Simple Pleasures

We are generally so warped in our work and busy in planning our recreational pleasures that we over look the simple joys in our life. Joys which are part and parcel of our lives we take for granted and search in other avenues for fulfilment, failing which we frustrate ourselves.
"The early morning dew,
the welcome song of the bird
or even the caw-caw of the crow signals the birth of a new day.
A lush sun spreading its wings across the vast deep above
or a rivulet merry making below
or a bud budding in to a smiling flower
cheerfully accepting the buzzing bees with ease.
The stormy clouds , dark and fearful ,
unleash their torrents in a heavy downpour
but the song of the falling rain is joyful
when each leaf sparkles
and air breathes clean again."

Look Within

Terror which clearly contains the word error has raised its ugly face in Mumbai. The hair raising incident had us glued to our TV. But in this global village which is our universe 'shock and awe' are becoming routine. A sense of helplessness creeps in and with it comes anger and cynicism. We demand action based on integrity, honesty, and dedication to duty from whosoever is concerned with our safety. But are we setting examples which others can look up to? Are we above reproach ? Have we become a part of a soiled fabric of society where selfishness and greed have throttled selflessness and honesty? The need of the hour is inspiring personalities who can lead with example.

Behind the scenes

"The five people you meet in Heaven " by Mitch Albom is a thought provoking book. There are so many gaps in our information, sometimes we are loaded by misinformation and it all leads to misconceptions about truth about our own self , our circumstances and all those we hold close to our heart. The book chronicles the life of one ordinary person who comes to know the real truth of his life only after his death. To revel in a positive frame of mind and to face life's difficulties cheerfully becomes easy if we stay focused and are well prepared to accept both the good and the bad. Like night and day, sorrow and happiness both enter our lives and both go. It cannot be otherwise.

A State of Mind

There are lot of things which are beyond our control but that which we can make an effort to manage is the state of our mind. I f we get up in the morning thinking that it's a lousy day, the day will definitely turn out to be one. We have the image of a person, let's say our boss, in our mind. We'll try our best to fit everything that our boss does to that image , withour realising that many people are dynamic beings and are in a state of constant evolution, learning and changing with their experiences. More than learning, sometimes we have to unlearn our past emotions, prejudices and ideas. We have to move on with life with an open mind, free from the clutter of fixed opinions about people and situations.

LIVING IN THE PRESENT
Past is gone, a far cry,
perhaps an echo to help you by.
Why cling on to a fantasy, an illusion,
learn, remember the lesson and move on,
or else history repeats itself by and by
and you are entrapped in the cobweb of stale tales weaving fact and fiction
and an era speeds by
retarding change and bottling love and loving
with little or no openings.
Is that what you want from life ?
Life seeping in the bitterness of the past,
forgetful of the future
and hurtful in the present?
So do I say again and again
forget the past,
think not of the future,
and live only in the present.
Present is a gift, share it with love
unmindful of bygones which hurt,
of words which pierced
and left you bleeding to the core.
Release yourself from the trap of your own making.
Rise above petty losses and petty victories
and open the gift of the 'present'
and emerge like a colour butterfly
Happy, always Happy!
Be happy in rain, in sunshine,
in the storm of reckoning ,
in pain and in sorrow.
For someone is there to love and guide thee.

At-one, atone with your own self

I feel that we really need to be happy with our own selves. Some times we are not satisfied with we do or are angry with our self, or blame our self for what we felt was left undone. There may be a long list of 'could have beens', 'if onlys' and  regrets with which we torture our minds and  inflict pain on ourself. Is it needed?  Do we need to be harsh with our self? Should'nt we accept our mistakes, learn from them and carry on with life calmly? If we accept our own self, warts and all , we'll accept others too, as they are. Live and let live.

This poem I had written at the turn of the century. I would like to share it with everyone.

A MESSAGE FOR THE MILLENIUM..........................

Love a little, smile a little,

give a little, recieve a little,

sing a little, kiss a little,

spread peace and joy

to all whom you know,

and in this giant leap forward

take only thoughts sacred

and

BE HAPPY, ALWAYS BE HAPPY ,

IN THE MILLENIUM NEW YEAR.  

The key to life is to BE HAPPY.

AT-ONE i.e atone

When we atone we are at one with the Universe

the sails unfirl, the waves  gentle, 

the zephyrs welcome the ship of all those 

who cautiously tread the path of the unknown.

Nature waits for the u-turn,

bruised and battered by greed and plunder 

she eagerly seeks out souls loving and kind

wishing and willing to atone.

Atonement

Do we need to atone? Should we atone at all ?What do we achieve if we start on the path of atonement? Is it preferable to forget and carry on with your life without thinking too deeply about it ? We are all in the same boat and all of us seek answers to remain afloat.
Please comment and share.

The Tree

We are all bound by Time......yes capitals, for we revolve round the clock. Sometimes harrassed, sometimes  dreading an event or the other extreme-- anticipating a long awaited union with a loved one, we allow the present to slip  like the sands of the hourglass, silent and unnoticed.  Seasons come and go, life carries on, time marches ahead but what remains is our resilience to face each day with the same love and enthusiasm that we had as children or as  hopeful youth willing to take on the impossible with a cheerful grin. 

THE   TREE

Not many leaves remain

on this bare withering tree

braving the strong winds of destiny.

Yet proudly its branches lift skywards

as if reaching out to the clouds laughingly.

Its roots are strong , its trunks firm and smooth

so what if its leaves are few and far between

Is it not the season of the Fall?

Ere winter comes its snowy beauty beckons one and all.

The tree now majestic in white 

glimmers in the moon-lit night

Unafraid, as if smiling in delight 

at the unsurpassed beauty of the  shimmery and starry night.

See, the snow is melting down the slopes,

See, the tree now harsh and brown but awake 

to the hibernating life-forms now active below.

A tiny green appears waving a cheery Hello!

And soon the tree is covered with shades of green 

growing, blossoming and welcoming the eternal spring.

Happy is it in its garb of green,

Happy it was in its white sheen

For naught else but the eyes behold

the beauty waiting to be seen.

__________________________

IN AN AEROPLANE

Up in the sky where we see the world go by,

Clouds of various shapes and hues

Float below the prism blue

whispering messages, "We are passing clouds and will sail to pastures new,

life is a journey between two points of time 

and not haggling over yours and mine."  

Mystic Moments

mystic moments
Those lovely moments snatched on a lonely beach,
those colours ........shades of pink were they ?
suffused on shimmering waters
a calm yet vibrant energy
drew me to that manifest rosy
dawn, noon and sunset ---- all rollen in one
like the ever flowing time of past , present and future
for the three are alike
each sewn into the other.
You shake your head,
well so did I,
once upon a time.
Fool that I was ,
I chose to run from from
the glorious moment on the beach
in a hurry to catch
missed trains and chequered schedules.
Yet my memory on its own clicked
the image in the still shaky screen
of my meandering mind
and I return to it in bliss
like Wordsworth to his Daffodils.

I feel we often overlook the beautiful present for a criss crossed past and an unknown future.
We should live in the NOW.

managing anger

Anger......one word short of DANGER which needs to be spelt in capitals because our daily lives revolve around both. we are angry at one and all but mostly at our own selves. we are angry because we are unable to fulfill our own expectations, our own desires and we blame others. it matters not but to overcome it ,a simple exercise of pouring it all out in a diary in pencil may help. Take out your pent up emotions, use whatever language you feel like and leave it. Read it up the next day and if you want to erase with an eraser. You'll erase the emotions from your heart. Try it.

a wake up call

wake up to a new day, to a new thought and to a new you !!

and for all those who feel that old is gold here's something for you to chew!!

are you dross or gold covered in muck needing paint and brush and lots of good luck?

we are all gold but need to be bold to hold on to our dreams singing in our heart!!

At the sea shore.

How to be happy.
By just being your own sweet self.
But do you really know yourself?
A short story. Two children were walking down a water front, when one said to the other, "I want to sail across this ocean and see the other side."
The second child replied, "But there's only the sun over there and we can see it from here too. There's really no need to go."
The first one said thoughtfully, " You may be right but I'll enjoy the sailing, the buffeting waves, the occasional storm. Will you come ?"
"No,"said the second child quietly, " I enjoy the sun from the sea shore. The sea is rough and I'm not strong enough to face it."

LOVE & CREATION

Love and creation exist side by side, one leading to the other. We love painting and we create one. Everything in this universe exists and survives on love. Love is the basis and it is only when our love is mingled with multiple desires is creation jeopardised.
Purity of love leads to creation of breathtaking beauty giving satisfaction and joy.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever", by Keats is an immortal line because he wrote with love in his heart.

LOVE IS.....

In this age of cyberspace,
When love hides and truth fades
you are welcome to this page
to discover your inner being, still sleeping
in a cocoon of haze......


Love, a universal feeling needs no definition but here are a few of love is....euphemisms

Love is.....not falling in love but uplifting yourself with love.

Love is....not kissing the ground beneath her feet but holding hands and walking together to a new destiny.

Love is.....not losing yourself but finding truly who you are.

Love is..... not clinging on tenaciously but letting go and watch your loved one grow.

Love is...... not only looking at each other tenderly but having a deep insight.

Love is .....not only saying 'sweet nothings' but always having something sweet to say.

Love is.....not getting and forgetting but giving and forgiving