Much Ado About Something

Her face stares back at me with mystery Pretending she doesn’t hurt Pain envelopes her being She must try everything … She has to she says Don’t go sweetheart I plead But I have to – there is no choice I try to keep her safe But she longs for comfort That has never been part of her life The yearning stays… She goes… returns A trifle different perhaps Or am I misreading the signs? Do I want to change her? No way… Do I want to comfort her? You bet I do But she wants … Someone who she claims can be there for her She leaves Returns Leaves And she’s back with a sad stance Acceptance is grim But she has to face reality It is a blow But she does She blends in Settles down… But the restlessness creeps in She wants the illusion There is nothing I can do I accept… Let her live life her way And hope that she doesn’t get hurt again.

Birth – New kid on the block. Preteen – Waiting to break out with acne! Teenage – A time for self discovery, confusion, acne and problems. Early Twenties – Throw caution through the window and experiment. Late Twenties – Trying to forget the earlier years. Thirties – A time to reach somewhere in your career or home! Late Thirties – Proclaiming to everyone that you are still in your twenties. Early Forties – Grey area, wannabe thirty! Late Forties – Bring back the glory days where teenage is fondly remembered. Fifties – You've survived the cruel jabs. Get ready for over the hill pokes. Mid Fifties – Visit the doctor often and keep recurring pests and illness at bay. Sixties – Grey hair doesn’t bother you. Walking is endorsed with a keen interest on politics. Late Sixties – Embrace the family more. Early Seventies – Walk, garden, limit food intake. Late Seventies – Walk slower, enjoy the garden and tick people off. Eighties – New set of teeth, kindne...

Madness envelopes me with the nonstop creations from the nieces all around me - what can I say except that they drive me mad and practically insane. Every day is such a revelation with the nonsense that they sprout. There are times when they claim that I am the originator of such craziness. Now can anyone vouch for this, except them? Sometime ago we decided to put the funnies to work and started a silly dance step that brought on the giggles like nothing anyone had ever heard before. In fact, the animals (cats and dogs) from the neighboring houses added to the noise and before we knew it a tempo established itself. I’m sure there was a new quickstep in the making - humans and animals alike! What can I say except that the kids are a nutty lot and every minute with them makes the peppery white on the mop disappear! They even add fuel to the fire which was apparent with the cheekiness displayed the other day. The not so little one tells the other one who is growing taller by th...

Eat small portions four times a day, they say. Eat thrice a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Never skip meals. Skip meals. Walk. Don’t walk, run. Don’t run, exercise. Don’t do aerobics, embrace stretching. Do yoga. Don’t do yoga. Apples are good for health. Apples are bad for health. Chocolate is extremely bad for the waistline. Chocolate is a good option while trying to lose weight. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! WTF, is the right choice? Do I or don’t I? Ditch the entire process, eat what I want but cut down on the heavy stuff. Walk, run, exercise, stretch, do yoga, walk, run… Pant… Sweat… Eye the chocolate mousse. Ignore the mousse. Grab the apple. Put it back – no temptation. New plan… New diet… Colon cleanse and detox. Tummy ... where? Check the scales – 500 grams. Good going. Hungry…. Ignore food… angry… bring on the brownies. Cast them aside… Nibble at a sandwich. Glug eight glasses of water. Warm up, walk, jog, stretch… Tu...

No one talks at the table .... and there is.... Silence One voice resonates in the aftermath of an argument The rest choose... Silence The trees move with gusto Children playing and giggling incessantly But in this domain... Silence Breakfast downed Lunch too At dinner there is some let up Television playing at full mast The boom box on a high from the neighbor’s gallery But in the home... Silence No one speaks because of Differences Mood swings PMS Nastiness Selfishness A small voice tries to break through Cheekiness and glee in the word play Looking left to right gauging the mood “What went wrong?” No response... Silence She repeats the question No reply She raises her voice and gets a vague reply “I didn’t hear you” Silence “Seriously what is with you?” Furtive glances around the table “Ok I give up…“ Then a murmur “Say what?” “It was her fault…” “No his” “What do you mean it was mine…” Him-her-her-hi...

So the price of petrol has increased again and the issue will be played on across various channels with the opposition constantly berating the present government about their lack of focus. While the focus on India shining seems to be taking center stage we the people are the ones who suffer at the strategies of supposed improved economics. So where does India shine? In the bellies of the poverty struck person roaming the streets looking for a fix in the garbage dumps using half used glue to stop the hunger pangs? Or the middle class household, trying to balance out their income-expenditure for the month? However, even though every single necessity is at a high, salaries and fee structures are at the same level! So how does one balance the economic needs of man? The choices are so limited that there is no time for romance! All we do is cut back so that we have some savings for the constant rainy days! We have people in office who take an oath to do their bit for the common man - bu...

There are many trends that we follow and then there are topics that keep trending. We can join the parade and comment… or not While we are on the topic, I cannot help but comment on the program that was aired on telly by actor Aamir Khan. The man who uses his celebrity status to discuss topics that many of us shy away from because we fear what society dictates. I happened to catch two episodes – one on dowry aired on Sunday and the first one on female feticide. It is disheartening to note that these practices are being followed because of societal pressure. On the issue of dowry I am sure we can all say that we have seen this happening, been victims of it and some party to it, even. How many girls have fallen prey to this social stigma and keep silent as they cannot go back to their parents’ home because of ‘what society will say’!? An acquaintance had told me some time ago about her situation. She was married to a person from a good family where the entire wedding expens...