BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL

I was hurt, as he turned out to be a flirt,
I was in pain, as his behaviour was insane.
All my requests and petitions to him
Were nothing but all in vain.

I was in utter loneliness,
But he didn’t care to see my brokenness.
I was crying, but no-one heard me
Or could understand my the sign.
I was dumped, but he never cared,
I touched the rock bottom, the seabed.

I decided to finish my life,
To break free from all my strife.
‘Why to live when there’s nothing left?’
I thought as I planned my own fate.

But then, my inner human arose
From the depth of my soul,
It showed me the beauty of a Diamond
That lays deep down in the ugly mines of coal.

The blessings of that very moment,
Always stood firm beside me till my present.
After the passing of a devasting storm,
I, the sapling survived and life took a new turn.

A DELICIOUS RECIPE FOR THE FIRST DAY OF 2022

I believe in Time and its game. It’s like – I am moving continuously, you have to go through all the strives and hardships and walk with me or you will be categorized as a failure.

But my heart and mind said something else after rising last year. 31 Dec 2021 was a beautiful day with hubby and son at Bhandardhara & Igatpuri. It was a sudden plan for the last day of 2021 and the first day of 2022. We all wanted to make it memorable and happier with tiny moments…just wanted to hold the feelings of happiness, peaceful soul in us. It was a 2-day plan. The day of last year was felt in every moment with the setting sun in the backwater of Pravari river. The clicking of pictures, having tea and snacks wherever you stop- really the madness of a traveler and a photographer. My husband loves to click pics with his DSLR and he contributes in Gurushots. He is just mad about the themes and ideas, competitions organized by Gurushots. I saw him so excited and ecstatic with the clicks of beautiful birds near the dam. I can say his year ending was superb. By seeing them happy, l too felt happy and contented.

Yes, I have also made my year ending and starting of the new year with beautiful memories of nature and submission of poems in 97anthologies. The morning of the new year was chilling at Igatpuri. The day was planned with Bhavali dam and Dhammagiri (Vipassana Centre). It was a slow, content, enjoyable trip with a trekking experience. My son was happy with Mc. Donald breakfast. He read the stories and saw the pictures of Goutama Buddha at Dhammagiri. He gathered more information about Goutama Buddha.

After our Igatpuri trip, we headed towards Mumbai and landed at our family friends Sandeep & Mitali Das at Thane. We met two more new friends, Mike and Spike (Cockatiel birds). The first time I saw the birds out of the cage and flying in the room happily. They were eating at a particular place and moving like kids. It was fun watching them. My best moment was when Mike flew and sat on my head. It was like ‘whooh’ for the first 5 seconds. Then I felt normal and good. The evening was spent well with cooking together like old days, chitchatting and sharing old memories, and making plans for the next day, as it was my hubby’s birthday. Finally, the day of the new year ended with dinner and filter coffee at the Hiranandani area of Ghorbunder road. We reached home safely at 11:50 pm, just before 10 minutes to 12am. It was a great day with mixed emotions.

Ingredients of the days were traveling, eating, cooking, chitchatting, discussions with a top-up new experience of birds. The recipes for two days were delicious and cooked on time without any wastage or hesitation.

My new year should follow the following lines, that I really wish…..

“Having lots of confidence
like colour palette,
Stick to the situations just
like magnet,
As the life throws balls at us
like Cricket.”

Happy New year 2022 to each and every reader. Spread a smile and spread happiness and time will be with you.

THANK YOU YEAR 2021

“Endings are the –
Beginning of a new era of hope,
Beginning of a new phase of scope.
It is in an ongoing process,
Which sometimes is hard to digest.
Still, life has to go through phases,
To taste the flavour of situations
and their causes.

Endings are to be cherished with
lots of love and blessings,
To connect with every moment
of life and its earnings.”

It is always seen, when something comes to an end, a new beginning shows up. It is actually a cycle of all the deeds and times. When you plan for something, the time of planning and execution are added. The day is well spent with proper execution and delivery of ideas, as you have already thought of. But the day ends with lots of memories of laughter and giggles. Next, you plan for something else to do in life. As our life is an ongoing process of events, we are attached to the strings of hope, motivation, encouragement, disagreements, love, empathy, sympathy, hatred, and many more. Still, the show must go on.

As an endless journey of life, I have experienced lots of things this year in 2021. Last year’s lockdown was an eye-opener for me. That time span of 10 months ( from March end to December 2020 end) I have explored many new things in my handy device, started writing again after years. It was just like a time pass for me initially. Later with many things, many disagreements, and ignorance, I started assembling myself with my thoughts and visions. I tried to gain my dignity which with the passing of time, I had lost my identity as a human being. This year I got through the awakening of my heart and soul. My mind became a great teacher and with the support of my mother, I started living life in a different way. I started seeing things in a lighter way, but with all the answers and possibilities.

Gradually, I felt that I am evolving as a writer, author, and co-author of many anthologies. Not to forget, Candles online and a great friend Chiradeep are added to that list. I could able to establish my new identity. This small thing gave me the link to the world of duties and responsibilities with more love and empathy. With due course of time, I learned languages in a deeper way. The time of ignorance is blissfully ended and a new chapter started with new words, new thoughts, new ideas, new chords.

The New Me is a more important part of my own identity. If I can help myself to be happy and content without any expectations from anyone, then my life looks blissful and sorted.

Just move on and live in the present– That’s the mantra of my life now.

Don’t think that others may leave you alone in the midway. No, the loved ones will be there always with you. Yes, time may be different. But they will be there always with you if they really care for you.

In the New Year, I have no plans or resolutions to make. But I will try to make a fruitful year again.

“What to write about the RESOLUTION,
It takes a lot of effort for EVOLUTION.
Many say it is easy for CONSIDERATION,
But actually, it’s not easy in MODERATION.

Be yourself,
Be Good,
Be positive,
Be humbled.

Lastly, I owe to everyone, who has come across my life this year and showered blessings upon me.

Thank you – The year 2021.

HAVE FAITH TO MOVE ON

“Confused and overburdened mind,
Spoils the charm of the day in every kind.
The solution, if you cannot find,
The time will take charge to grind.”

This is the situation, I was going through within the last few weeks. It’s true that time is not always with you. It keeps on changing, whether you are aware of it or it is unknown and uncertain for you. It’s like the wave of a sea. You are standing at a point on the beach and waiting for the big wave to hit you and drench you, yet it is like you are waiting for it forever. But you can see big waves just around you on your left and on your right.

Our life is similar to this. We plan a lot of things together for family, friends and for ourselves, but all the plans don’t always work the way we want. That’s why the proverb, “Man proposes, God disposes”, is perfect.

For the last few days, I can feel a writer’s block and burden of work, the board exam of my son. And all these were making me so confused and overburdened. I tried to help myself with yoga and meditation, but I still could not be happy within. It felt like, the time is just slipping away from my palms. I want to do many things, but time is less. It felt like, I am about to die, but want to live eagerly. It was like a dilemmatic situation for me.

Sometimes the workflow is good and convenient with time. But sometimes it’s too hard to cope up. If we ignore a very tiny part, it may create a huge difference and there’s a chance of committing a mistake too. I went through this situation. It was hard to gulp, “how can I do this? How can I ignore this?”

This has been happening to me for sometime, but one thing I realized is that I can overcome any problem if I have faith.

And I started reciting…

“Take a long breath, take a break,
Pray to God for help in the whole mind,
Keep patience in your heart
And wait for the magic to happen.”

As I believe in one more thing, if you think positively in spite of all odds, you can win over the odd situations. Have faith in God and be true to yourself. Give your best shot and move on.

HELP IN NEED, HELP INDEED – APP

As I grew older, I have noticed the evolution in every aspect of life. It may be the first love proposal, dating, courtship, marriage, performing duties as a wife, mother, and daughter-in-law, and many more. With time, we all have changed. Some in a better way and some in a different way, that can be better for a few and worse for others. It’s only the perceptions, we acquire according to time.

The same changes are seen in the writing field. When I was in my twenties, my uncle (who was a government official and a writer too) suggested me to keep a pen and paper or notepad with me always. So that whenever any idea or quotes or poems or stanzas come to my mind, I can note them down. This idea is still with me as a best practice and good luck. I started keeping a small pocket-size notebook always with me from that day onwards. It was like a part of my handbag. Including keys, tissues, and other kinds of stuff. When I travel if I feel like writing something then I can write at that time.

Gradually the mobile phones were replaced by smartphones. Firstly I was using it for messages, pictures, and calls. Then it stepped up one with Orkut, then Facebook, yahoo mail, etc. just 10 yrs back. After seeing others on WhatsApp and then Instagram was in use. After using the smartphone and WhatsApp, I decided to use the phone less. It’s like a disturbing element. But after the lockdown, my teaching and making ppts, worksheets, and others were done by the smartphone. Till that time I was not addicted or nothing was so much nearer to my heart as I am always an old-school guy with pen and paper.

During the lockdown, I started writing poems again after almost 18 yrs. I was writing in between these years, but very few. Still, those are in diaries. But since 2021 January I started full-fledged writing as I got one idea of clicking pics and putting my thoughts on it by editing. My first addiction and favorite is the Pinterest app. You will find anything in this app. That become my lifeline, helped me in creative ways, and get new ideas.

Then, I got to know about the writing app Your-Quote… and it just turned my life a complete 180°. A writer wants to be read by his/her readers. Or else there’s no point in writing if you cannot reach at least one person as your reader. I started putting my edited pics on Pinterest, then writing started flying high with Your quote platform. These two are my all-time favorite. For writing and editing, reviewing the write-ups, the Notes app is needed too. It’s like the storehouse.

Among these three apps, I am really thankful and in love with the Notes app as it’s the storehouse and can send any write-up to any platform, can store the Zoom links, can write and pin the important writings. Just copy and paste at your desired platform and the magic touch is there.

As a writer, I prefer the Notes app.. easy to handle, ongoing writing can be done. Just life is beautiful and easy now.

The things we have already, we ignore many a time. But these old things stay with us lifelong.
Use it and keep your things safe.

Happy reading.

SILENCE 🤐

Silence is the weapon, to keep you calm,
Silence is the thought, to keep you planned.
Silence has the most beautiful feeling,
It can make you strong and helps you in healing.
Silence cannot be understood by everyone,
It is a special cup of tea, not meant for everyone.
Silence doesn’t matter to those, who hurts you,
Silence of yours, kills the person who loves you.
Silence is golden moment to feel the emotions,
Silence is always taken as a result of demotions.
Be the silent Sun, brighten up the day,
Be the cool moon, lighten up the sky,
with lovely shiny twinkling stars on the sly.
Be yourself in silence,
Feel your precious presence,
That’s the essence of the silence.
Silence has its own words,
Need a kind heart to read those,
Not all can be the part of it,
It’s not of everyone’s dose.
Silence helps you to rise as a sun,
Silence helps you to grow as a moon,
Silence helps you to be as the stars,
Silence helps you to be the beautiful
person with numerous scars.

Silence is not the killer, it’s the Healer for those who are in pain. It gives you the energy to grow above your limits. It pushes you to another level. It helps you to understand the values you have.

Make silence your weapon and strength, not your weakness.

When I was depressed during the lockdown, mainly by ignorant behaviour of my family, it started hurting more and more than before…as there was nothing to do except household work on regular basis. All the days seemed same, whether it was Monday or Sunday. People got bored of doing the same things daily. Stressful life entered into the brain house and started living there with full fledged ownership. Depression, aggression, agitation and many cognitive behavioral changes were seen and felt. It was seen in children of 15yrs to age of 70yrs old ones. If a word came out of the mouth, it was taken otherwise. So I slowly slowly got the vibe of keeping silent myself. Yes, silence is the killer, for those who cannot see talkative person in quiet condition. But it’s the medicine for the life to lead it peacefully. I tried it late, but found it effective, very effective. Be calm and quiet. More than half of the problems will be solved. As a talkative person, I was renowned. I used pen and paper for speaking my thoughts. Writing became my love again after 20 years, no fighting again. What I feel, I pen down. No hurting anyone, Silence plays it’s role.

Now silence is my strength to overcome all the hurdles. Sometimes it’s hard to control, but I can do it. Once it was my weakness, now it’s my strength to live life happily than before.

STRICT BUT NOT HARD HEARTED

One fine day, I was sitting by my bedroom window sill and thoughts of the kiddish behaviour of me and my siblings came flowing in. It was real fun! I’m really missing those days now. My dad was just like Hitler. Then I wondered, is it really true.. is he too dangerous? The answer from my inner soul was “NO”. He seemed to be strict… as hard as a coconut shell, but had a soft heart as the tender creamy part of the coconut within. The change of perception towards my dad and his ideologies, changed the way of living my life. He used to interact with peer groups and kids too, but very less.

On Sundays, we usually had our lunch and dinner together. On the dining table itself, he asked about the day that we spent, the problems we were stuck in and how small problems can be the creator of big problems….all of these were discussed with him. The great teaching he has given us, is to be confident and be a problem solver. Though his professional life was surrounded by official problems, I have never seen him breaking down. Rather he always tried to find out a solution and a way to move on in life. “All will be fine” – was his tagline. He was head strong as rock, and soft as cotton. When he got angry, we could never stand in front of him. But when his mood was good, he used to chat with us like a friend. I have discussed my marriage wishes and about the type of groom with him. It might sound weird, but it was true.

The warmth of his love is like a blanket
and his shoulder is my pillow,
He is the teacher and a willow.
Keeps secrets like a locker,
Keeps the family happy forever.
As strong as a mountain rock,
As soft as the cream of coconut.
Always holds us so tight,
To make our life bright,
Burns himself like a candle light.
He is strong as a shield and
soft as grass on the field.

His comparison is incomparable. He is hot like sun and cool like moon. His teachings and support towards my life, is as beautiful as Rose with few thorns. It was not acceptable in the early years, but later I realised very deeply and nicely when I become a mother.

In my view, parents are always comparable with many things as they have many shades of experiences in each and every step of life. Grab the lesson from the experience and move on with positivity.