’ve felt that too”

    at a time.

    .

    So perhaps loyal subscribers
    aren’t followers at all.

    .

    They’re the people
    who turn words into conversations,

    conversations into friendships,

    and an ordinary blog

    into a place that feels
    a little like home.

    .

    And if you’re reading this,

    whether you’ve been here
    for years,

    or only just arrived,

    thank you.

    .

    You may think you’re following a blog.

    .

    But from where I’m sitting,

    you’re helping build
    the reason it exists.

    .

    With love,

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved

  • Practice Makes Perfect? I Respectfully Disagree

    Practice Makes Perfect? I Respectfully Disagree

    They say,

    “Practice makes perfect.”

    .

    I would like to respectfully disagree.

    .

    Still Waiting for the User Manual😌

    I’ve been practicing adulthood
    for quite some time now,

    and I still occasionally walk into a room

    and forget why I went there.

    .

    Mirror vs Camera: An Ongoing Feud 😒

    I’ve practiced taking selfies.

    Hundreds of them.

    Yet somehow,

    the person in the mirror
    and the person in the photo

    continue to be complete strangers.

    .

    Love, Water, Sunlight… and Drama 🎭

    I’ve practiced gardening too.

    The internet says:

    “Give plants sunlight, water, and love.”

    I did.

    The plant responded by dying.

    Meanwhile,

    a neglected plant growing from a crack in the pavement

    is absolutely thriving.

    .

    Explain that.

    .

    One Eye Understands the Assignment🤯

    I’ve practiced drawing.

    Which mostly means

    spending hours creating something beautiful

    and then noticing one tiny mistake

    that suddenly becomes

    the only thing I can see.

    .

    A Pinch of Hope, A Dash of Panic 😱

    I’ve practiced cooking.

    And every time I make a recipe,

    there’s still a brief moment

    when I stare into the pan

    and hope for divine intervention.

    .

    The Perfect Reply Arrives Three Days Later 😪

    I’ve practiced conversations.

    Yet I still remember things

    I should have said

    three days ago.

    Usually while showering.

    When it is far too late.

    .

    The Password and I Are No Longer Speaking 🤭

    I’ve also practiced creating passwords.

    Strong passwords.

    Unique passwords.

    Passwords with capital letters,

    small letters,

    numbers,

    symbols,

    and what feels like

    a personal sacrifice to the technology gods.

    And yet,

    every login still begins with:

    “Incorrect password.”

    Followed by:

    “Forgot Password?”

    which feels less like a question

    and more like a judgment.

    .

    Practice makes perfect?

    Really?

    .

    Because from what I’ve observed,

    practice mostly makes us

    slightly less confused than before.

    And even that’s not guaranteed.

    .

    The funny thing is,

    the people I admire most

    aren’t perfect at all.

    They’re the ones who keep trying.

    The ones who laugh at their mistakes.

    The ones who accidentally send messages too early,

    water the wrong plant,

    burn the toast,

    miss the turn,

    make the typo,

    and somehow continue living

    as if the world hasn’t ended.

    Which, surprisingly,

    it hasn’t.

    .

    So perhaps the proverb needs an update.

    .

    Practice doesn’t make perfect.

    Practice makes stories.

    .

    It gives us the embarrassing moments,

    the unexpected detours,

    the inside jokes,

    the lessons,

    and occasionally,

    if we’re very lucky,

    a little wisdom.

    .

    Because perfection is impressive.

    But imperfection?

    Imperfection is relatable.

    It’s the selfie that took fifty tries.

    The recipe that looked nothing like the picture.

    The plant that survived purely out of stubbornness.

    The sketch with one slightly suspicious-looking hand.

    The password we reset yesterday

    and forgot today.

    And if we’re being honest,

    most of us don’t need another perfect person to admire.

    We just need proof

    that everyone else is making it up as they go along too.

    And after years of practice,

    that’s the one thing I’ve finally become good at:

    .

    Looking perfectly confident…

    while having absolutely no idea what I’m doing. 😄🌷✨

    .

    With love,

    —Rajeshwari 🧿💕

    © Nihshabd by Rajeshwari. All Rights Reserved