Spiegel im Spiegel, which I discovered this year while rummaging through a stranger’s Spotify playlist, has changed everything I thought I knew about the power of music. Spiegel im Spiegel is a 10-minute violin and piano composition created in 1978 by reclusive Estonian musician Arvo Pärt, who is famous for his minimalist style of music. "Spiegel … Continue reading The Soundtrack of Loss
Personal essay
The Three Trillion Train
The first thing I noticed about the apartment was its three large windows. The second was the neon display at the deserted gun store outside the windows. As the landlord carried on, I stared at the sign until the train arrived. Faint at first, then loud, it blared past the trees partially blocking the view … Continue reading The Three Trillion Train
Leaving the Metropolis
Seven years ago, I left the city of my birth for good. Ostensibly, my leaving was tied to a common reason young Pakistani women emigrate: marriage. It’s taken some years of introspection to see that my decision to marry when I did was a means to my exit, and not the other way around. My … Continue reading Leaving the Metropolis
In My Motherhood
October, 2011 What is it that makes women so susceptible to the smallest slight once they've scoured practically the highest mountain for human endurance: giving birth to a child. One would think that successfully delivering a living, breathing person would open gates for some kind of new, thriving confidence that would make them a seamless … Continue reading In My Motherhood
Amar Bail 