Purpose Beyond Damage - By Biranalini Mahinthan

Written By: Biranalini Mahinthan

Category: Poetry, Short story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, Biranalini Mahinthan presents "Purpose Beyond Damage," a poignant piece that marries poetry and short storytelling. Through the lens of a watch repair shop, this work delves into themes of resilience, worth, and the hidden value within the seemingly broken. As Biranalini weaves this narrative, we are invited to reflect on the beauty and purpose found beyond damage, both in objects and in ourselves.

About the Work

"Purpose Beyond Damage" is a contemplative exploration of value and resilience. Through vivid imagery of old watches and a keen observation of a watch repair process, the piece uses metaphor to illustrate how broken things - and people - can still possess worth. The narrative style gently guides the reader to a realization that beauty and purpose endure beyond perceived imperfections, evoking a sense of hope and understanding.

Purpose Beyond Damage

Original Submission by Biranalini Mahinthan

Purpose Beyond Damage

Yesterday I went to a watch repair shop to repair and replace the batteries in my watches. As I brought three of my watches and two of my sister’s watches, it took some time for that watch mechanic to repair them all. As I was watching what he was doing, I noticed something.

He had so many old watches. Some of them were broken, some were rusted, some of them didn’t have a proper dial, and some of them didn’t have their back covers. He had so many watches in different conditions. I brought one of my watches that had lost its back cover. So, he immediately took a few watches from his drawer and tried their back covers on my watch one by one until he found one that fit perfectly. And then, he made a few repairs and a few adjustments before securely attaching it to my watch.

That’s when I realized something.

Not all old things are worthless. Not all broken things belong in the bin. Some of them still have value. Even if they seem useless to their owners, they may be useful to someone else. They can provide value to someone else in a different way.

Not all broken things are ugly, some of them still carry beauty and purpose.

This is not only about things but also about people. Not all the broken-hearted people become useless. Some hearts become stronger, kinder, and more understanding because of what they have gone through. Sometimes the very pieces that seem broken are the ones that later help someone else heal.

Just like those old watches in the drawer, people may also feel forgotten, damaged, or incomplete. But in the right place, at the right time, even what seems broken can still find its purpose and become meaningful again.

Purpose Beyond Damage

I visited a watch repair shop,

carrying time in the palm of my hands.

Three watches of mine,

two of my sister’s.

While the mechanic worked,

my eyes wandered

to a drawer filled with forgotten time.

the old watches.

Some with cracked faces,

some rusted by silent years,

some without hands to tell a story,

some missing the very cover

that once held them together.

Among them,

I searched for hope.

One of my own watches

had long lost its back cover.

without hesitation,

the mechanic reached into that drawer,

lifting one forgotten watch after another,

trying each piece patiently

until one fit perfectly.

A discarded fragment

became the missing piece.

And in that quiet moment,

something inside me awakened.

Perhaps not everything old

is meant to be thrown away.

Perhaps not everything broken

belongs in the bin.

What seems worthless

to one pair of hands

may become priceless

in another.

Every shattered thing

still carries purpose.

Every damaged thing

still knows how to serve.

Perhaps people are no different.

Not every broken heart

loses its worth.

Some become softer,

kinder, and more compassionate.

Some become stronger,

more powerful, and more resilient.

Some learn to understand

the pain they never wished to know.

And sometimes,

the very cracks that once hurt us

become the places

through which someone else

finds healing.

Like those forgotten watches

waiting quietly in a drawer,

people, too,

may feel abandoned,

damaged, or incomplete.

Yet, in the right hands,

at the right moment,

even what the world calls broken

can become someone else’s

missing piece.

Because purpose

is not destroyed

by damage.

Sometimes,

it is discovered

through it.

Biranalini Mahinthan

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious platform celebrating literary creativity worldwide. Participants are encouraged to express their unique voices and share stories that resonate with truth and imagination. This competition aims to foster a global community of writers and poets who inspire through their words.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Biranalini Mahinthan for sharing "Purpose Beyond Damage" with us in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. This insightful work invites readers to find beauty and purpose beyond damage, reminding us of the resilience inherent in both objects and ourselves. We look forward to more profound reflections from Biranalini in the future.

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.