New Delhi: You know, a friend of mine asked me the other day, “Why did we become adults?” It hit me right in the gut. I mean, think about it—look at all the chaos around us. Work stress, kids, tantrums, mood swings—some days, it feels like we’re just trying to keep our heads above water. Why did we even grow up in the first place? Wasn’t there a time when life felt a lot simpler?

And where did the whole family concept get disrupted? Remember when families were more than just the nuclear unit? We used to live together—grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins—and it just worked. There was always someone around to help out, someone to share the load. But now, even cousins seem like strangers, and relatives feel like fictional characters from a distant past.

Today, we’re scattered. It’s like we’re all running in different directions, juggling jobs, kids, housework, and everything else life throws at us, and often, it feels like no one’s really there. It’s as if we’ve exchanged the support of extended family for what? For independence? For the illusion of freedom? I don’t know, but sometimes, it feels like we’ve traded something irreplaceable for… more stress.

And what’s with the obsession over the nuclear family these days? We’ve all bought into this idea that the ideal family is a tiny unit—just Amma, Appa, and the kids. It’s like we’re constantly told to make it work within these small, isolated boxes. But when you really think about it, is this what we truly need? Sure, we’re busy, but aren’t we also lonelier than ever? We’re all so wrapped up in these........

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