Rose Thorn: Soft Petals Sharp Edges

<p>Shaunak grew up feeling like he didn&rsquo;t quite fit in. Even as a child he was more thoughtful than others his age which made it hard to make friends. When he moved to a new city for school he lived alone in a rented room. Most days he kept to himself&mdash;reading love stories watching romantic shows and playing sports. He believed that one day someone special would come into his life and make everything better.​</p><p>One day while having tea he met a group of six older men who spent their time chatting at the local tea stall. They welcomed him into their group and for the first time he felt a bit less alone. But deep down he still longed for a deeper connection. He wanted someone to talk to someone who would understand him.​</p><p>Despite this newfound camaraderie Shaunak yearns for a deeper connection&mdash;a soulmate to complete him. His longing leads him into relationships where he overlooks red flags believing that any affection is better than none. He convinces himself that he deserves only the bare minimum enduring emotional pain in the pursuit of love. Even when aware of the toxicity he remains driven by the hope that his unwavering commitment will eventually be reciprocated.As time went on Shaunak found himself falling for people who didn&rsquo;t feel the same way. He ignored the signs that things weren&rsquo;t right and convinced himself that any attention was better than none. He started to believe he didn&rsquo;t deserve much and settled for less even when it hurt. He knew he was making mistakes but kept hoping that if he tried hard enough things would change.​</p><p>Rose Thorn is a story about growing up feeling alone and learning the hard way that love isn&rsquo;t always like the stories we read. It&rsquo;s about realizing that sometimes holding on too tightly can cause more pain than letting go. Shaunak&rsquo;s journey shows us that true love starts with understanding and valuing ourselves.</p>