Self-Confidence
By Roopa Evangeline

With a broken heart,
One day, I returned to the land that bore me;
The streets, fluent in my tongue,
Looked upon me with quiet affection.
The word “homeland”
Breathed new life into my weary soul.

Before a door marked “Godrej,”
The next chapter of my life began.
As I stepped inside,
My heart asked softly –
“Will I find humanity here?”

Yes – There was no scorn in their eyes,
No poison in their words,
No wounds in their hands –
Only a gentle smile,
A flicker of care in their hearts.

For the first time,
Someone shared a table with me.
For the first time,
Someone called my name with kindness.
In that moment,
My tears tasted sweet.

In work – respect;
In meals – friendship beside me;
In their words – affection.
All these things
Made me human again.

They said: “You have talent,
You have dreams,
We are with you.”
And those words
Turned the volcano in my soul
Into a blooming flower.

I smiled –
For the first time in years,
Truly smiled from the heart.
Bathed in their warmth,
My life was born anew.