Category: Inspirational

FF: Foot in the Mouth

Written for the Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle – a story in 100 words or less. Click here for other stories on this prompt.

PHOTO PROMPT © Starsinclayjars

Foot in the Mouth

Words 101

“Resting? At your age, you should be running.” A middle-aged man chastised Raghu beside him on the park bench. “I do 20 laps and you gave up after just 10,” he snorted.

“I am trying.”

“Yeah right. All you youngsters are lazy lumps. Only good for junk food and video games.” He cast him a scathing look. “No wonder you are overweight. Look at me, so fit. If I were younger,” he broke off staring at the ground, “what’s that? Did you injure your leg? You’re bleeding!”

Raghu looked down. “Ah. Just a bit. I’m still adjusting to my new foot.”

***

Inspired by the Jaipur foot and Sudha Chandran who reclaimed her place on the stage of dance after losing her leg in an accident with the help of the Jaipur foot.

Thanks for visiting!

A Survivor’s Tale

Photo (c) Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

A Survivor’s Tale

Words 98

It was dark and the weight crushing.  

Life oozed out bit by bit.  

I struggled to survive, one breath at a time.

 Loneliness engulfed me. 

Oh the pain the anguish the isolation – all for what?

Doubts racked me.

Why struggle so much?

Who cared whether I lived or died?

Why not just give up?

Give in.

I tried.

Believe me, I tried hard to give up.

But I didn’t know how.

I only knew one thing.

My time would come.

And it did.

That’s my story. What’s yours?

She swayed and dipped, offering me yet another luscious mango.

***

Written (after eons) for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting the challenge and the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here.

WPC: Twisted Nature

This week’s photo challenge is about showing something twisted. So let’s see how twisted one can get…

20170804_112521Twisted metal rods that dot the rural landscape

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Fed up with the twisted eyesores, nature takes things into her hands – when you can’t beat them, join them!

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“Just a single cord is enough to be tangled” ― Munia Khan

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“The reality of the other person is not in what he reveals to you, but in what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says but rather to what he does not say.” Khalil Gibran

 

IMG_0145Once upon a time, I lived my life in this ‘green room’. Only the bed is missing.

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“Man struggles to find life outside himself, unaware that the life he is seeking is within him.” Khalil Gibran

 

Rose

“The snow and the storm destroy the flower; but its seed they cannot kill.” Khalil Gibran

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“You may chain my hands, you may shackle my feet; you may even throw me into a dark prison; but you shall not enslave my thinking, because it is free!” Khalil Gibran

As You Like It

For this week’s Sunday Trees I have a really bindaas one 😀

20180127_145913

Covered

from top to toe

They cry foul

As they do

when uncovered

turn

a deaf ear to

the unpleasable world

take a leaf

from me

dance

to your song

as you like

however

you like

Life and Death

As I come out of my shell and explore my surroundings I can’t help but notice a unique seasonal feature around these parts. Spring and fall seem to coexist. Leaves carpet the roads and mounds of leaves dot the sides of the roads until they are carted off to their final resting place. And yet gardens are abloom with a riot of colors – pink purple yellow and magenta. The peepal tree outside my office is a case in point. It is almost bare with a few green leaves determinedly hanging on until they turn yellow and reluctantly make their way down to whence they grew to such dizzying heights. And yet whilst this tussle is on, a new unruly batch has already sprung up gung-ho and eager to make their mark in this world. I have been feeling too inhibited to click this particule tree but I did mix and match some photos in an earlier post – Peepal in Spring.

For this post I have captured a few contrasting images from the world around me. Come scroll with me…

20180331_102923Clutching at straws

20180330_101305Brilliant and defiant in death.

20180330_101433Life towers over and mocks at death – it is not for me!

20180330_101500Yet some die before their time

20180330_101451While others bloom despite all odds

20180401_081112Even when there appears to be no hope or escape

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Only when we accept that ups and downs, life and death will happen can we move on and live life as she deserves to be led – wholly completely, entirely and unabashedly.

Wish you all a wonderful day.

The Journey Within

I missed Becca’s Sunday Trees but here I am on Tuesday. Have a wonderful day people!

20171104_085404

Skipping along the dirt road

she stopped to

stare and ponder

Poor old tree

No respite

No escape

Imprisoned

Forever and ever

The tree swayed with gentle laughter

A single curled leaf

Twirled its way down upon her head

Little one

Not all journeys are without

If you would

but look within

A Love Story in Pics

The Daily Post this week invites us to share a visual story. I am busy shifting houses (now that would tell an amazing story but that’s another story for another day 😉 but since I can’t seem to keep away from the blog world, I am re-posting one (from August 2016) which some of you may have seen. But I think it is worth a revisit. Feel free to disagree and move on! 😀

Stories and more

The other day I spotted a pair of geese:

1A GOOSE.jpg

Excited, I moved in for a closer shot:

But no matter how much I tried, the goose just wouldn’t let me click his mate. It honked and glared and pretended to be interested in the distal most piece juicy stem.

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Can you beat that?

The typical Indian male I supposed and walked away (or at least pretended to but the goose wasn’t that much of a goose – it wasn’t buying or budging).

Until I really walked away. That’s when I noticed:

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She was injured or ill and he was merely trying to keep away an opportunistic predator.

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Blessed to witness such a rare and precious sight.

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A Salute to the Wall

In times where it is commonplace to talk of bringing down walls here is one Wall that we could do with more of. If you are a cricket buff or from India you would know of whom I am talking about – Rahul Dravid a cricketer par excellence.

Rahul in his heydays was known as the Wall for his stolid reliability and patience to spend hours and hours at the crease despite all odds. Although he has his own self-deprecating theories about why he was named so.

He retired from cricket in 2012 and could have easily been a wall and rested on his laurels. But the Wall is just a sobriquet. He’s a doer. Given the opportunity he accepted the coaching the Indian Under-19 cricket team.

And worked his magic.

They won the 2018 ICC World Cup early this month. Celebrations, jubilation, accolades and cash prizes rained down. The BCCI announced cash rewards for the coach (Rs 50 lakh), team members (Rs 30 lakh) and coaching staff (Rs 20 lakh).

The Wall took objection to this announcement.

Why the discrepancy? He expressed his displeasure.

Excuse us but how much more money do you want?

No! Why should I get so much more than the rest of the staff?

What?! Err…that’s the norm. In any case, they can’t be given as much as you.

FINE. Then I’ll take less and we’ll share it equally.

The BCCI had little choice but to bow down to this hitherto unheard of stance.

To reiterate, as it is difficult to believe that some one would actually do such a thing in today’s time and era of each one for himself, Rahul Dravid took a Rs 25-lakh (or nearly a $ 40,000) pay cut just to ensure parity in incentive to all support staff. Now every member of the coaching staff including Dravid will get Rs 25 lakhs

Rahul Dravid has shown that the shelf life of a sportsperson maybe short but a gentleman lives forever.

May his tribe grow and prosper.

***

This is my submission for the monthly We Are the World Blogfest which seeks to promote positive news.

Do share your views, opinions, suggestions and positive news.

Wishing you all a wonderful colorful and joyous Holi and a super weekend.

 

The Alphabetical One

It’s tree time and time for one who had made a brief guest appearance in an earlier post to make her grand solo debut 😀 To refresh your memory, I saw this neem tree from one of the gorgeous windows of the City Palace, Udaipur.

Open WDoesn’t she add four moons to the palace? 😀

City treeOn a closer look she looks even more impressive itching to tell loads of stories – can you not see the alphabets? I can see L, I, O, U, X, Y, V and P. What can you see? I do love the leaf pattern of the neem tree, and especially the reflection in the palace window.

Ctree3

And look at all the scars and wounds she wears on her sleeve quite unconcerned of what people might think. Or perhaps she is showing off leaving a message for anyone who cared to read her:

no matter

what happens

keep going

and

never stop

reaching

for the

sky.

 

 

What do you think she is trying to say? Thanks for stopping by 🙂

 

Together Forever

Can you see the intermingling branches of two different trees?

 

Another view of the tree tops. Notice anything different? Or just a random common place repeat picture? Let’s move further down.

20180127_122902.jpgThere you have it! The palm tree is growing within the larger peepal (?) tree!!! How amazing is that?

I was caught by the straight knotted (like a thick rope) trunk in the middle that was remarkably different from the rest of the tree. Only upon closer inspection did the mystery clear up. Or did it become even more mysterious?

How on earth?

Why on earth?

But then

the question is

why not?

And

Why can’t

we too

 take a leaf or two

from them?

 

 

Linked to Becca’s Sunday Trees