Yogesh lived in a small village in Karsog, where the mountains folded into one another like calm waves. At twenty six, he already felt older than his years, not because of hardship, but because of questions that never left him. He searched for love, compassion, and companionship, yet he often felt that these words were spoken more easily than they were lived.
In the village, people spoke warmly about love, but Yogesh noticed how quickly those words turned into expectations. Promises were made with smiles, then forgotten when comfort or advantage appeared. He did not judge them with anger. He simply felt sad, because to him, love was not a decoration. It was a quiet decision to care for another person, even when there was no reward.
Yogesh believed that true love required dedication and self sacrifice. He had learned this from his grandmother, who once stayed awake for three nights to nurse a sick neighbour without telling anyone. When Yogesh asked her why she did it, she only said, “Because she is part of me.” That sentence stayed with him longer than any lesson from school.
Words were Yogesh’s closest friends. He spoke several Indian languages and English, and he enjoyed moving between them as if he were walking through different gardens. Each language carried a different colour of feeling. In Hindi he found warmth, in his local dialect he found roots, and in English he found a bridge to distant minds. Sometimes he spoke to himself softly, not because he was lonely, but because he liked to test how ideas sounded in the air.
Inside his heart, music was always present. He remembered songs from films, from temples, from radio programmes, and from travelling singers. He did not always remember the names of the singers, but he remembered how the songs made him feel. In his mind, the melodies mixed with the sound of wind in the trees and water in the fields. To him, this was prayer, even though he never used that word.
Yogesh often walked alone on narrow paths above the village. From there he could see roofs, farms, and distant roads. He imagined those roads joining other roads, and then joining seas and cities he had never seen. He wished for a world where countries were not enemies, but neighbours. In his vision, people argued less about borders and more about how to protect rivers, forests, and children.
He dreamed of a time with no war, no weapons, and no hatred. He believed that racism, jealousy, and discrimination were not natural conditions, but habits that could be unlearned. When people laughed at his ideas, he did not become angry. He only smiled and said, “We have learned many bad things. We can also learn better ones.”
One evening, Yogesh met an old traveller near a small tea stall. The man listened quietly as Yogesh spoke about love, peace, and words. After a long silence, the traveller said, “You speak like someone who is waiting for the world to change.”
Yogesh thought for a moment and replied, “I am not waiting. I am practising.”
The traveller smiled. He explained that he had visited many countries and seen both kindness and cruelty. “The world will not change because of one person,” he said gently.
“I know,” Yogesh answered. “But one person can decide not to add more cruelty.”
They shared tea without speaking again. When they stood up to leave, the traveller touched Yogesh’s shoulder and said, “Your words will find someone, even if you never see them.”
That night, Yogesh returned home and wrote a short song in three languages. It was not perfect, and he knew it would never be famous. Still, he felt calm. He understood that love did not have to arrive in a dramatic moment. It could exist quietly in small choices, patient thoughts, and honest words.
Yogesh realised that he was not alone, even when he walked by himself. His compassion connected him to people he had never met. His words connected him to people he would never see. His hope connected him to a future he might not reach.
He closed his notebook and looked at the mountains one last time before sleeping. He no longer felt he was searching for love. He felt he was learning how to become it.
Vocabulary Notes
Companionship
Meaning: A feeling of friendship, comfort, and closeness shared between people.
Example: “Yogesh searched for love, compassion, and companionship.”
Explanation: Companionship is not just about being together physically. It is about emotional support, understanding, and shared presence.
Similar words: Friendship, togetherness, fellowship, closeness, bond
Self sacrifice
Meaning: Giving up your own comfort, time, or advantage for the benefit of others.
Example: “Yogesh believed that true love required dedication and self sacrifice.”
Explanation: Self sacrifice does not always mean big heroic actions. It can be small daily choices that put others first.
Similar words: Devotion, generosity, selflessness, commitment
Dedication
Meaning: Strong loyalty or commitment to a purpose, person, or idea.
Example: “True love required dedication and self sacrifice.”
Explanation: Dedication shows consistency. A dedicated person continues even when it is difficult or unrewarding.
Similar words: Commitment, loyalty, persistence, faithfulness
Compassion
Meaning: Deep awareness of another person’s suffering with a desire to help.
Example: “He searched for love, compassion, and companionship.”
Explanation: Compassion is stronger than sympathy because it includes action, not only feeling.
Similar words: Kindness, empathy, care, understanding, mercy
Conclusive
Meaning: Providing a clear ending or final understanding.
Example context: The story ends with Yogesh understanding that he must become the love he is seeking.
Explanation: A conclusive ending gives the reader emotional closure and clarity.
Similar words: Final, decisive, definite, complete, resolved
Story written by ChatGPT.
Image created by ChatGPT.
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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