do you remember the first time you stepped on the green grass?
bare feet, the little blades tickling your toes
you bent down to smell the earth,
sniffing your nose
and you wished
that moment would never pass.

do you remember the first time you ran through the paved street?
or maybe learned to cycle,
your father holding your bike steady
you shrieked and swayed a bit
but you knew you were ready
because you could always run back safely
to your family in a heartbeat.

do you remember the first time you learned about god ?
or visited temples ?
rang bells ?
even saw monkeys stealing sweets !
for you festivals meant fun and lots of tasty treats
and every time you went back to those temples,
you would still be completely awed.

do you remember how it has been a month of terror?
the lives you lost, the tears you shed, your dreams that drowned.
was it science
or fate
or just random trial and error?
everything you knew is now just aground.

do you remember how it has been a month of resilience?
the grasses you sniffed,
the pavements you ran,
the gods you visited- are no longer there.
yet you see hope, love, and courage at every single distance.
because when you lost your family a month ago,
you still had brothers and sisters at every corner that care.

ten years later, i hope you remember that afternoon
not as the day you lost everything,
but gained something new
i see strength in you, the courage you have is a boon
you have us all standing with you-
i know you will pull through.

Today marks the one month anniversary of the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal, killing more than 8600 people, injuring thousands and destroying more than half a million homes completely. May the souls rest in peace.