Earlier today, my friends asked to define the year 2023 in a single word. The first word that came to my mind was “combustible”. Perhaps this is because I am on the verge of a burn out. I am not able to stretch myself anymore. I can feel the pain knotting up and numbing my shoulder blades. My legs are zinging with stress. When the pressure limits have been tested – tiredness turns into a burst of energy, for a bit. It is the beep before the explosion – a robust sound that’s a warning indicator. The word combustible refers to the property of a substance or material to go up in flames. This year, I got a lot done. I accumulated a lot of material. But looking back, most of what I collected seems combustible.