coffee break

Amma's hands trembled as she poured filter coffee, the same ritual her grandmother taught her in Tamil Nadu. Between shifts at the prestigious firm, she'd recite Thiruppavai verses under her breath, ancient words grounding her modern life. Her colleagues noticed something luminous about her. During coffee breaks, she'd share stories of Krishna and the gopis, her accent painting pictures across the break room. That day, three coworkers asked to learn the verses. As steam rose from their cups, Amma smiled. Her heritage wasn't something carried alone anymore—it was becoming their shared morning prayer, a beautiful bridge between old wisdom and new belonging.