The Present: A short animated film

The Act of Staring.

Lying down on the floor staring at the ceiling

somehow brings a lot more peace a lot more healing;

The paint is white all the way up all the way down

how simple strokes of a thick brown brush 

can put one in amaze and allow to let down?!

For a moment, it feels as if I am floating away

far away in dreams to never meet realities

with all those clicks and all those rides

the act of staring has so caught me off the limelight;

Letting the battle take place at its usual pace 

but I know it's a win even if I don't pick my ace

but here is 'nother strike for the frowning you,

Win or lose, is 'bout the perspective that gets you fairly screwed;

Runaway Train, however, sometimes,

gives the beautiful idea of a soul in drowns

how the sadness hovers to- and every night

as you glance over the ceiling nicely painted white;

Back to the act of staring, eh! the act of floating,

tells you a thing about being a humanlike or something

doesn't matter how much or how far you float away

the chain of reality will always pull you back from the stray.

The Wine of Loneliness.

As she reeked of the awful smell of loneliness

head spinning body shaking with no control over self

she sat on her knees and prayed to a lamp post

'Turn me into a bird or something invisible, alright?

Then I may not drink so much of it, it's my plight.'

Lamp post smiled, shook as a breeze kissed by

now bent by an inch, he whispered over her lips,

'Go, take your wine and other belongings

for we may not have again this talk of longing;

now that you have drugged yourself fairly well,

well, well! this is not what one can call a desirable end.'

She got up with a hiccup, hair messy but silky

ran to the abode, to grab toothbrush, soap, lipstick,

she paused abruptly at the last item to smirk,

for it would be a wonder to have make up for a spoiled jerk;

'Never mind!', she shouted and locked the thin house

sprinted as if life was on a bet for a magnificent prize;

Reaching the spot where she had her first kiss, her first lover

the first prayer, the very first conversation,

huffing like a little kid looking much forward to kill

for the taste of heavens, the dizzying madness of thrill;

But there stood a single lamp post, almost dead to sleep
not believing, she rubbed her eyes
for her lover was right there standing by his feet;

Slowly putting the bag on ground, she roamed around

it was difficult to see a lamp post 

where her love was supposed to be found!

'It cannot be possible. He was right here!

Right here, right here!'

She shouted yelled bellowed at the lamp post

for she was tricked into a treacherous lost

but the lamp post stood still, almost sleeping

indifferent to her cry and sad prose of yearning;

She curled on the ground, kicked the bag away

and thus started another night this way,

on the same earth, over the same street

around the same spot, looked over by the same tree;

She looked up to a naught when thick tears slid down

she sat by the funeral of her lost love 

and right then and there, she sipped her thickened wine

the kind that never felt such painful and silky fine.

Father's Day and everyday.

Today is Father's Day. Personally speaking, expressing love specifically on such days to our loved ones now has started to feel a little awkward; I mean to say that why all of a sudden our love starts pouring up to the rim in the morning and boils down by the time ticks off at night? I can be fired with many strategies of perfectly simmered retaliation techniques but no. I. Will. Not. Bother. By. Any. Of. Them. Because I feel everyday is the same - filled with love and support for our loved ones, whether we celebrate the occasion or not.

So the bottom line is, I haven't wished my father yet. And this makes 2016 the first and an exceptional year when I had done this. Every year be it his birthday or anniversary and in this case, Father's Day, I have always obliged dutifully paying my role as a loving daughter. And I don't think by doing otherwise this year makes me a less of a doting one either. It's just a matter of perspective and I am not gonna argue or even discuss on this.

The Baby Forever.

 Elbowing each other

together on the mat

under the translucent sheath of night

the moon looked well lit,

while stars shone a li'l more bright;

and when they turn to cite each other

in those eyes, across soft smiles

tryin' to discover depth in them

but there rested a li'l blue surprise

when the baby Forever was set alight!

Enjoy reading, if not writing.

Reading is a good exercise only if you hang out with good authors, isn't it? (Well, that's my quote)

If you are passionate about reading, it is essential to have a list of 'favorites'. It is mostly helpful when you are on the road or engaged vividly into some family occasion or all caught up with a bad health. You simply have to pick your favorite author without having to face much of a trouble and off you go to one of the awesomest journeys only to be back with better mood and feeling much loved.

Such is the case with me. With Cecelia Ahern, you can expect a total magic! Pick any of her pens, you are certain to find some sorts of magic scribbled in there. She amazes me with her creativity and passion to deliver something unique and refreshing each time. My first read was The Year I Met You and I was so damn right caught by the very first page itself. I never knew doing nothing could also be a very engaging plot. Next was, Now You See Me followed by the latest, Flawed. She is vibrant in her writings and intends to take you to a place where nothing lives but the outright magic.

For 'nother quote, jump up to the top.

Horizon.

Like the horizon is a mirage

yet the earth and the sky

scale themselves and jog to infinite;

the same way are some aromas

you run you duck you scale yourself 

but at the end, it can't be conquered,

for it wasn't meant for you!

for it wasn't built for you!

That first step - Shivani's Canvas.

Logic will take you from A to B but imagination will take you everywhere.

                         - Einstein

And so do you and I believe.

They say talent stays and grows regardless of the age, gender, religion etc. She was good in academics. She won several Gold Medals, numerous certificates, and outstanding accolades enough to fill a considerably large showcase. She has always been in good books of the teachers as well as friends. People love her and so do I.

I am talking about my younger sister who is now trying her naive hands on sketching, painting and similar stuff but once you look at her creations. the naivety of her hands, I am sure, will surely amaze you...will make you think how a simple seed of interest has grown magnificently at such big level. Her name is Shivani and I am very delighted to share that she has started her presence on Facebook by the name of - Shivani's Canvas. Isn't that a lovely name?! Also, she has not learned how to draw and sketch from any institute. She does all of it on her own using her own chunk of imaginations, putting gigantic efforts in the process. And that's what makes her creativity something to look forward to!

As per the current collection, she has put Bollywood celebrities (such as Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sridevi, Deepika Padukone,  Iliana D'cruz, Alia Bhatt etc.), my favorite Ian Somerhalder, 2D and 3D images, and paintings on her canvas. And every time she creates something, she sends it to us for the review and then on the basis of our feedback, she works harder and with better precision next time. Sculpting her free time into a well accentuated hobby, she has certainly taken it on a very different level and I am very happy about it. Creating a social media presence is a responsibility and now that she has taken it, I hope she continues with the best of her caliber in the future as well.

Here are a few examples...

Her first attempt at 3D.

The collage of her creations.

I too prefer the same.

The Walk.

Today I will do it!

I shushed to myself

But got stuck in work;

Today I will do it!

I consoled myself

But could not make it work;

Today I will do it!

I shouted at myself

But something came up first;

Writing, cleaning, doing chores,

folding cloths, serving more

Could not resist and finally

wordlessly, mercilessly

I went down and 

had The Walk!

The Walk that waited for me

I did it at last, freely!

Along The Walk found 

two little cute puppies

swaying, dancing puppies

gave me a heartfelt smile

And then there was this song

from a brilliant singer 

blaring on my ear phone

the heartfelt smile turned soulful 

and I enjoyed The Walk 

As if it were my last.

Clash of Clans spreading love within a family.

I never knew Clash of Clans could provoke spirituality as well as a healthy chat in a family. I realized just half an hour ago.

My kid (a die hard fan of the game) has created a clan and was highly disappointed when yesterday his friends opted to leave it. Well, everyone has their own reasons. Being the leader, he got worried and talked to me about it. I said (yesterday):

'It's alright, son. If you are the leader, you have got to face ups and downs. That's the way life is." He flinched, still unconvinced but agreed.

Now today, after coming back from school, he said: 'I am thinking to leave my own clan as well.'
It means the leader abandoning his own troop and army. I consoled the poor li'l soul:

'Only if you are a weak leader. Strong leaders do not give up so easily and keep fighting. If you leave, you may loose your self-respect.'

He: 'But there is no use of my clan now. None of my folks are there (except two) and also we are losing wars!"

I (putting the scene to finality): 'It's alright. We win, we loose. That's the part of life. And if you leave your own clan, I am gonna uninstall the game.'

I guess the threat worked the most. He agreed to stay with his clan. (Any way I had to teach him something good. Let it be a silly game.)

Life is fragile. Handle with prayer.

This evening I went to see a few of my neighbors. One has got bruised leg, all plastered up nicely while with the other, it was particularly for a simple chat. I have just returned from my native seeing off my ill father (who is fine now by the way and all set up for his busy extremely-active schedule once again.) and still diving back and forth in memories. Moving on with life in Bangalore, I stepped out finally. The state of the former neighbor filled me with compassion. I wished her to get well soon.

While talking to the latter one, we started discussing the unfortunate event happened with someone we both know very closely. A good friend of ours lost her husband recently on the note of heart attack. (I was at my native when I had received the news. I was all shocked and speechless. Just a few days ago I had met the husband and he was doing all fine.) During the chat, both of us ladies expressed our compassion and grief immensely. It was then when I found out the husband’s death was basically the carelessness of the hospital he was admitted to because of the chest pain. Apparently, the doctor gave him some pain killers and I came to learn the fact that at the time of any sort of chest pain, one must avoid taking pain killers. Because of the pain killers, the husband collapsed before the ultrasound leaving behind a mourning wife and three kids. I am still pained by her loss. She is coming back on this Monday and I am not sure how to face her, what to say to her. It’ll be horrible to see our ever smiling facetious friend devoid of her life partner and dipped deep in pain and agony.

As you can see, her husband’s death was purely a mistake by the doctor. If he had been more careful..., if only he had been doing his job well..., well, what can we say apart from this - If he had been or if it had been...? His death, however, reminded me once again how fleeting and fragile a life can be! At one moment you are smiling with someone but in the next, you are standing alone wondering what went wrong all of a sudden? Why it happened? Or worse, why ME?

None of us has answers to any of the above Q. except that life has to complete its course...somehow, anyhow. But how to pat a grieving soul of my friend’s, I am still clueless yet I will go see her and hug her for some comfort and support. I really like her. I pray that she get to pick up the pieces and start a new life with a new beginning.

Stay for a little more while.

It takes bit of a time to settle down

after all that chaos, after all those loves and cares;

Now that the kid is at school hubby in office 

and I on my sofa, I stare at the screen to think

to create bubbles of thoughts

mold dusty beliefs into something new 

to think of shaking the world by my writings one day;

but even the deepest part of you knows -

that I am no good writer, only a someone trying to improve

struggling to fight with the block and caring enough to grow

and to go to the place I desire to be, at the peak I wish to be;

When you think you have seen it all, think again!

For each day is a new page of a strange book

with an interesting plot and countless emotions to look

Stay! Stay for a little more while

and one day, this all will be over;

Everything will be done and so will you

Till then, keep reading, writing or whatever interests you

Till then, keep smiling even if there is no one with you.