STILL BREATHING: SILENCE ,SURVIVAL , AND THE THINGS WE NEVER TOLD by M.O. A

 STILL BREATHING: SILENCE ,SURVIVAL , AND THE THINGS WE NEVER TOLD by M.O. A

"Still Breathing" is a memoir that takes you diving into childhood trauma where a child could not share his pain, and it became a matter of laughter for others. The author shares his story of realizing that he has lost a part of his life by ignoring his own needs and failing to share his experiences. His journey of becoming a self-reliant person who could trust his relationships is worth reading yet painful.

It begins with vivid images of childhood bliss, which include rituals, laughter, and innocence. But gradually it is revealed how those formative years sow the seeds of self-doubt and emotional armor. It is raw vulnerability where he shares his hidden fears, conflicts, obsessive shadows, motifs of silence, and much more.

He shares that his mother was his beacon of love and warmth, and the days he spent at his maternal grandmother's were filled with joy and familial knots. Even his hostel days depict layers of relational power, toxic bonds, and societal weights. He vividly depicts authority figures, the real picture of a quiet revolution, and dismantling hierarchies and birthing bold self-assertion.

The story places a major emphasis on mental health and the role that parents have in developing their children's emotional safety. It serves as a reminder that parents should not only provide care but also companionship, understanding, and space for emotional expression, as unhealed childhood scars do not heal with age.

One of the most moving aspects of the story is the boy's silent battle with suicide thoughts. He is not genuinely living, but rather surviving, saying to himself, "Not today," whenever he considers quitting.

This silent resistance becomes a display of strength. In the end, his daughter becomes a source of hope for him, giving him a cause to believe in life and recapture the love he once thought he lacked. The novel ultimately teaches that healing takes time, survival takes courage, and choosing to keep going is a success, even in the darkest of times.

Overall, it is a thought-provoking read.

Purchase here.

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