The Sky Within

There was a time when happiness knocked on my door, and I greeted it like an old  acquaintance, skeptical and hesitant. I would let it in but never fully allow it to settle.  Instead, I examined it, questioned it - was it fleeting? Was it deserved? Was it real? But  expansion, as I have come to understand, is about making space, about stretching beyond  the limitations we impose on ourselves, even in the pursuit of joy. 

2024 was the year my perspective transformed, not in one grand moment but in a quiet  realization - happiness does not need to be dissected; it simply needs to be received. And  what a revelation that was! 

The Breaking Point Before Expansion… 

I have always been someone who pushes limits, whether in fitness, creativity, or my role as  an educator. I believed growth came from constant striving, from proving myself to the world  and, more importantly, to myself. But 2024 handed me an unexpected lesson: growth also  comes from surrender. 

It happened on an ordinary day, in a room filled with little voices and laughter. My young  students, immersed in a simple hands-on activity, were shaping clay with tiny hands,  molding it into forms that made sense only to them. They weren’t trying to create perfection;  they were simply creating. There was no fear of judgment, no second-guessing, only pure,  uninhibited joy. And at that moment, something in me expanded - I saw what I had been  resisting. 

Joy doesn’t require justification. It doesn’t demand a checklist of achievements. It doesn’t  need to be earned. It is there, waiting to be embraced. 

Making Room for Joy… 

From that day on, I stopped treating happiness as a guest and started welcoming it as a  permanent resident. I stopped questioning whether I deserved the good moments, the small  victories, the laughter that bubbled up without reason. Instead, I made space. I expanded  my capacity to receive without hesitation. 

I found expansion in the rhythm of my morning workouts, in the pages of the book I long  dreamed of publishing, in the warmth of my family’s love, in the silent victories of my  students discovering the world one lesson at a time. 

The Final Thought… 

Expansion is not just about reaching outward; it’s about stretching inward - breaking old  patterns, softening rigid beliefs, and allowing life to flow without resistance. In 2024, I  learned that true expansion is the art of making space - not just for growth but for  happiness, without question, without fear, and without limits.

“The Sky Within”

We often look to the skies in search of infinity, yet the vastest universe exists within us. This minimalist digital piece captures that paradox - where a serene silhouette dissolves into an endless cosmic expanse. Deep celestial blues and purples swirl with wisps of clouds and distant galaxies, symbolizing the boundless potential of the human spirit.

It’s a quiet yet powerful reminder: growth isn’t about reaching outward, but expanding inward. The sky isn’t just above us - it’s within us, waiting to unfold.

-Reetu Verma

Meet the Author:

Some build skyscrapers, I build childhoods - one story, one smile, and one messy, joy-filled lesson at a time. With over 12 years of shaping tiny hands and big dreams, I believe that learning should be as joyful as a child’s first crayon masterpiece. In my kindergarten classroom, curiosity rules, laughter is the language of learning, and every moment adds a new stroke of color to a child’s world. A trained accessory designer from NIFT and a former craft consultant, I bring an artist’s touch to teaching - turning everyday learning into an adventure. A storyteller, educator, designer and fitness enthusiast, I wear many hats - but my favorite is the invisible crown of a teacher who makes childhood magical.