The Christmas Tree

My Christmas 🌲 tree is growing up so fast,
last year it was shorter than my daughter.
This year it has grown up past,
her excited face, head and laughter.

It's not just a tree with some ornaments,
some lights, clumsily decorated by little hands.
It is a living soul that brings joy and excitement,
a companion illuminating lives, in a way grand.

The twinkling lights, light you up,
like little hearts beating in unison.
The cheer and squeals it brings,
giving reasons for memories to be spun.

I hope it grows into a handsome 7 feet tall tree,
looking over the girl who looked after the sapling.
Wrapping up in its needles, my family's glee,
Keeping the souvenirs of memories in a string.

Rain

To each his own.

Can eyes capture beauty? Can beauty be beheld?
Is beauty a joy for ever? Even for the beholder?

Does one mean everything, for The One, for the rest of their lives?
Do promises hold their ground, do they survive?

Can love stand the test of time? Can time really fly?
Can love be summarized? Or is it just glorified?

Can time heal all wounds? Can wounds not leave scars?
Not leave any hint of pain? Inflicted through egoistical disdain?

Does love mean the whole world for us? Does it grow roots?
Does it make one grow fonder? Or compiling years make it wander?

 Do lives get entwined with each other? Do two  hearts beat as one?
Do souls find their mates for ever? Do they exist always together?

To each his own, answers to questions vexed.
Everyone's idea of love, differs from the next.

What matters most is the experience of love.

Either  momentarily or for eternity.
Love heals broken hearts and souls, back to whole.

Design 34

Winter Bloom 6

Chrysanthemum

Winter bloom 5

Chrysanthemum

Chasing time- 2

That time of year is here. Nostalgia personified. Time to count blessings, looking back and pondering what all happened. What all could not happen and what all could have happened.

As if it were just yesterday, the same day, the same time. Same flowers blooming, same migratory birds nesting, same temperature, rain, snow, chill in the air.

Like a flash it went by! Every wish sent to people, like it was written yesterday. The same parties, thankfully  surrounded by the same people. Some new additions surprisingly seeming like old acquaintances. Same cheer in the atmosphere.

Same emotions wreaking havoc. The same homeless, cold people on the roads stirring deep emotions within the soul. Same sense of helplessness, restlessness and pain.

Same sense of joy and pride watching your children grow. Love, companionship amongst young and old in the family. Same sense of gain when a new member arrives in the family. The extreme sense of loss felt like a huge void, everytime remembering those lost.

Years passing by, one at a time but like on a speedboat, zooming past. Memories merging into each other like a dream, senselessly mixing people , events from past and present together.

Like a joyride, rollercoaster years, same posts, photos, comments, likes on the social media. The decorated Christmas trees, the dancing , singing , drinking, New Year's Eve parties. Identical situations yet...

The year is brand new, time lapsed, 12 months gone, countless breaths drawn. Mind absorbing pain and pleasure like a sponge. Countless moments lost, countless moments acquired. Bonds formed and broken, relationships strengthened, weakened.

The familiarity of "Sameness" embracing in comfort. The excitement of unknown giving sense of adventure. Family, friends giving  love, hope and the strength to go on. Go on chasing time!

Love is...

Love is...
Like the air, invisible, untouchable but paramount to life.
An emotion, a void filled, completeness, paramount to happiness.

It is...
A feeling, a whisper, a simple touch, paramount to survival.
Like a fantasy, an imagination, a dream, paramount to ambition.

Love is...
Family, friends, a society, paramount to continuation.
Celebrations, festivals, customs, paramount to joy.

It is...
Like a soul within a body, otherwise just muscles, bones, blood and nerves.
Love is paramount to existence.

The visitors.

🐞🐝🐞

 

I am visited by butterflies, when I walk into the garden.
Yellow butterflies flying off little yellow flowers as if the whole bunch just grew wings.
Urging me to raise my arms to touch them but in vain.

I am visited by a tiny 🐦bird, when I walk into the garden.
Little black bird residing on the tall green bamboo🎍, chirping as if the bamboo found its voice.
Startling me everytime it flies away.

I am visited by ants 🐜🐜🐜, when I walk into the garden.
Tiny red ones, building anthill in a quiet corner as if  the garden were their kingdom, protecting them from rain.
Stinging me, sending shivers up my spine as soon as I step on the grass.

I am visited by strange small white  frogs🐸, when I visit the garden.
Jumping to hide in the hedge, making it shake as if the hedge acquired dancing feet.
Making me jump back, petrified their predators🐍 may follow soon.

I am visited by droplets of water falling down from wet leaves.
Creepers bowing, shaking off their flowers on me, greeting me in the mornings.
Reminding me I am alive and awake, when I visit my garden.
                  🐝
                         🐝

🐞

                                                                                          🐞

Morning stroll 3

The sky burst open like a volcano, spewing  lava in all directions, spreading, flowing like river of death. Consuming everything in its wake and its path.

It burst open like a heart, broken  into a million pieces, bleeding pain. Consuming the one whose was broken.

It's just a way of looking at things,

for the sky exploded with warm gentle sunlight, spreading, flowing like river of life. Reviving everything in its wake and its path.

It exploded like a heart, into a million pieces, with joy that could'nt be contained inside anymore. Revitalizing, disburdning, whose burst.

It's just a way of looking at things,

For even if it were lava, time turns the fields of destruction into most fertile lands.
For even if the heart were broken, time gives ample opportunities to heal and repair, turning it into flourishing abode.

It's just a way of looking at things.

Strokes of Nature -2

Golden Iris peeping through half open lids, welcoming morning.
Fire in the clouds spreading slowly, giving life.
A knife slitting darkness by sunlight, horizon melting with warmth.
A child's smile through grayness of mood, dawn breaking through clouds.

Chasing Time

That time of year is here!
Christmas and New Year.

Look back and remember;
Pleasures, pain, joy and anger.

Spread some cheer;
Amongst those who are dear.

Be someone's Angel;
Share,love and give away to strangers.

Break free, shake the past;
Grab the future, let hope last.

Follow your heart, out you venture;
Go on for an unknown adventure.

Let the New Year ring the chime;
Continue the journey, chasing Time.

The first Summer rain.

Scorching Sun dries and makes brittle the leaves, Earth starts cracking up like honeycomb.
Birds fly high and low to find  just a few drops of water to quench their thirst. Stray animals find shade under the trees and in  abandoned half built houses. People  try to stay indoors to be safe from the brutal heat.

...and then the clouds are summoned,  vast expanse of sky turns grey, air turns cool, wind picks up speed. Dust swirls make small whirlwinds with dried leaves. The wind chimes start tinkling rhythmically,  trees start swaying to the music of dust filled breeze, eyes are turned towards the sky, in anticipation of that first drop.

...and when the first  drops fall and hit the dried earth, the smell of wet earth intoxicates the senses like thousand  sirens. The drops turn to a gentle shower, a drizzle. Sky makes noise to declare freedom from heat, lightning is like celebration of nature. Dust settles, plants get a well deserved wash. The roads start shining. Dogs in the neighbourhood start barking, going round and round in circles with their tongues sticking out.

People come out of the homes for no reason at all, conversations start budding. Children start dancing, screaming, getting wet, soaked, drenched. Grown ups also stretch their arms to feel the rain on their palms as if they have never touched water before.

The first shower of summer is like magic, magic which leaves us  desiring for more, to experience more, to enjoy more, to feel more, to live more .

Alternatives

There are just two alternatives in life, either be happy or sulk, either admire or criticize, either laugh or cry. The choice is ours to make.

Those who always see negative in everything are the ones who let happiness slip away from their fists like sand. Slowly draining away life from them. While those who focus on positives are the ones capturing happiness in their fists like air. Air, which stays even when the fist is open.

Life is neither a bed of roses nor a field of thorns. It is a combination of both. People searching for happiness outside of their own hearts are the ones who never find it or miss on it. For it is a state of mind, a desire, a tenant of the soul.

They do not absorb the goodness in their surrounding, they sulk, complain, criticize. Make others uncomfortable, get ignored and mistreated by others.

People avoid their company, pretend to be indifferent to their needs and definitely do not want to waste their emotions and energy in pacifying or placating these tortured souls.
Unfortunately, they are like thunderbolts which attract attention, cause severe damage and are finally forgotten.

On the other hand, there are people who bring out from within themselves the most common yet the rarest of feelings; happiness, joy. Sprinkling the world with their laughter, love and positive energy.

These people brighten other people's lives. They absorb pain and pleasure around them and convert it into energy which is like evergreen music.
They are like monsoon rain, which washes all the dirt, cleans everything and leaves a lasting impression. For they embrace life as it is, without any complains.

The choice is ours, who we want to be? How we want to spend the rest of our lives? What we want to achieve?

Holi

One of the most joyous, happy, fun filled festivals of Hindus. It brings people of India together, irrespective of their cultural or religious beliefs. The spirit of Holi rubs on people like perfume in the air. The colours of Holi bind the people of India into one beautiful multicoloured fabric.

Monsoon 2

Monsoon

Popsicle

Holi

Sweet tooth 3