Obsession

I drank with a hitch,

sip of love mustering strength;

rather my obsession.

For Three Word Wednesday and Haiku Heights # 94

Pictorial Words # 4

P.S. - Pictorial words is a series where I post a picture taken by me after engraving some words on it. Hope you like both - the picture and the words. After all, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. For other posts of the series please click here.

The Other Day

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 21; the twenty-first edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

It was evident from his sad face that something wasn't well. I haven't seen him like this before. But since last couple of days he was looking as if he had lost everything.

"What's wrong grandpa?" I used to call him grandpa because he was of that age and more because I haven't seen my grandpa ever. He didn't reply and walked away. I picked up the paper he forgot on the bench. It was acceptance letter from the famous old age home 'Home Like Home'.

I followed him and brought him back. How could I let him leave like this? He started with a low tone, "Yesterday my son gave me a wonderful gift on my 73rd birthday. A new home, 'Home Like Home'. He says his four bedroom home don't have a single corner for me," he continued, "He says both he and his wife go to work so they can't take care of me. They say they don't want me to suffer in their absence so they have arranged a place in an old age home for me".

I was quietly listening to him. "I said I can take care of myself, you don't need to suffer your work for me but I didn't know my son is smart enough to tackle these questions. So he promptly replied that I'm not safe at home alone when they both are out all day. The incidents of attacking aged people and then robbing are rising day by day. My son had a point", he put his heart out.

Silence took place between us for quite some time. "When is Nitin coming?" Nitin is his grandson gone somewhere outside India to complete his studies.

"I don't know. I don't even know his whereabouts. We rarely talk to each other. He don't call me. He talk to his parents.", there was a considerable pause after every full stop and his tone got slower after every sentence.

"Can I ask you something grandpa?", I hesitantly questioned. I myself was surprised because I never felt a need to get his prior permission to ask anything. He was surprised too, I guessed, though he granted it immediately.

"Can I take you to my home?" was my next hesitant question.

He smiled. "My dear son, thank you so much but I can't. He might be making excuses but I, a father, will always be one", he continued, "Life is an echo and he has a son too". In these lines I learnt a lesson for life.

We bid adieu and he promised to meet me right here in this park where we used to meet everyday. I kept my promise and came everyday. He never returned. Maybe he was aware of it from then on.

I'm here again, knowing that he won't come. The other day, when we met last, is the one I never want to remind nor do I want to forget altogether.

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Thorns

In that tranquil moment, sitting on the edge of that river, he altered his thoughts yet again. He couldn't decide his path until he saw a small fish, a very little one, swimming like a no novice.

In the next moment he stood up and walked away, not bothering about the thorns on the way. He had found his fond path.

Sometimes, if not always, all it takes is a little courage to make a small but consistent start. Rest, the journey itself takes care of it.

For Three Word Wednesday

P.S. - King Bruce and a spider story may not have taught him what a little fish taught him. And yes, he became the King of his own story.

Clue

After a long spell of love making, we lay down beside each other wrapping my arm around her, still naked but covered with a sheet. She was playing with my chest and I was constantly gazing at the ceiling.

Suddenly the silence broke. "So, would you still love me", she paused for a while and completed, "once we're out of this bed?"

I grinned. "Is that a question? Of course I love you", I replied controlling myself.

"Love is something beyond just naked bodies meeting each other", she seemed serious. Perhaps she got the clue. I didn't respond.

After a few minutes, I was left alone in jumble full of bed. I lit a cigarette and thought, "Better die of nicotine than love".

For Three Word Wednesday

P.S. - I don't smoke, nor do I hate love.

Wounds

Wounds, your love gifted

are the treasures for life;

will keep them unhealed

For Haiku Heights # 43

Blessed

Like a usual evening, I was sitting on a bench in the park in front of my home reading a book. The slow breeze seemed like tickling me and singing some mellow song which I was feeling inside. Suddenly a little boy, just about 7-8 years old, came close to me.

"I wish I could read", he said and walked away.

Before I could realize what he had just said, he was out of sight. He left me thinking that blessed are those who get a chance to be educated.

I lost the page of the book I was on. Breeze, for me, stopped right there. And so did the mellow song. And so did it's tickling touch.

P.S. - Child labor and illiteracy are just as bad as any horrible disease. Disease kill the humans, they kill the society at large.

Also for Three Word Wednesday

Sorry I Brought You Dishonor

Yesterday I wrote about mercy killing and I was in no mood to talk about death for at least some days till morning. But when I read today's newspaper, there was a headline on the first page that a girl was killed by her own family. The reason was not big enough - she just fell in love with a guy - and that was not acceptable to her family.

Now what rubbish is that. Killing your own daughter whom you have loved for her entire life, just because she dared to choose her life partner. I mean what is wrong with the people. Also you know what they call it - Honor Killing - meaning killing someone who has brought dishonor to the family. Ridiculous, disgusting and any alike word you can think about it. The ratio of honor killing is much higher in the rural areas than the urban ones. Also it is more in the underdeveloped/developing counties than the developed ones. Maybe because in that countries, falling in love is nothing more than a crime - not in the eyes of law but in the eyes of own family. Love is a dainty dream, don't earn a sin by killing it.

You kill a girl just because she loves someone and wants to marry him which is not acceptable to you but how can you guarantee that your own choice for the girl would be a better match. You simply can't guarantee that. And sometimes the families just tantalize the couple and don't let them be together. That is also not a good thing. It maybe just a saying but I personally believe that marriages are made in heaven. Then why people put their own decisions on their kids. Of course in some cases kids maybe wrong. But not always. They are younger that doesn't mean they can't think good for themselves. So respect their choice and lend them your ears. It may solve many problems even before they arise.

Also there is a very serious point I want to make. Killing someone because that person has brought dishonor to the family. But why don't people understand that killing your own family member won't bring you any honor either. The only result will be - someone will lose a life and the so called honor will die with that person. Just think about it. Nothing more will left than the haunting memories.

Love is beautiful thing. Let your child experience it. In that way your child will be happy and in turn you will too. It is not just the girls who are restricted to fall in love. I know some of the guys also who can't do it just because their parents don't allow them. But in this case also, ratio of girls is more than the guys. Thank God my family is little advanced (if I can say it) that they always keep on asking me about my choice.

It feels very sad to read everyday that someone had to pay the price of falling in love by sacrificing none less than life. And the dishonor brought by someone is regained by the family from killing her. I don't understand what they will do with that kind of honor. Sigh.

Also for Three Word Wednesday

Euthanasia

Euthanasia. Not a familiar word, right? Let me make it simple for you. You must have heard about 'mercy killing'. A person asking to kill him/her because he/she is suffering from some incurable disease or a permanent physical disability - is known as mercy killing.

Since some last few days, media is covering such a real life case of mercy killing. The lady in news is Aruna Shanbhag - a former nurse in King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. She was sexually assaulted by a fourth class worker in the same hospital nearly 38 years ago. Since then she is living a life which can't be described as life in any sense. How can you call it a life when someone hasn't moved from her bed since last 38 years? Aruna filed a plea for mercy killing through a journalist friend which was put down by the court.

Now the point I want to discuss today is - mercy killing - should it be made legal or not? In most of the countries it is not legal. In some countries like Netherlands and Belgium it has been legalized. The reason behind mercy killing not being legalized in most of the counties maybe that it might be misused by the petitioner or his/her family member. Or it may also be that it seems to be inhuman. The reasons are many. It maybe right, isn't it? Or wrong? Because no one can imagine or feel the situation/pain of someone no matter how close he/she is to that person. No one wants to die. Not me, not you, not any one. Then why someone requests for mercy killing? The reason is simple - death seems to provide peace in that situation.

Getting birth is not in our own hands. The creator is the supreme power. And as they say, if you can't create something you don't have the authority to destroy it either. So maybe thats why most of the countries have not accepted the mercy killing. But I wonder how a person feels when he demands mercy killing. What makes him take this final decision. I don't understand and I know I can't. No one can understand other's pain.

We are taught from the very beginning that we should show mercy to the one who needs, and when one really needs it- we put down the request - leaving him/her dying every passing moment instead of letting him/her die once and for all.

P.S. - The motive is not to hurt anyone. Please put your own thoughts in the comments section. Happy Women's Day to all the women.

Monday Morning

Today is Monday. I know you all know that. But Monday mornings are hated by most of us. And I'm no exception. But have you ever thought that why we hate Monday mornings? Is it because we aren't prepared to go to work/study after an enjoyable and restful Sunday? Or is there any other reason?

Well, as far as I observed this problem, those who hate Monday mornings don't like their work or study. For if they do, they would never complain why there is Monday on the calendar again. I'm not here to motivate those who are affected by this syndrome because as I said earlier, I'm also affected by it. It has been a few years now since I have been caught by the virus of Monday morning. It wouldn't be wrong if I call myself the Tom Sawyer of my family.

But I wasn't like that a few years ago. Actually I loved Monday mornings till I was a student. In my student life, I never complained about it. Whether it was school or college or my CA course. I enjoyed every bit of that phase. Maybe because I knew from the very beginning that the best part of ones life is his/her student days. Of course we have tensions and stress of studies but it is far better than stress of other situations of life. But then again it depends on person to person. If I enjoyed my student days that doesn't guarantee my children will do the same.

It doesn't mean that I don't love my work. I do, but not more than my student days. It is good that I'm being paid and have become an earning member of the family but lucky are the people who could make their hobbies their profession. For them, work is never the work. They play while they work, they earn while they enjoy. Now please don't try to judge me. I'm not being negative. It is just that for some people, the past is more beautiful than the present. Yesterday looks better today and today would look even better tomorrow. I can't help it. I'm one of those dreamers who constantly dream about the beautiful yesterday and in turn miss the wonderful today.

I'm always an optimistic and I do believe and hope that before I leave this world, I learn to enjoy the Monday mornings. After all, as they say, life is for living and not for complaining.

P.S. - The facts of the above post may not be and will certainly not be applicable to all. So please be generous and leave a comment/suggestion to help me (and other affected) overcome this syndrome.