Hi everyone, and welcome to Little Zen, a Little Mess.
Today, I want to talk about—hu-geh (spelled hygge)—that quiet, cozy feeling that makes you breathe a little easier.
It’s a Danish word, but honestly, we find hygge in India all the time.
Let me tell you about one simple moment where I felt it.
This happened in Mumbai.
It was a long day. I had woken up really early, and the entire day I had been on my feet. I remember that I still had to finish all my chores, and by the time I stepped out, I was tired and a little irritated.
On my way, I stopped at a small juice centre.
Nothing fancy—just a small juice centre, a counter, and a few chairs and stools.
I ordered a watermelon juice.
The guy behind the counter nodded and got to work. No small talk, no special vibe. Just normal.
As I waited, a man walked in.
He looked exhausted—probably a long day, too many meetings, who knows.
He quietly said, “Bhaiya, ek carrot juice….”
The guy gave him the juice, added two cookies, and simply said,
“It’s okay, you don’t need to pay for the cookies.”
No big emotion.
No “hero moment.”
Just a normal gesture of kindness—everyday, practical, human.
That small exchange shifted something in me.
My watermelon juice arrived.
Nothing extraordinary—just cool, simple, familiar, tasty.
I sat on the little plastic stool.
Rain started tapping softly outside on the street.
The traffic noise faded a bit.
For the first time that day, I felt myself relax.
Not happy.
Not excited.
Just… settled.
And that’s when I understood.
Hygge is not about candles or cozy aesthetics.
It’s about moments that give you a quiet sense of comfort.
In India, it shows up everywhere:
- a warm cup of tea after a stressful day,
- someone sharing an umbrella at a bus stop,
- neighbours sending over fresh rotis without ceremony,
- sitting with people you don’t even know, but still feeling safe for a minute.
These moments aren’t dramatic.
But they make you feel grounded.
When I left the juice centre, nothing huge had changed.
The problems of the day were still there.
But inside, I felt a little calmer.
And maybe that’s all hygge is—
a tiny pause in the middle of a loud life,
when everything feels just a bit lighter.
In the soft glow of hygge, we remember that joy lives in the quiet places.
In warmth and stillness, the heart finds its way home.
Thanks for listening to me.
—Seema
If you get a small comfort moment today—notice it.
