In response to the prompt on Weekend Wordsmith on April 25 2008.
Eli knew it was time to talk to Leo. She would not have been able to do so if her mom was around. Both families have been carrying grudges for years ever since Eli's grandfather was killed by Leo's grandfather. Those were different times, when they had more power, freedom and land. Now times had changed and they were dependent on others. She hated getting orders and acting upon them. She had observed Leo too had humbled in the last couple of years. Time has a way of leveling power, anger and hatred. He seemed to be longing for freedom, just like her. After the show, she went to him and they acted quickly, broke the bars and ran away to the nearby wilderness, which held their lives, their freedom. News flashed quickly into CNN and other news media that Eli the elephant and Leo the lion were missing from the Royal Circus. The media cautioned people to take necessary precautions to protect themselves. Little did they know that Eli and Leo had run away from them to the nearest jungle, far away from human habitat, never to return back.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Outrageous
In response to the prompt on Writer's Island on April 24 2008.
She was tired, exhausted but stilll pretty excited. The ground was hot and the breeze, being warm, did not help in feeling refreshed. Though she was a foreigner here, this place gave her some peace and serenity. In the 10 days that she spent here, there is some calmness in the whole chaos of life. She has read and heard that sometimes one’s own land does not give the peace that one is looking for. That's the reason, places are explored and discovered.
Today she was flying back to her country and she wanted to buy some souvenirs for herself and her dear ones. Even before coming here, she had spent lot of time knowing the local language and culture. She knew exactly what the locals eat, what they wear, what they celebrate, how much the local stuff cost.
She entered a shop, where the two shopkeepers immediately started luring her into buying the stuff what was displayed in the store. There was couple of things she wanted to buy and asked them for the price. They, thinking she is a foreigner and not knowing any local knowledge, quoted prices 10 times higher. She felt outrageous. She realized irrespective of how much she accepts the place, the locals will always try to take advantage of her because of her face. Gaining herself, she spoke to them calmly in their local language, that she was planning to buy lots of stuff but now she feels cheated even without buying anything. The shopkeepers were stunned hearing her speak their language so flawlessly. They stood speechless as they watched her walk away.
She was tired, exhausted but stilll pretty excited. The ground was hot and the breeze, being warm, did not help in feeling refreshed. Though she was a foreigner here, this place gave her some peace and serenity. In the 10 days that she spent here, there is some calmness in the whole chaos of life. She has read and heard that sometimes one’s own land does not give the peace that one is looking for. That's the reason, places are explored and discovered.
Today she was flying back to her country and she wanted to buy some souvenirs for herself and her dear ones. Even before coming here, she had spent lot of time knowing the local language and culture. She knew exactly what the locals eat, what they wear, what they celebrate, how much the local stuff cost.
She entered a shop, where the two shopkeepers immediately started luring her into buying the stuff what was displayed in the store. There was couple of things she wanted to buy and asked them for the price. They, thinking she is a foreigner and not knowing any local knowledge, quoted prices 10 times higher. She felt outrageous. She realized irrespective of how much she accepts the place, the locals will always try to take advantage of her because of her face. Gaining herself, she spoke to them calmly in their local language, that she was planning to buy lots of stuff but now she feels cheated even without buying anything. The shopkeepers were stunned hearing her speak their language so flawlessly. They stood speechless as they watched her walk away.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Triumph
In response to the Writer's Island prompt on April 17 2008.
Waiting all these years
For this moment to realize
Eyes glistened with tears of triumph
Thinking that the battle has been finally won
There is peace in heart
And tranquility prevails for most part
The moment leaves sooner that it arrives
When the reality descends and makes the life
The mind is in a flux again
Trying to figure out which is more difficult
Living a life without purpose
Or knowing the purpose and surviving the life without it
Waiting all these years
For this moment to realize
Eyes glistened with tears of triumph
Thinking that the battle has been finally won
There is peace in heart
And tranquility prevails for most part
The moment leaves sooner that it arrives
When the reality descends and makes the life
The mind is in a flux again
Trying to figure out which is more difficult
Living a life without purpose
Or knowing the purpose and surviving the life without it
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Take me back
In response to the prompt on Weekend Wordsmith on April 10, 2008
She was feeling miserable. All her friends got attention and she was left out. She missed going out. The last party she attended was 5 years back, which she enjoyed thoroughly. She looked pretty in red and white beads. Everyone had appreciated her and one cute guy had liked her a lot. She felt thrilled. But now, she was stuck in the same place for all these years while her friends kept going out and coming back. She especially felt lousy, when they chirpily narrated all the day's events. She missed all that fun. She had looked longingly into her owner's eyes to take her back and wear her but her owner had gained weight since her marriage to that cute guy. Now, she just hangs as a pretty dress in the closet. Suddenly, she hears footsteps. All her friends - shirts, skirts, trousers, long dresses start to shriek. They know today is an important day and were wondering who would be chosen by their owner to be worn. She, feeling bored and deprived, hung quietly in the corner. The closet opened and the owner ran her fingers to the various dresses hanging inside. Her friends giggled at the soft touch of the hands. Finally, the owner reached out and pulled the pretty red dress. She was bewildered. She didn't know today she would be chosen for the important occasion to be worn. Then she realized no other dress could have been more appropriate for their 5th anniversary celebration that the one which had brought them together 5 years back.
She was feeling miserable. All her friends got attention and she was left out. She missed going out. The last party she attended was 5 years back, which she enjoyed thoroughly. She looked pretty in red and white beads. Everyone had appreciated her and one cute guy had liked her a lot. She felt thrilled. But now, she was stuck in the same place for all these years while her friends kept going out and coming back. She especially felt lousy, when they chirpily narrated all the day's events. She missed all that fun. She had looked longingly into her owner's eyes to take her back and wear her but her owner had gained weight since her marriage to that cute guy. Now, she just hangs as a pretty dress in the closet. Suddenly, she hears footsteps. All her friends - shirts, skirts, trousers, long dresses start to shriek. They know today is an important day and were wondering who would be chosen by their owner to be worn. She, feeling bored and deprived, hung quietly in the corner. The closet opened and the owner ran her fingers to the various dresses hanging inside. Her friends giggled at the soft touch of the hands. Finally, the owner reached out and pulled the pretty red dress. She was bewildered. She didn't know today she would be chosen for the important occasion to be worn. Then she realized no other dress could have been more appropriate for their 5th anniversary celebration that the one which had brought them together 5 years back.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Fearless
In response to the Sunday Scribbling prompt on APril 10 2008.
Anu was from a well to do family. Both her parents were doctors. Her elder sister was an eminent architect and her elder brother was doing PhD in a well known university. She was bred in success and achievements since her childhood. So, it was no surprise when she joined the Harvard Business School for her MBA program. Many entrepreneurs from different parts of the world have graduated from this school. She had a good academic record and it was meritorious that she got into the school with a full scholarship. US was a new land to her. Though she was born and brought up half the globe apart, she quickly adapted to the new US school culture. Harvard hosted intellects from different parts of the world and maybe that's why she did not take time to adjust. Intellectual minds, despite of various culture and backgrounds, think alike. Though she never dealt with the fear that millions of children around the world face everyday, the only fear she had in her heart was of losing. In her family there was no choice of coming second or losing an opportunity. She graduated in the year of 2001 and expected to embark a promising career. But the US economy had plunged into recession and the world was following it. Initially, she was taken aback and was on the verge of depression but her father encouraged her to see the positive side of life. She kept looking but the job kept evading her. More personal setbacks followed. She learnt the reality of life and understood that things don't happen to others. It can happen to anyone, including herself, in spite of a brilliant background she possessed. In the times of job searching and dealing with personal disasters, she learnt to face life raw and be at par with her expectations and what life offers. Today as she reads the offer letter from New York Times for a news reporter, she smiles realizing that in the last three years, life had taught one of the most important lessons of her life time - to be FEARLESS.
Anu was from a well to do family. Both her parents were doctors. Her elder sister was an eminent architect and her elder brother was doing PhD in a well known university. She was bred in success and achievements since her childhood. So, it was no surprise when she joined the Harvard Business School for her MBA program. Many entrepreneurs from different parts of the world have graduated from this school. She had a good academic record and it was meritorious that she got into the school with a full scholarship. US was a new land to her. Though she was born and brought up half the globe apart, she quickly adapted to the new US school culture. Harvard hosted intellects from different parts of the world and maybe that's why she did not take time to adjust. Intellectual minds, despite of various culture and backgrounds, think alike. Though she never dealt with the fear that millions of children around the world face everyday, the only fear she had in her heart was of losing. In her family there was no choice of coming second or losing an opportunity. She graduated in the year of 2001 and expected to embark a promising career. But the US economy had plunged into recession and the world was following it. Initially, she was taken aback and was on the verge of depression but her father encouraged her to see the positive side of life. She kept looking but the job kept evading her. More personal setbacks followed. She learnt the reality of life and understood that things don't happen to others. It can happen to anyone, including herself, in spite of a brilliant background she possessed. In the times of job searching and dealing with personal disasters, she learnt to face life raw and be at par with her expectations and what life offers. Today as she reads the offer letter from New York Times for a news reporter, she smiles realizing that in the last three years, life had taught one of the most important lessons of her life time - to be FEARLESS.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Flight
In response to Writer's Island prompt on April 10 2008
I must be 4 years old when I first saw that flight of stairs. I was in Kindergarten and I noticed the spiral staircase which used to take the kids to the 1st grade and 2nd grade. The other classes were located in the next building in the same campus. I had seen older kids sliding down instead of taking the stairs down. It was a scary thing to do and had seen them getting scolded by the teachers but it surely seemed fun. I had an urge to slide down myself but knew that I was small and was afraid of being caught by a teacher. We used to live on first floor (ground floor in asian context) and did not have to climb stairs to reach home. Later, I did live in a second floor (first floor in asian context) apartment where I needed to climb the stairs to reach home. Now I live in a home which has internal stairs to lead us to the bedrooms. These stairs are wooden and frail and I am too scared that I might break them by just climbing up and down, forget the sliding. But I did experience a different way of coming down the stairs last year. I did not slide down. I tumbled down, not once, not twice but thrice down the stairs.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Photograph
In response to the Sunday Scribbles on Thursday, April 03, 2008
One of the non-regular games I enjoy is to guess how an adult looked when (s)he was a kid. Few years back, we had fun playing it at my friend's baby shower. The baby photos were passed with a number tagged to them. Each one of us had to write down in a piece of paper the photo number and the person's name. We laughed hard hearing all the wrong guesses. The one to take the cake was the photograph my friend's husband guessed to be of my friend in her babyhood. The guess was obviously wrong and the most interesting part was the photo belonged to a boy!
One of the non-regular games I enjoy is to guess how an adult looked when (s)he was a kid. Few years back, we had fun playing it at my friend's baby shower. The baby photos were passed with a number tagged to them. Each one of us had to write down in a piece of paper the photo number and the person's name. We laughed hard hearing all the wrong guesses. The one to take the cake was the photograph my friend's husband guessed to be of my friend in her babyhood. The guess was obviously wrong and the most interesting part was the photo belonged to a boy!
Lost Highway
In response to the prompt on Writer's Island on April 4, 2008
I have always enjoyed driving on roads and err, finding my way to the destination. Few years back, my company physically changed its location. For my first day to work at the new location, I took the printouts of the directions both in text and graphical form. I also had my cell phone charged to full incase I need to call H for help. I had to take a highway and then lots of country roads. My office was located on the road named "King George Road". After few phone calls and mid way to my destination, I saw a turn for King George Road. I was surprised as I thought I had another 15 miles to go. I took the turn thinking I had discovered a shorter route. After a long curvy trail and couple of turns, the road finally ended in an apartment complex with no outlet. I was trying to figure out how to get back to the highway, when I saw a nice lady taking out her car. I approached her and she told me the way to get back on the highway. Understanding that I had completely lost my way, she took something from her bag saying "This would definitely help you find your way." I thought she was really kind enough to give me a map when she handed me a sacred book.
Maybe I should have told her that I was physically and not spiritually lost.
I have always enjoyed driving on roads and err, finding my way to the destination. Few years back, my company physically changed its location. For my first day to work at the new location, I took the printouts of the directions both in text and graphical form. I also had my cell phone charged to full incase I need to call H for help. I had to take a highway and then lots of country roads. My office was located on the road named "King George Road". After few phone calls and mid way to my destination, I saw a turn for King George Road. I was surprised as I thought I had another 15 miles to go. I took the turn thinking I had discovered a shorter route. After a long curvy trail and couple of turns, the road finally ended in an apartment complex with no outlet. I was trying to figure out how to get back to the highway, when I saw a nice lady taking out her car. I approached her and she told me the way to get back on the highway. Understanding that I had completely lost my way, she took something from her bag saying "This would definitely help you find your way." I thought she was really kind enough to give me a map when she handed me a sacred book.
Maybe I should have told her that I was physically and not spiritually lost.
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