"Monday Boarding Pass to Friday Soul Pass" - By Priya Darne

Written By: Priya Darne

Category: Short Story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In "Monday Boarding Pass to Friday Soul Pass," Priya Darne delves into the intricate balance between career and personal life. As part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar, this short story captures the essence of modern-day challenges faced by professionals worldwide. Darne's narrative explores the journey from the bustling demands of the week to the quiet wisdom found within one's heart by the weekend.

About the Work

Priya Darne paints a vivid picture of a modern professional navigating life's dual roles. Her protagonist, a confident and independent woman, finds herself in the whirlwind of corporate demands while yearning for the serenity of home. Through reflective prose, Darne masterfully juxtaposes the hustle of Monday mornings with the tranquility of Friday evenings, offering readers a poignant reminder of the importance of balance and self-reflection.

"Monday Boarding pass to Friday soul pass"

Original Submission by Priya Darne

The Monday Boarding Pass,The Friday Soul Pass

From the Week’s Demands to the Wisdom of the Heart

Monday morning in Chicago.The Sun hasn't quite decided if it's worth waking up yet, but she has.Her suitcase-packed with the kind of military precision usually reserved for high-stakes missions-stands guard by the door. Laptop? Check. Chargers? Check. A "corporate-ready" smile currently loading at 24%.

She is a thirty-year-old powerhouse-independent, confident, and professionally formidable. She collects airline status points faster than most people collect loose change. Her week is a high-speed blur of airports, different states, client meetings, hotel rooms, and deadlines.

Yet, to those of us who have watched her grow up,will always feel she is still a little girl-the one who traded her school backpack for a college sack, hers strategy decks, and campus interviews for promotions.

But lately, the milestones have changed.Six months ago, she embraced a new role-wife.And now she is discovering that balancing boardrooms and a marriage isn't exactly a subject taught in business school.

The illusion of the Final Lap.We generally spend our formative years believing success is a straight road.Finish the degree.Land the job.Get the promotion.Earn the title…it’s a fact.

We chase stability, convinced that if we reach one magical milestone, life will finally slow down.But life has a peculiar habit of moving the finish line every time we get close.

The corporate marathon doesn't end with a road waiting for you.It simply hands you another step.

Every achievement is quietly followed by another target, another presentation, another flight, another Monday morning boarding pass etc

This is indeed an Irony of todays modern life.

We work hard to build a meaningful career while trying to build a meaningful home.Our absence in conference rooms may be questioned but at the same time,someone waiting for your presence at the dinner table too.

Back to her again……

She waves goodbye on Monday morning and spend the week living out of a suitcase. Then Friday afternoon arrives, and suddenly every mile back home feels shorter because she is counting down to familiar footsteps, shared conversations, and her own balcony waiting for her holding a cup of black coffee assuring her,“Finally yet another week is over” a total unhurried mind heading towards inner peace. It is recovery.

So the corner of Balcony matters More Than the corner of the Boardroom

Then comes Friday evening.The suitcase is finally unzipped.

The laptop is shut.It is home reminding,addressing you are beyond presentations, performance reviews, and project deadlines.

And sometimes, life gently reminds her to pause a little longer.

This year, for the first time since her wedding,she chose to take a day off for her birthday.Not becauses she was exhausted.Not because someone insisted.Simply because she wanted to celebrate life.A well-deserved long weekend.No rushing between flights.No meeting reminders interrupting the day.

Just time with her husband, laughter, unhurried conversations, and the simple joy of celebrating her first birthday after marriage.At this age if someone can feel like celebrating a birthday in water park ,and that’s the little child in her still exists.

The happiness on her face said everything.

It wasn't the day off that made it special.

She was giving herself a permission to be fully present.

Sometimes the greatest birthday gift isn't wrapped in paper.It's wrapped in time.

The Art of the "OFF" Switch.Taking a break isn't a sign of weakness.It is emotional intelligence.It is a strategy.

When we visit our parents, cook together, laugh over old stories, celebrate birthdays without checking emails every few minutes, or simply spend a lazy afternoon doing absolutely nothing, we are not falling behind.We are recharging ourselves.

Mastering the "OFF" switch doesn't make anyone less ambitious.It makes us sustainable.And every time you return after genuine rest, you don't return with less drive.You return with greater clarity, stronger energy, and a heart that remembers why it started the journey in the first place.

The Friday Soul Pass,a boarding pass can take you across states.

But only a soul pass can bring you back to yourself.

Success isn't measured by how many Mondays you spend in airports.It's measured by whether your Fridays still feel like coming home.

These are limited-time offers.So finish your coffee.Unpack the suitcase.Celebrate the moments that don't appear on your résumé.And for heaven's sake...Don't even think about packing it again until Sunday night.Monday will come soon enough.

Right now, you have something far more important waiting for you.

A life that deserves to be lived-not just scheduled.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating diverse voices in poetry and creative writing. The competition invites participants from around the world to share their unique stories and perspectives, fostering a global community of writers and readers.

Thank you, Priya Darne, for your insightful contribution to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. "Monday Boarding Pass to Friday Soul Pass" offers a heartfelt exploration of life's balancing act, reminding us all of the value in pausing to appreciate the simpler joys beyond our professional pursuits.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.