You only realize the value of something when you do not have access to it anymore, whether it’s money, good health, or a good friend. For me, that something is the mountains. Growing up in Kathmandu, mountains always surround you from all sides. They greet you every morning, and if you’re an early riser, you may also spot the stunning snow-clad ranges twinkling in the morning sun. Mountains in Kathmandu are so common that you sometimes forget how beautiful they are. You treat them like a parent: you know they’re there, so you take them for granted.

As I begin to write this, I am reminded of an old Sanjay Dutt movie dialogue “Aadmi apne kaam se pehechana jaata hai, naam se nhi” which roughly translates to, “A person is known by his work, not by his name.” While I do agree with the statement, I also can’t deny that there are quite a few perks of having a unique name. For one thing, even people who are bad with names will remember yours. And second, your introduction session is never boring. This I can say by experience.

Trrrr trrrr. The alarm went off. Ram Bahadur woke up immediately. It was an important day for him. An important presentation was scheduled for the day and if all went well he would be in for a big promotion. He opened the laptop and checked the slides again. He had been through them so many times now that he knew each word by heart. After struggling for almost 15 years he finally saw an opportunity for promotion and naturally did not want to ruin it.