You and I, my dearest

Beyond all wrong, I meet you;

For you wash away my sins.

Beyond any desire to work for gain, I touch you;

For, I am tired of doing so much.

You are there for me, right beside me.

I know because I feel you in something

Finer than breath.

With you by my side, pain no longer wins;

Nor sorrow can defeat me ever again.

With you am I engaged

In the eternal dance.

And, all is bliss and all is truth.

(dedicated to my Krishna)

A Prayer

There are so many who have made a difference to me,

Have added joy to my stay on earth,

Or from who I have learnt invaluable lessons on

Compassion, honesty and courage.

Some of them are gone from this place;

Yet others have moved on from my life.

A great many names forgotten or not even known to me,

Some faces have faded in my mind as well.

A heartfelt prayer today I am sending

To my Krishna:

Bless and forgive each of those whose loving touch

Has made my life beautiful;

For with all their earthly imperfections

Just like I have,

They have dared to love and tried to heal.

Krishna dear, their sincere efforts, accept with love.

Your Silence

The silence I hear from you tells me

A story you hesitate to put into words;

Neither you nor I am a fool so great

As not to know the truth!

But we do fool ourselves on the outside,

Trying to justify what is happening;

As life has enfeebled us, we dare not now

Tell one another that there is love.

But never mind; for both you know and I know

That the trembling silence has

Spoken of two souls intertwined.

Trust and Healing

Why is it that when in pain due to the cruel or indifferent behaviour of others, we look for comfort in the companionship of someone we trust? It is because, it is human nature to trust and love. If someone has hurt us, someone else will appear and he/she will help us heal. Such is life. Such is the power of love.

May healing and love wash away all pain that any reader of this post might be feeling.

Araafat: the mountain of light

My little boy I know not what I can do for you

As not much of life is in my control.

But, there is something that I can give you, always

Without fail, without having to explain to anyone;

In all your innocence and faith, you know what that something is:

My unending love for you.

Every time you run to me and give me a hug,

I feel an overflowing of all that is true and beautiful.

In my love for you my faith has grown

And I know that you will be taken care of by Him

Who has sent you to me.

My little boy, my bundle of joy,

Live long, be happy and true.

Parents playing God, should be careful

Some parents are unbelievably cruel to their children and do their best to scar the little ones' psyche. Their excuse? "Parents need to discipline their children."! Some parents grin and applause every outrageous deed done by their children. Their excuse? "Children need their parents' support."!

If only parents are conscienteous people, the world would be a better place. Too much damage is done during childhood. Very few people are able to overcome the wrong patterns set upon their lives by their parents. They are the rare souls, who are directly connected to divinity. Most others just succumb to the messages of abuse or unfair advantage, given them by their parents.

Are parents listening?

All

Krishna is all I have, and in having Krishna, I have all.

Words evade me now as I stay in joy, beyond loss.

No fall, no ridicule, no rejection, no hurt

Can break me now..

For, by loving Krishna, I have conquered all.

20 August

As we talk, there is joy and love

Beyond words to express.

Once more I feel God's touch, and

My heart is healed.

Dearest, you thanked me today...

But how can I thank you?

No word, no deed, no gift,

Would be enough!

O, what do I do?

Beyond the applause

Often the ones who get the applause deserve it the least and the sincere, honest person's contribution is very 'conveniently' overlooked by the majority. Should that stop us from doing our duty and living by our conscience? I don't think it should, because the truly great soul knows how to contribute to the general good even when not a single person claps for him. A great mind belongs to that man or woman who knows his calling and, regardless of the ridicule or the negligence from others, finds joy within his/her heart.

No one claps when the sun rises, but that does not stop the sun from spreading life-giving warmth and light for the whole world.

Two loves has she

Two loves has she in her pure heart,

Even as the world laughs at her

Calling her names.

Refusing to give up either,

She nurtures both within her soul;

Her two loves

Are connected.

When she sees him the first time in this life,

She knows he is the one,

Then, gradually, He manifests Himself through him

For, he is forever in her due to His grace.

Two loves has she in her grateful life

And her heart and soul are at rest.

(Dedicated to Manojini, a woman I know well)

Space: a mark of respect

Giving space in a relationship, marriage or otherwise, is vital for the healthy life of it. Unfortunately, not all people want to understand that space is important for the constant growth of a person, and hence, if space is compromised, the individual feels trapped in the relationship.

We would obviously want our loved ones to be happy and be happy ourselves. So, if we are encroaching on their personal time, dictating terms to them at every chance, we are not much bothered about their happiness. If we do not care about them, we do not respect them. And, with no respect in the relationship, love ceases to exist between partners.

Let us give space to our dear ones as well as firmly but gently ask for it ourselves when needed. Let us stay happy.

The floodgates have opened!

The floodgates of joy have opened

And I am washed with hope and love.

Since all things mundane, being broken down,

Have been swept out for good,

There is room now for peace and acceptance.

The waves of bliss carry me away,

Madly, but gently

To the faraway land I had glimpsed

Many a time, through the tears of heart-break.

Letting go of those who were never mine,

I have moved on, for the floodgates of my life

Have opened and washed clean am I, at last.

Released, at last

This world is a torture-house

With just glimpses of happiness.

So, what can one do when he is trapped

In this normally abnormal place?

Taking one day at a time,

And holding fast to faith and hope,

He reaches the end of his prison days

To reunite, at last, with his long-waiting beloved.

She sees her Destiny

Closing her eyes, tired after yet another day

Full of struggles and despair,

She falls asleep, not keen to wake up again.

But, tonight is different for her;

Tonight is destiny, for all her pain is washed away,

As, towards dawn, she sees in her dream,

Talking to her like never before,

Her cherished Fate.

Her dream is reality, greater than all else.

Absorption

The last walk across the beach they took

Before parting for a long, long time;

In the blue and white of moon and night,

Neither of them wanted to unclasp hands

But they had to, as time was running out.

A fleeting glance, that took in all

While moving on each one's way,

Remained etched in their hearts.

It was the nectar they would thrive on

Till they met again.

The real courage

The courage, to listen to the voice that always speaks the truth, is mostly lacking in people. That voice is that of conscience. It is conscience which tells us right from wrong, truth from falsehood. However, one needs to be really brave to follow that voice because if we choose to do so, we will inevitably meet with rejection and humiliation from the world at large. If not for life, then at least for a number of years will we have to deal with this pain. The classic example is Jesus Christ. The hypocrites all play the game of convention, pretending to be socially-wonderful. And, they get the results too: applause for what they have not contributed, but in their hearts, they tremble all along the journey of life, afraid that sooner or later the truth about them will get exposed. It usually does. What does the person, who listens to the voice, get in the long run? He/she leads a life of inner contentment and when death comes, happily leaves the world joyfully anticipating a reunion with the Lord.

The Joy of Sunset

The happy days were over for him

And the cruel ones had come;

Watching the sunset from his room

He wondered why life had changed such

For he had done none harm!

Since he could not change the change

He decided that it was not for him to ask

Questions whose answers were not given.

But somewhere within his heart

The man knew that only the temporary alters;

And knowing this, he stopped grieving

For those who had faked love for gain.

That done, he found happiness again;

Finally, he tasted peaceful joy, in himself.

She is different

Home is what she craved for

Right from her early childhood;

Parents and others were all around her,

Yet, for her, it was not home.

What she received, she was asked to be happy about.

Although not ungrateful for the food and shelter,

She felt there was something fake

In the relationships.

Was it a particular case of lack of love in her family,

Or is that the way of the world?

She is different; and grew up nurturing her soul,

Much to the chagrin of those around.

She is different, and is happy for her choice.

Bloom, even if there is apparently none to appreciate you, because there is someone who appreciates your efforts and loves you. That someone usually stays invisible to the world but observes you all the time. Bloom for Him.

The bloodless revolution in my life

Today I complete 365 days of being a vegetarian. A very happy anniversary for me because it has been a life-altering decision in my case and good things have happened to me over the last one year. My health is much better and I no longer need to take vitamin pills. There is greater peace of mind and a better sense of acceptance in me. Other blessings have come along the way, too.

I have been laughed at for my choice but I have held on to living my life based on my convictions.

If we can live without shedding blood, why kill animals? How about living healthy and letting the helpless animals live? I personally think that killing and tearing are meant for wild animals, and not for human beings.

The journey and the call

Down the road she walked

Talking to herself all along;

She spoke of what she was seeing

And learning on her walk.

There was much noise around her

For each passer-by was in a hurry

And shouting in his own way.

The girl was disturbed, yet,

Continued with her journey

For she knew only that.

Amidst all the din

She heard it clear, without a doubt,

A voice calling her; she was so sure.

The girl quietened down her chatter,

Hearing again, this time, clearer, the call.

The unknown voice seemed so dear to her

And pulled her like the greatest bond.

Her hidden chains broke away from her;

She was free, free at last,

As she chose to follow the call.

Wisely, O Gentle Heart

From the day the infant opens his eyes to the world

He starts to know what life is;

As the infant becomes a child, a man

Sometimes he is overwhelmed by what he sees.

Much of pain and some joy, and

Too much of confusion and doubts

He has to live through, fighting a lonely battle

Surrounded by many a smiling, jeering faces.

His gentle heart becomes timid

And, afraid to love again

He goes into a shell....

Wisely, O Gentle Heart,

Choose what you wish to keep,

For all are not the same;

The ones that hurt you are best forgotten.

Wisely, O Gentle Heart,

Try to love again.

The Question

The life-partner gets the name, the children;

She seems so full of all the bounties of life;

Yet, what happens if there is no love in the union?

How much of a marriage does it stay?

Sometime, somewhere, the soul-mate comes

Quietly, with an eternity's love for him.

Her eyes are full of light.

Who should win: the one who has so much to show,

Or the one who has surrendered her all

Asking for nothing in return?

(A poem on a man's experience of a fake, hollow marriage and his encounter with his one true love. In no way does the poem advocate marital infidelity)

The cleansing: an act of surrender

Looking out the window I see the downpour

Washing clean the trees and the grass;

Even the dogs are elated to feel water

After the scorching heat of days.

The soothing white sheet unfolds

As the clouds are free of their burden.

Life all around me is joyous

Because of the chance to rejuvenate,

I decide to let go of all that holds me down..

And surrender to the cleansing rain.

Cleaning my body and mind

I turn inwards to touch myself

And find the temple has already been cleansed

By the living God,

Who resides in me, Who resides in you,

And Who is there

In the burning sun and in the drops of rain.

"Tvamaeva sarvam, ma ma daeva daeva"

The little things of life

The little things of life all add up

To give the full experience

And we learn to build or to break,

Based on what we choose to have.

Small acts are not small at all

For they hurt us or they heal wounds.

A small word is often an act of love

Or a stab of pain.

A soft smile on the parting lips

Or a hand reaching out

To hold,

When many just go by without a glance,

Often make us know life,

And, we dare live again.

The balancing act and beyond..

A dear friend of mine tells me that he does not like my writing on sad themes. He insists that I should write only on the brighter side of life. Not one to dwell always on the murky or hopeless side of life, I find his criticism unfair because life is not an only-happy experience for anyone.

If we are continually running away from the pain that life keeps on throwing at us, it depicts an unrealistic, escapist's attitude. The sorrow that we face needs to be acknowledged as much as joy needs to be accepted with gratitude. Each person, in order to stay 'emotionally sane', needs to do the balancing act between his reactions to grief and pleasure; otherwise, overcome by pain, he might lose all faith in himself, in humanity and in God. Or, expecting life to be always wonderful, he might become depressed to the extent of having suicidal thoughts.

Once the balance is reached, one tastes what I would call true joy. This happiness is not tied to the circumstances of life which we have to deal with. The true joy comes when we see beyond the mundane pleasures and gains on one hand and unfair hurts hurled at us. This peace come only when we learn to trust the grand universal plan unfolding every moment.

Doing the balancing act is easier said than done, I admit. However, should we at least not try to discover the 'kingdom of heaven' within us?

To Be Done

As duty calls and my work is yet to be done,

I am returning to the world of cares,

A place where the race takes place

With all the sidekicks possible.

Not that I care much for what comes now

As my part is in doing my job

Taking one day at a time, one step at a time,

Like a trusting child, like a bruised old woman.

So tired am I today that I yearn to sleep

But rest runs away for now;

The broken fragments all picked up again,

I move on in the battle of life.

Come what may, the work is there

To be done.

The Final Desire

All experiences that touch the soul with true happiness are signs of eternity and have beautiful parts to play in our consciousness. Often, I have had the sinking feeling of losing a cherished person or experience. However, at the say time, a 'never-say-die' voice in me has told me to be patient and not to give up hope. When I look at my life I see that people, who, apparently, were lost to me, have come back. Relationships have been restored. I have healed. What about those that are over for good? They were not meant to be and their short stay has taught me to let go of the undeserved/ undeserving.

My life has taught me to look beyond life. When I move on from the stage of this mostly-tragic drama of life, I move on with a burning desire in me and I know in my soul that my ultimate dream too will become reality. I hope to get Him who is called by various names. I call Him Vaasudev Krishna and my dream is to hold His hands and dance as best friends. And all the others who are dear to me will also be present there for my Vaasudev sustains us all with only a fraction of His infinite energy. I, inspite of all my imperfections, have full faith in His mercy and grace.

My Devam, my very own

Devam wanted to come over to my place;
I had no place in my dilapidated hut;
But I love him and yearned to see him...
Devam is my very own and I told him the truth.
He being who he is, understood;
And, I was asked to come to heaven...
To see him.
Devam held my hand as I crossed the threshold
And his home has become my home.
Such is my Devam, my very own.

The Shelter

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prerna231/message/21405

The cyclone hit the garden and the leaf was torn

And was carried by the ruthless wind,

Far away from the leaf's home.

As she tried to resist, knowing how useless it was,

She wept for her friends lost: other leaves, flowers and birds.

Why was she cruelly torn away from the place she loved?

Oh, why were her friends all taken away?

No one answered her questions as she was tossed

From here to there, by the cruel wind.

Was there no place where she could rest?

Was there none to give her refuge?

She felt that she was about to die, her dreams dying with her.

Amidst all the roaring of the wind,

She dared open her eyes, and saw closed doors in front.

Feeling all hope was lost, she cried out, a piteous cry;

And, the door opened with the wind pushing against it;

The leaf shut her eyes as she was carried in.

No longer having the strength to cry,

She opened her eyes once more

Even as the wind dropped her and she came to rest,

And saw the beauty of the place.

The trembling leaf looked up

And saw the golden dress, the smiling face.
The torn leaf, the homeless leaf
Had found shelter at the feet of Vaasudev.

( jag se aankhe band kare to, Surdas ne dars(n) kiye )

(only after Surdas lost his earthly eyes, did he see the Lord)

I am taking a break from blogging; will be back in July, Krishna-willing.

May you stay happy and in good health.

The Choice

They say that I should not be independent;

Like themselves they want me to crawl.

I am lectured by them that every act of mine is wrong,

When all I do is follow the inner voice I hear in me.

They come in various names and

Under the guise of some relationships;

But each one of them is what I call

Defeat-incarnate, and they try to enfeeble me.

Much have I cried while fighting them

And now the tears have all dried up;

The defeatists are still there, talking foul

But I have shut my ears to them,

As I hear now, only what I choose to hear:

Words of love and words of truth

Etched in this soul eternal.

Holding On To Faith

As I look at this drama called life

Trying to make sense of all the chaos,

I see that life goes on, and there is joy too.

If there come hurt and betrayal from some

Who I had thought were my friends,

Some others come along to heal my heart

And I feel whole again.

This losing and this gaining have taught me

To hold on to dear faith;

If on one side we are robbed,

On the other side is God's grace.

There is nothing called the final goodbye

Often people feel that death snatches away their dear ones. This becomes one of the reasons why some people are afraid of deep emotional attachments. If being born is something natural, so is death. What is the point in mourning something that is inevitable?

Yet people cry when someone dear to them dies. I cried when my mother passed away. Once more, death made me cry when I saw my former-student, Shayaan's body in the coffin. We cry primarily because with death we lose tangible contact with the departed and we think we will not be able to share our feelings and experiences with him or her ever again. Then we cry because we feel the departed person did not get enough of this life.

Yes, it hurts to be separated by death, but I personally believe that there is a joyous reunion beyond this life. The supreme mastermind of the universe is kind; He would not play any cruel game with anyone. Thus, death is just a temporary separation between the living and the dead. If this life is unfair to a person, he gets compensation in the hereafter. Those who love always have faith and their faith manifests as reality.

(This post is dedicated to the memory of Shayaan Chowdhury who passed away on 24 May 2008. It was a cruel experience for me to see my former-student's lifeless body. The photo at the top of the post, is Shayaan's.)

(The views expressed in this post are my own and I have no intention here to propagate or denounce any school of thought on death, religious or otherwise.)

Quoting the poem, Death Be Not Proud, by John Donne:

Death be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,

For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,

Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,

And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

And, it stopped burning

The page torn away from the painting-book,

Was in my hand and I was burning it;

As the paper was in flames and I, in tears

Something happened and, the page stopped burning.

Torn and half-burnt, it has survived,

To tell a tale of love and woe;

The page asks me if love is all woe,

How did it survive the scorching flames!

No answer have I to the question asked;

And in my silence the page found victory;

Sheer joy it is to be in love,

And it is love in us that survives all.

How much can a parent do?

Usually when a child is born, his parents are filled with joy and it seems that they would do almost anything to save the child from the trials of life. However, even with the most well-meaning of parents, situations can arise where they can do little to help their child. In spite of their best efforts to protect him, he has to go through much hardship and pain in life, and the parents become helpless witnesses to the agony.

What is a parent to do then? Does he accept it as the result of the child's previous lives' karma? Does he bear it as an exceptional test by God? Whatever his philosophy of life, seeing his child suffer is usually unbearable for a good parent.

The only thing a parent can do in such a case, is, in my opinion, give extra love and attention to his child. It is through love that even the unbearable is tolerated with a little less pain.

Hiding his own tears, a parent has to smile for his child.

The significance of a birthday

A birthday is an occasion to celebrate because it marks the day of someone's entry in this world. Family and friends usually throw a birthday-party to show how much the person is loved and appreciated by them.

The person whose birthday it is, looks upon the day depending on how old he becomes. If he is a child, the birthday means more toys. If a young teenager, he feels happy to be nearing adulthood and what he considers to be freedom. For a middle-aged person, the birthday is a time to introspect and evaluate his life. If the person happens to be a senior citizen, he probably looks back at life with all his achievements and disappointments, and is usually able to look beyond the hurt and pain and see the hand of God in all that happens.

Today is the birthday of someone very dear to me and I hope God gives him peace and joy. My friend, whose birthday it is today, deserves all the happiness in the world. The cake above is eggless, since both my friend and I are vegetarians. All my blogger-friends are being requested to help themselves to a piece each :)

"Happy Birthday to....."

Dated: 12 May, 2009

Will I dare?

"Looking into myself I see

A great void where once joy lived;

With every step I took to become a success

I ended up losing my very own.

The time has come and

Dear, dear life is calling me, once more.

Will I give her a chance to own me

And fill me with joy?

Will I dare let me be myself? "

(The question someone is asking...)

The River Gushing Forth

All the boulders near the river,

Cannot stop it from gushing forth;

How is it possible for the world

To stop love from being love?

The risk of being hurt on the rocks

Hinders not the one who ventures

On the mighty river full of foam:

The call is clear and he responds.

The river and the rocks together

Tell the story of love perennial;

What happens is bound to happen:

True love gives life to the soul.

The Child's Question

The little child asks herself why she was born

To a mother who has no love for her;

She has a friend in her doting father,

But he is busy working all the time.

The little child needs someone to play with,

But there is no one to listen to her;

She waits for her grandparents to come

From a city far, far away.

The little child knows not why

She has been left all alone;

Not a soul has the courage or time

To answer her innocent question.

A breath of fresh air

"The unnamed relationship in my life

Caught me unawares and I found out

How hollow the life I was leading;

She came, but had no place in my world.

Yet I could not shut her out,

Not turn a deaf ear to her words

Spoken and unuttered as well,

Nor be blind to her joy in me.

In my set life with all its success,

I was choking, dying in my soul;

Her unstated love, her quiet surrender,

Is a breath of fresh air; and I let her be in me. "

(The words are of my choice but the experience is of a dear friend.)

Love Will Triumph Over All

It is bound to happen, I know;

Yet, I cry when you test my patience.

Life has come a full circle for me,

But the conclusion is pending yet.

Waiting with much joy in my soul

And some anguish in my human heart,

I ask today, to the one dearest to me

Why need I go through even more?

My word and your silence today,

Together walk, side by side;
A time will come when both will fade,
And love will triumph over all.

Flowers at His feet

She was living with her widowed, ailing mother and earned some money by selling garlands and flowers near the temple of Krishna, in Chittagong. Although young and impoverished, she did not have many desires for herself. There was, however, one cherished dream in her heart.

No matter how much she needed the little money her garlands and flowers brought for her, she never forgot to offer some fresh flowers at the feet of the idol of Krishna, each morning, as soon as the temple gates opened for the public. It was only then that she started selling. Affectionately, she called Him "Vaasudev". With Him she talked each day, adoring Him, asking His help in taking care of her mother, and always begging Him to keep her long-lost childhood friend, Manoj, happy. This ten-year old boy, as he was when they got separated, was her secret, cherished dream.

One night, her Vaasudev came to her in a dream. She saw him, in all His splendour and beauty, walking in a palace. As she called out to Him, "Vaasudev! Vaasudev!", He came to her even before she could run towards Him. He had a beautiful smile on His face and they met as close friends. Vaasudev assured her that He was always by her side. When finally He started walking again towards the palace, she knew she did not have much time to express herself and uttered the word, "Manoj". Vaasudev smiled and the flower-girl woke up.

Having full faith in Vaasudev, she knew that her Manoj was safe. She was happy because in her heart, her belief whispered to her that Manoj was in good hands, Vaasudev's hands, entrusted by her. Within two years of seeing Vaasudev Krishna in the dream, she heard from Manoj and their lives turned into a series of beautiful, joyous happenings.

The Beauty Of This Day

This day is full of love and peace

As my heart overflows with joy;

For things that I have learnt on my way,

I see the meaning of it all.

This day reminds me that truth remains

And kindness is a gift for all;

In spite of some pain and confusion

Love remains, and happiness heals the heart.

( Dedicating this small poem, which happens to be my post #100, to all my dear ones.)

Remembering my mother

My mother is no more by my side;

Then why do I still feel her love?

We are taught that no one returns

From the land of the dead!

But even in going to that land,

Some keep on touching us

Just to let us know that love remains,

Beyond this veil of life,

And nothing that is good and true is lost.

Joy, Lost and Found

Searching for joy at all places,

I grew tired and longed for rest;

The struggles and woes of day to day

Took me captive and I lost my way.

Then someone whispered in my ears

The magic words for me:

"Search well, this time,within you."

Yes, I found my joy, at last,

Deep within me, resting, in my soul.

Moving On

A few days back I consulted a childhood-friend about a situation. The way she reacted was a shock for me. Under the guise of being realistic, she used the meanest and nastiest words possible. It was obvious that she saw in my case something which was missing in her life and she chose to react the wrong way.

No one has everything and it is only decent and sensible to accept this fact. If someone decides to be negative towards us, that too in a way that would hurt us the most, it is better to move on. This friend and I were very close for years and even when the distance between us started to grow, I had closed my eyes to it. However, now I have decided to move on. Wishing her the best in her life, I am emotionally distancing myself from her.

This moment is a new beginning in my life.

The Resurrection

Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On this day, Christ rose from the dead and talked to some of his followers.

At a non-denominational spiritual level, the resurrection can be said to be a symbol of undying hope and faith. God in His grace, sees to it that no undue pain goes unrewarded. Each one of us has to deal with pain and betrayal. Let God give us the faith in our hearts that He will lift us up from the pain into deep joy and peace.

From terror to peace, from pain to joy, from death to eternal life, may the Almighty God walk with us. Amen.

A Celebration of Love

Every now and then I reach out to you

Wanting to feel your loving hand;

To some, I appear a fool, perhaps,

But I neither live nor die without you.

The smiling eyes, the touching words,

Have all stayed within my soul;

If today, you seem like snow, my love,

Turn to life-giving water, once more.

The beauty of my life has been

In loving you and celebrating love;

Hold my hand, once more, my love,

For that is all I want; my cosmos is in you.

Thy Will be done

When in life, we are confused,

May we turn to God and say:

'Thy Will be done.'

If we suffer heart-breaks and

Know not the reasons,

It helps if we cry out to Him:

'Thy Will be done.'

Every day of this life, may we

Walk with Him and see His Hand

Equally there in joy and pain;

In death as much as in life,

May we have the faith to say with trust:

'My kindest Lord and dearest Friend,

Thy Will be done.'

(The line, "Thy Will be done", is from the traditional Christian prayer popularly called The Lord's Prayer)

The urgent email

The Director of Academics of a certain school had sent an extremely important and urgent email to the sports’ coordinator of the school who saw the content and decided that the games teacher (games falls under co-curricular activities ) needed to know about the matter.

The games teacher was a person who never used a computer and thus, had no internet ID. The coordinator, in an inexplicable moment of decision, had the email printed out and put the hard-copy inside the first-aid kit which the games teacher took to the cricket field every day. He never bothered to make a phone call to the teacher to tell him about it.

Two days later, when the Director asks the coordinator why he hadn’t looked into the urgent matter, the games teacher is called. In the presence of all three, the first-aid box is opened and the very urgent mail is retrieved!

Generations ago, love-letters would be delivered in a similar manner, resulting in sometimes hilarious and sometimes disastrous consequences. Circumstances and times change, but the drama of life remains the same.

ayeshacgs@hotmail.com

Now

Going through the land of trials,
As all alone I stand and reach out
Crying for help, and in pain,
There is none to respond to my screams.

If this is what life is all about,
Then death is what I would prefer;
How is it that I cannot kill myself,
Even when every part in me breaks apart?

The silent sobs have quietened down
As I am tired and all vacant inside…
But, yet again the pain starts
And the remembrance and the fear come back.

With pain behind and fear ahead,
I have no answer for myself;
But somewhere, there is someone
Who makes me walk through the hell.

That someone today I call:
Be with me or I shall die;
For you have I taken every step;
Now, wash away the pain, for yours am I.

Making your own way

When faced with difficulties we have options out of which we choose one. Our choice reflects our attitude to life. What is important primarily is not to make any choice in anger as the mind does not think logically when a person is angry.

The second most important thing is optimism. If we believe that problems can be solved, solutions do appear, usually. This might be partly because an optimistic person never gives up trying.

The third factor is believing in oneself. Self-confidence often makes the difference between success and failure. No matter what others say, if you believe in a cause sincerely or have a dream, hold it very close to your heart. The very act that you respect your ambition or dream, will help you in realizing it.

The use of ethical means is a must when dealing with obstacles to our success. If the means are dishonest, no lasting happiness can be the result. It is better to choose failure than choosing corruption because for an honest person true success comes in the long run.

Troubles come in every person’s life. How you deal with them determines how successful you are in making your own way.

Never again, my vanished friend

Walking with you, every day, side by side,
I thought you were my very own;
Your words said the same thing and I was healed
By your warmth and affection.

As we talked, every day, our souls touched;
I said to you what I have not told others
And you declared I added joy to your life.
The peace in my heart was a gift from you.

Never once did I feel that this could end,
As all good things are made eternal;
You had started the story and gave me hope
Of joy and of tenderness.

The sudden snatching away of your hand,
The unspoken breaking away from me
Has left me stabbed, my heart lacerated
As all alone I stand, once again.

Alone I was, and alone I am today;
You going away has stayed in me;
My guiding star, my healing balm,
After you, I dare not love again.