Live Survive Thrive Repeat

Body Talk Waking up,  A hankering  A discontent. Wishing to Modify an Entire being,  A new person be. The itching pain. Glancing mirrors, Fighting images. If few kilos lost, If fairer tone. Obsess, worry And suffocate self esteem. Losing battles  Unknown to kin. This hollow pain.   Fatal insecurities, Letting down. Changing bits To impress And compete.  How to Satiate this pang?  That hunger pain. Manic diets,  Exhausting runs, Intimidating  Protruding chums, Round belly, Double Chin, Flabby arm. The bitter pain. Popping pills, Puking nights, Cold sharp Instruments Poking skin. Taking it far, Every odd Evened out. Chubby cheeks For bony ones. Sickly the Obsession Becomes. That bloody pain.  Unhealthy  Comparisons, Shake systems. Polluting minds Choke the air. Nervous Sad Every victim. A prison the Skin becomes. The unbearable pain. Awake mid nights, Scrolling through, Wish lists and Shopping carts. Menacing mind Thinking twice, Befo...

Feeling blue made me accept my mother's invitation to help her out with some spring cleaning and with my father not around she decided to clean his side of the closet first. Unlike my mother he isn't bothered by clutter, even if it's something he has no need for. So she ended up cleaning out dust balls and putting every item back neatly where it had been. At first, I felt cross how could my mother who practiced minimalism put up with junk that was outdated and not required? I started berating, "Mom! Why is Dad holding onto all these things? How come you taught us about declutter but not him?"   She educates me, "It's his wish, we can't force anyone to change!"  Clearly 'Moms Wisdom' to declutter did not apply to my Dad! Yet she was right, it wasn't a government diktat or a compulsion regulated by health advisers that my father had to adhere to.  This did not stop her from reorganizing his drawers. I wanted to tell her how she was acc...

There came a storm today Raging the streets and pathways I wonder if it had already known Ravaged we had been by an unknown They say you must learn to live with it What will life be if you get sick with it? Smothering worries plague each day 'What-ifs' not answered till today Every dawn starts with a plan to cope Trying to save the wavering hope We wear masks our emotions hidden Angry and helpless some of us bedridden Kids wander at home all day With no one to go out and play Happy that they are safe inside This new life is God's design? What did we seek? What did we find? A shrouded shiver that spellbinds A pneumonic cell that loves none Yet clings and embraces everyone This enigma's code we can't solve It unties patience, strength and resolve No caste, creed, colour its partial to Yet unfair games it plays this who  Like Red ourselves we hide From this Big Bad wolf h idden inside Our uneasy manic lives. Where are they now, those Avengers?  Was endgame their last v...

Let's Put Things Back In Their Place Socially distant we hide Many locked safe inside Myriad things come to mind Evolve we can in the grind Ignorant we were in our space Now far from that blissful place Cut down was our selfish pace Left alone with our fears to face   I wish we all had paid attention Air Ocean faced contamination Empty talks reeked pretension Save Greta's brave exertion Conscious of all his deeds done Man hath Mother Nature undone   This agony She had silently borne Time would come for us to mourn So now we bear the wrath Of Nature and the aftermath Will we never learn to care Unless death in our face stare How we wish we had been kind And done things of a different kind Reminiscing what could have been  Now, anxious of the future unseen An important lesson we can learn If only we are willing to take a turn To Put Things Back In Their Place For Nature and her mindful grace With awareness learn to thrive And gratitude for being alive Lovingly car...

What is life without a fight? Our life is about the self and we indulge in it. We argue, fight and defend. When it comes to making a point we love to be on top! It gives our ego a boost and we relish another battle conquered. Humans are byproducts of their own egos and cannot do without outwitting one another. Emboldened by the prospect of triumph, we refuse to step down. Those discomforted or hurt by our careless and callous attitude tend to move away from us or even resent us behind our backs. But to win each time would mean a lonely life. Amid the pandemic our living situation with our families could be described as becoming too close for our comfort! Why so? With everyone locked down under one roof we were constantly in each others cross hairs. The result was unavoidable situations where we ended up having quarrels even over the slightest criticism. Fresh off the boat from a tiff, I was contemplating a response because someone had offended me. My mother saw that I had been twit...

These last few months have been a test of our courage and patience. Social distancing made us wonder if we would ever relive our enviable past. As a species designed to evolve and adapt to its circumstances we weren't faring well. Then we even question our faith.  I was perplexed, "Are we alone?" Not in context to being the sole planet with intelligent life in the universe. This resonated deeper. Was there no one looking out for us?   I told my Mother, "Mom! God is making us suffer for our collective karma. Maybe we are such a repugnant species for all the sins we committed, we have finally been disowned."    She felt indignant! I have been dumbfounded many a times by my Mother's adherence to faith. She did not practice reading scriptures, going to the temple, counting rosary beads, performing fasts or any other austerities associated with it. Perceiving me as unfair, she told me, "If we are responsible for our collective bad karma, how is God to...

My mom had been practicing a minimal lifestyle since the past 12 years. She chose to live simple but well. In her case less was more. Her closet would have only a limited number of pieces and accessories, you could even count them at a glance. She abstained from buying on impulse, no temptation could shake her resolve. We were busy preparing for a wedding. Like everyone else I too was wondering if I should buy something new? Why do we buy something new? Do we actually need it or just want it ? Some of our lives have been ruined by social media, due to the display of pictures, the constant checking for likes and comments. Its a whole new social obligatory standard of living, wherein we present ourselves in our latest acquisitions aided by photo shopped images just to receive a wave of comments. Such is the impact of this  addictive culture of online mutual appreciation that indulgence isn't accompanied by an ounce of genuine feeling. A picture posted had to invite a tsunami lik...