Enlightening Experiences
Life-Lessons
Intriguing Inspirations
Covert Connections
Joyful Journeys✍️
Dramatic Differences
Polarised Personalities
Entertaining Energies
Circus Clowns
Shared Smiles😊
Realistic Realisations
Alluring Angels
Inexplicable Intricacies
Creative Conversations
Glittering Gleams✨️
(Originally posted on FB, on this day last year, 31st December '22.
The pics are not my own. Just found them in an online search, and shared them because they matched my post.)
Like the phases of the moon,
Our Life has phases of its own;
Constantly evolving, ever changing,
Each tomorrow, completely unknown.
Like the seasons follow one another,
And we adapt to its every mood swing;
Life's challenges keep us on our toes,
Uncertainty, every new dawn does bring.
Like the clock keeps ticking away,
Turning a busy day, into a silent night;
At every step, more Moments become Memories,
Till it's our turn, to walk towards the Light.✨️
'Aiz Maka, Falea Tuka' - That's what we see, at the entrance of the cemetery, in Aldona, Goa; and maybe in other Churches there too. As a child, I spent most of my summer holidays, on an island called Corjuem.That wasn't our ancestral village in Goa; but my Grandfather just liked the place, and so bought a home there, when both my Grandparents retired from their jobs here in Mumbai, and decided to spend their retired life in Goa.
Since there was no English Mass in their village chapel at the time, we crossed the ferry boat every Sunday morning, to go to the bigger Church, across the river in Aldona, (as the bridge didn't exist then).
One memory of that Church, that I will never forget, is seeing these lines, at the gate of the cemetery. If you don't know Konkani, it translates to,
'Today, it's me.
Tomorrow, it will be you.'
I don't remember how old I was, when I first saw that; but those words must've made an impression on my young mind, because I never forgot that image. It's something that has stayed with me for many decades; and each time there is a death in my family, or someone I know, loses a loved one, I'm instantly reminded of those words, all over again.
It might not seem like a very positive thought to carry along in our mind, as we journey through life; but I think, that if we frequently remind ourselves of this line, we will always remember, that none of us are going to live on this planet forever...and when it's our turn to bid this earthly life adieu, we will take nothing that we own or possess, with us.
So consequently, being as 'detached' as we possible can, seems like a good way to go through life...Not the easiest thing for us human beings to do; but I guess, it does change our whole outlook to life, when we're constantly aware of this reality.🌸✍️
*(Just found this picture posted on the Internet by someone, as I only had a picture of the place in my memory, and not an actual one.)
For those of us who love Music, December is always a month in which we are literally spoilt for choice, because there are such a lot of music events happening in different places all over, constantly.🎶
In recent years, since I used to listen to so many online music shows, I connected with and got to know, a lot of musicians and singers, not just here in Mumbai, but from Bangalore and Goa as well.😊 These amazing performers and entertainers, must have always had very busy and hectic Decembers; but now, because we get to know about all their events regularly, we actually realise how exhausting this month must be for them.
No doubt, they love what they do and enjoy making the world a happier place, through every song they sing; but I just wanted to write a post like this today, because I have been thinking about this right through this month, each time I saw the never ending posters, posts, stories or live streams, of all the musician friends, that I have made over the last three and a half years.
I know that the month is still not over; but why wait till the end of December to say this. So, 'Thank You' to every single one of you, who has been making people 'Smile and Sing and Dance', all through this festive season.❤️ I have been to only some of these numerous events; but I have followed many of your posts about your shows online...Unlike you, I don't think I would ever have the energy, to be able to do what you do; getting up on a different stage night after night, in various parts of one city, and even in different cities, just singing your hearts out and filling the world with song.😊
All of you, bring so many people together at each of your events, and you make countless people 'Happy' everyday; and that, is such a beautiful thing...This is just my way of saying, 'Thank You for the Music'.✨️
(I would love to tag everybody; but there are so many of you, and I don't want to leave anyone out. So hopefully, this note of 'Gratitude', with a little bit of 'Christmas Magic', reaches all of you.)🎄💕
Some Silent Pondering,
More Reflective Wondering.
Non-stop Nostalgic Replays,
A truly Winding Mind-Maze.
Every Moment, a Mystery,
A Contemplative walk thru' History.
'Time' - Quickly Racing Along,
Yet, 'Frozen Forever' like a Song.✨️
(Originally posted on FB on this day last year, 29th Dec. 2022)
I'm not the most Fun person to be around at Christmas time. So, I consciously choose, to stay away from it all. I love the memories; but not the reminders.😢 Not sure everyone will understand the 'difference' between the two; but I guess, those who really know me, will understand why...Maybe someday, I'll go back to thinking of and celebrating Christmas, like the ones I used to know...but not yet.😊
WHEN CHRISTMAS CHANGED FOREVER...✍️
Christmas Tree, Decorations and Lights,
A table laden with Food, What a Feast!
A Crib and a Star, Cakes and Sweets,
Made over a week of late nights, at least.
Carols playing right through December,
Extra-long Choir practices, What Fun!
Hot coffee and songs, after Midnight Mass,
At Christmas Time, ALL of this, we've done.
Then 2009, one Christmas came,
And everything changed, What a Week!
22nd to 28th - Ambulances and Hospitals,
Those sirens, for months later made me freak.
The decade that followed, it kept going on and on,
Almost 9 years of wondering, What More!,
With doctors and nurses for company,
Menus of different hospital cafeterias in store.
And in all that time, Christmas just Changed,
It all began to seem like, What a Waste!
The frills and thrills that the season brings,
On so much frivolousness, seemed to be based.
Life made this choice for me, not ideal but so Real,
And I somehow prefer it quieter now, What Calm!
Only listen to some carols; In Church, sing a few too,
The rest, not so joyful; but the resulting Peace - A Balm.✨️❤️
(Originally posted on FB, last year on this day, 19th Dec. '22)
Like sudden flashes of lightning,
They appear and then they're gone;
Just about anything triggers them,
Morning, night, dusk or dawn.
Like a familiar tune, they linger,
From one to another, quick and fast;
The mind, such a rich store-house,
Memories aplenty, in this ocean vast.
Like a mountain trail, so often trod,
Too familiar to erase or forget;
At this time of the year, more frequent,
Feelings, emotions, a tangled net.
(Originally posted on FB, last year on the 15th of Dec. '22.)
Grief slows us down completely. It's like Life begins to run in 'Slow Motion', with an 'Auto Rewind' switch attached to it, that takes us into 'Flashback Mode' all the time, every time. The constant mood swings, the moments bordering on very depressing thoughts, the never-ending sense of loss and loneliness, the longing for that elusive 'Listening Ear' and 'Sounding Board', the absence of our loved ones, in the most mundane and routine activities, the timely assistance when the workload burdens us, to the point of countless sleepless nights, the little ideas that spark our creativity, that loving, reassuring hug and presence, the numerous words of encouragement and the only shoulder we could ever cry on...
How I wish people would understand that 'Grief', doesn't just magically disappear in a few months, or a year or two, or maybe even in a lifetime! The Accepting, Digesting, Processing and everything that comes with the Loss of a Loved One, takes 'Time', and that 'Time Frame' varies for each individual.
And no matter how many Happy and Distracting ways and means, we may try to make use of, to deal with all the spoken and unspoken 'Feelings and Emotions', that Grief brings with it; overcoming it, is still a 'Constant, Daily Struggle', that no one else, (not even your closest Friends or Family) can really comprehend or understand, even if they mean well.
...And then, every once in a while, there are people, who try their best to steamroll over, all your efforts to keep smiling, by saying that 'Life has dealt you, a better deal than them'. It really tempts me to say, How I wish they had My Life!!!😔😢
(Originally posted on FB, on 19th Nov. '2019. Had taken almost a 5 year break, from posting on this Blog. So, trying to share some of the old things, that I've written during those years now, so that I can collect a lot of my writing, in this one place.)
A little girl of ten, with wonder in her eyes,
Was suddenly forced to grow up, one day;
This twisted accident called 'Life', turned her into 'An Only Child'.
And filled her tiny heart with a million questions, with dismay.
A surprised visitor was greeted at her door,
With that forever brightly beaming face,
"You've taught me how to Smile", he exclaimed,
Of her heart-piercing sorrow, that 'curved line', left no trace.
At thirty, she spent six anxious Christmas days,
Between hospitals, ICU's and an Operating Room,
While her friends were singing 'Gloria in Excelsis Deo',
She spent those days and nights, in unexpected impending gloom.
Though lost and taken aback by another unforseen reality,
She and her mother, thanked them all with a grateful smile;
"She must have not been close to her Dad", a colleague concluded,
That 'curved line', her natural cover-up, was now her style.
Six months later, the hospital visits resumed,
With a severity and regularity like never before;
Eight years and two cancers later, she was barely thirty-eight,
The Life and Family she once knew and loved, all gone and no more.
Five years since then, she doesn't Smile as much,
Yet each day she tries to find the smallest reason to sing,
"Where have you been? We hardly see you anymore", this recluse is often asked now,
That 'curved line' tied to precious memories, to only that she does tightly cling.✨️
Fragile and Sensitive
Damaged and Bruised
Mortal and Human
Keep Cruising Along Anyway.
Sometimes Strong
Sometimes, Maybe Not
Halting, Faltering
Keep Hobbling Along Anyway.
Peaceful Days
Restless Nights
Smiles or Tears
Keep Waltzing Along Anyway.
Faith or Friends,
A Memory or a Melody;
'Clutch that Crutch', you really Need
And Keep Sailing Along Anyway.😊
(Originally posted on fb, a year ago, on 28th November '22. Shared this pic that I found online, with the post, because I thought it somehow captured the essence of what I had written. Don't know who took it though.)
In the water
We see the sun on the ripples and waves,
Making it shine so sparkling bright,
Like a thousand twinkling stars at night.
In a mirror
We see an image of what the world can see;
But beyond that appearance, perfect or not,
Is the real person, the looking-glass hasn't caught.
In the eyes
We see every laugh, every tear, every deep thought;
Though our words, we may think are a great disguise,
They talk and speak, Look into them if you're wise.
In a heart
We may not always know, what's hidden in there;
Deep feelings, unspoken thoughts, filled to the brim,
Its glow, warmth and light, nothing could ever dim.✨️
(Originally shared this as a post on FB, last year on 24th November '22.
I just found these pics online and thought they matched what I had written. So shared them too, though I don't know who took them.)
DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?🤔
One Word - Different Perspectives
One Object - Varied Facets
One Country - Myriad Traditions
One World - Diverse Cultures
One Person - Multiple Personalities
One Life - Complex Experiences
How two people see one thing, got me wondering,
About how wonderfully unique we all are;
'Everywhere' and 'Somewhere', both places to belong,
Ripples in a steady lake, An ocean wave traversing far.
The same things, could mean something different,
Cause opinions vary, with no one right or wrong;
Each individual perceives the world in distinct ways,
Like multiple beautiful versions of a song.🎶😊💕
(Originally posted on FB a year ago, on the 16th of November'22.)
The results of a test, that you think you aced,
A marksheet, after an exam you just faced.
10 minutes at a bus-stop on a humid day,
A train that decides, it'll arrive when it may.
The onset of the monsoon, so you won't fry,
A shady tree when it's hot, to find we try.
The sight of food, after the aroma drew you in,
The dessert that comes next, is always a sure win.
Postmen who stopped by, when snail-mail was king,
Stories and posts, when notification bells ring.
Little moments and situations, that we eagerly await,
I'm looking at the calendar, 'What is today's date?'🤔
Found this picture online some time ago and thought it was so well done. I don't know who created it, but to whoever did.👍 I guess, it depends on what you're focusing on. Look carefully and once you see it, I think you will be amazed too.😊
It also got me thinking about how so much of our lives, is a dance between 'what's Real and what is merely an Illusion, that often stems from an Over-Imaginative Mind'.
What an Artist does with Colours, a Writer does with Words.✨️
MY WORLD OF WORDS✍️
So, what're you going to write about?
That's a question a lot of people ask;
But the answer to that, I know not yet,
Just baby steps now, before the real task.
Can writing ever be completely 'real'?
I sometimes have to question myself;
Imagination, Illusion, Fiction and Fact
All jumbled up, in every book on the shelf.
Where does Inspiration come from?
Everywhere, Somewhere, you never know;
A person, a picture, a word, a song,
Once a thought wanders through, 'Off you go'.
What's the most fascinating thing about it?
This Word-Play in the stadium of Life;
Giving a voice to feelings, Real enough to cry,
The sheer Joy of creating, a pathway out of strife.😊
(Originally posted on FB on 24th November' 22)
When I was growing up, I used to steer clear of groups of boys, who were standing or sitting together on building compound walls in the neighbourhood. They somehow always seemed to have something to say about every person who walked past, which obviously made those who were passing by, a little uncomfortable and nervous, and often caused us to try and avoid venturing out at the times, when these compound wall chats happened.
Then some years later I went to college; and once again, I found this different group of guys there as well, who constantly stood around a particular spot, and passed comments about everyone who walked by. I don't think they ever realised how many people (girls especially) preferred to take a longer round-about route, to go wherever they needed to go, just so that they didn't become a part of those daily male gossip sessions.
Almost two decades after that, (because I worked with mostly women during that time, where my female colleagues always out-numbered the male ones; and so thankfully, I didn't have to deal with that discomfort, during those years), I was re-visited by those very similar unsettling feelings once more. They somehow took me right back in time, and made me think of those childhood compound wall boys, and those college bullies, who were just always standing around, making everyone feel uncomfortable, with their unkind remarks and boyish giggles.
You would probably think, that boys mature and outgrow those silly school and college-boy habits, when they turn into men. However, I discovered that this group, was still doing exactly the same thing, each time they got together.
Pulling people down with harsh words, being rude and unkind, at the drop of a hat, passing judgements based on their own personal biases; to a point where they actually began to seem like those same 'bullies' that I used to keep my distance from, both in my neighbourhood and in college.
Grown men, with wives and children, still behaving like they could say 'anything' to and about anyone; and all the time, not even caring how their 'insensitive words' (that they consider jokes), could really affect another person's morale or hurt another person. Someone, who may just be trying to find a small way, to make them smile everyday; and ended up finding 'insensitivity' instead.😔
Experiences like these just make me wonder about so many things...
What makes people so critical and cynical in life, that they have to always pass rude remarks and offensive comments about other people?
Why can't people just 'live and let live', instead of always having an opinion about everything that someone else does, to the point of causing the other, a feeling of discomfort in their presence?
Why don't people realise that the same things that they are saying and doing to others today, may one day come full circle and happen to someone, in their own families too?
I don't usually write posts like these, (and maybe my words and thoughts won't even matter and may just be passed off as 'nonsense or rubbish' by a few); but occasionally, there are things that need to be said, because 'what is of no consequence to someone, may actually matter to another'. Also because, these thoughts have been weighing heavily on the mind for a very long time. Unfortunately though, saying them to the people who actually need to hear it, only results in hurt and misunderstandings, leading to 'fractured friendships' (which no one really wants to cause or happen).
But I guess, at the same time, getting it out of the system and putting it down in words somewhere, is extremely necessary for our own sanity and peace of mind. It's what might probably prevent us, from turning into just another over-cynical and extremely critical individual.
...and it is always better to be a person, who simply tries to 'fill the world with a little ray of sunshine', even in the tiniest of ways, if and when we can.✍️
As someone who loves to write, I know that the minute I start writing something new, the thoughts just flow; and sometimes, I have to rein myself in and force myself to stop...Otherwise, I can just go on and on and on.😊 Friends who've been at the listening end or who are forced to read what I write, would know exactly what I mean.😂
I guess, every new thing we do in life, is kind of like writing a new story too.💕 At the beginning, you're completely clueless about where it's going to lead; but slowly, the thoughts become a wonderful creation of words and feelings...and so often, when I go back and read things that I've written, I wonder where those thoughts came from or how I ever came up with whatever I was reading.
I guess, till we actually set out on a new adventure of creating something new, we would never know that we can actually do it.❤
(Originally posted on FB, last year on the 3rd of April '22.
These pictures, I just found on the internet in a random search and I shared them, because they matched what I wanted to say.)
Different
Unique
One of a kind;
Exceptional
Unusual
Not easy to find.
Distinctive
Individual
With no parallel;
Outstanding
Remarkable
So completely swell.
Rare
Special
A class apart;
Singular
Extraordinary
A work of art.
Strangely Spectacular
The Creator's ways;
No Duplication
His policy stays.
Carefully Crafted
With utmost Care;
Artistic Genius
Each, Beyond Compare.
Amazingly Awesome
A Mysterious Melody;
Imperfect Perfection
In Genetic Harmony.
You're A 'Masterpiece'
'Limited Edition' Alright;
Another Like You
Is Nowhere in Sight.️✍️
If we substitute 'You' with 'Me'; we would have some 'Self-Affirmations' and some 'Positive Reinforcement' to make us feel so good, about 'The Wonder' that We Truly Are.😊
For all those times, when we need to remind ourselves of the fact that,
'I Am Me and I Am Special'.❤️
As I wrote this post, it took me back to a memory with my mum.😊️ We had this kind of 'special joke' between us, when I would sometimes say to her; 'You know, you're lucky to have a daughter like ME'...and her reply would always be, 'I know I am'❤️...and those simple moments, would always make us laugh and keep smiling for a long time.😊
Writing sometimes stems from a memory; and at other times, it brings back an old memory.✨️❤️✍️
(Originally posted on FB, earlier this year on the 16th of February '23.)
A little world of my own,
That no one else can share;
Probably only a select few,
Find their way in there.
A little virtual space,
My alternate reality in a way;
A welcome hideaway, an escape,
Comfort I turn to everyday.
A little cozy nook, I love to be,
Where words suddenly appear;
Like a fountain sprinkling joy,
Making the silence, magically disappear.
A little parallel dimension,
Imagination, Creativity, A Dream;
Somewhere, it all flows as freely,
As a harmonious, glimmering stream.
A little mirage, this sunlit paradise,
My Happy Place, you know;
Sometimes 'Blessings' just happen,
Setting Grateful Smiles aglow.✨️😊
(Originally posted on FB, earlier this year on the 24th of February '23)
WANDERING THOUGHTS ✍️
Imperfectly Perfect
People
Impossibly Possible
Situations
Indefinitely Definite
Moments
Infinitely Finite
Life
(Originally posted on FB, last year on 9th November'22)
Sometimes, I just feel like putting down my thoughts in verse, and exercising those poetic skills too; instead of just long endless paragraphs. Today is one of those days.🙂
Always a tough decision...When faced with a choice, which one do you listen to more?🤔
THE HEAD vs THE HEART
Often on two opposite tracks,
Both direct us on which way to turn;
But which one we must listen to,
Is a lesson very hard to learn.
For they both seem to have their reasons,
And they both seem to be so right;
But somehow, most times they confuse us,
Leave us questioning, wondering thru' the night.
The head is always so logical
Seems to leave nothing to chance;
The heart of course is carefree
Ever ready to get out there, to dance.
In listening to one, you may be correct now;
But one day, you may realise you were wrong.
How do you choose which way to go?
In this tug of war, which team is strong?
I guess some guidance would always help,
From family, from friends, from God above;
Cause the head may know which way to go,
But a heartless decision it would be, with no Love.✨️❤
(I first shared this as a post on FB on 24th June, 2022. I posted this picture that I found online in a random search, with my post, only because it matched what I had written, so perfectly.)
