Seen and heard.Field stories.

 With the chill in the weather, I thought why not just walk into a café and have a good cup of coffee?

As I entered, I was taken aback by the warmth. Not just of the temperature, but of the people. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their own small moments.....coffee cups held close, donuts half-bitten, snacks shared casually. Wow. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mixed with the soft clinking of cutlery, felt deeply welcoming....almost like a quiet embrace.

On my left were bookshelves. Some people were browsing, some making notes, some writing, others typing away on their laptops. As long as you’re writing, it’s good. The shelf of new books always intrigues me. Will I ever be there, sitting quietly on that shelf, waiting to be picked up?

Well… let’s see.

I was waiting to meet someone for inputs for the Foundation when my friend walked in....wearing the most beautiful red stole and a million-dollar smile. That kind of smile that warms a room without trying.

As we went to order coffee, I noticed a young man sitting at a nearby table, working on his laptop. Café culture—can it ever be defeated? And who really sets this culture anyway? You and me. Can we tweak it into something else?

Yes. Into Warm-Shoulder Conversations.

The young man began talking to my friend. I noticed tears in his eyes—visible, unhidden, unapologetic. He began sharing his story. The grief was evident. He had lost some of the most precious members of his family. He works from home, he said, and once in a while he comes to cafés.

Perhaps not just for coffee.

I could sense it clearly.....the missing human connection. The most basic human need.

All he needed in that moment was to talk.

Conversations have a beautiful way of flowing when you’re ready. He shared, and then he paused.

The sacred pause.

The million-dollar pause.

Not an end......just an early beginning.

Silence can be deeply healing.

Why am I sharing this?

Because this is the need of the moment.

Nothing was planned.

No effort.

No fixing.

No judgment.

Just a spontaneous human connection.

And yes, a connection was made.

He felt seen.He felt heard.

This is precious.

And somewhere, softly playing in my mind were these words:

“Kisi ki muskurāhon pe ho nisār,

Jeena isi ka naam hai.”

To live for someone’s smile.

To pause for someone’s tears.

To offer presence, not solutions.

And then I ask—

What about us?

When did we stop looking at the person sitting next to us?

When did we become so busy being productive that we forgot how to be present?

This is the essence of the Warm Shoulder Foundation.

To sit beside someone—not above them.

To listen—not to respond, but to understand.

To remind each other that we are not alone.

Many more stories and sharings are coming.

We’re here.

Where are you?