Like a river untamed, Life flows on.
These rules give it direction.
Have the zeal to learn always.
Being a perennial student pays.
Empathize. Empathize. Empathize.
It helps to see the other’s side.
Declutter the house and the mind.
It will keep them well-organized.
Eat and drink in moderation,
But a little chocolate is medication.
Exercise. Exercise. Exercise.
It helps oil the gears of the mind.
Make space for hobbies in life.
They help become creative and wise.
Never give up on the power of prayer.
Ask, and the answers will be there.
Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing. Sing.
Music brightens the dullest moments.
There’s always time to appreciate
The beauty that Nature creates.
Karma records everything in her ledger,
So, keep doing good to others.
Love. Love. Love. Love. Love.
To love is a blessing from Above.
To these rules, I always abide
Every day, they are my guide.
These are the rules that help me be.
As I flow on, on my way to the sea.
Tag: Life
The kaleidoscope of life
The Questions of Life
A curious four-year-old Payal
Would often be full of questions.
Are Santa Claus and his elves real?
What does the tooth fairy do during the day?
Her mother left the answers to her imagination.
A bright thirteen-year-old Payal
Would often quiz her teachers.
How does the human brain work?
Does the Milky Way have other Earthlike worlds?
Her teachers told her to seek answers in encyclopedias.
A young twenty four-year-old Payal
Had queries about her relationship.
Does he really and truly love me?
Will we be able to balance each other’s dreams?
Her grandmother said that, with time, the answers would be revealed.
A happy fifty-year-old Payal
Often conversed with the Almighty.
What did I do to deserve this good life?
O Lord! Will I finally meet You after I die?
The wise told her to have faith and seek answers from the holy.
Not every question has an immediate answer.
Not every question needs an immediate answer.
Sometimes, these questions, unanswered,
Lead us down a path on which we grow and prosper.
Where the Earth Meets the Sky
The meeting of the Earth and sky
Is but a mirage to the eye.
It is Nature’s whitest lie-
A beautiful limitation of human sight.
The meeting of the Earth and sky
Is the furthest point seen in light.
Were I to try and chase this line,
Then, around the Earth, I’d take a ride.
The meeting of the Earth and sky
Is the brink of my knowledge, or might.
With experiences of a newer kind,
I can push the boundaries of my mind.
The meeting of the Earth and sky
Is also the edge of where I am in life.
It may be difficult to get to the far side,
But the possibility beckons all the time.
The Spice of Life
Spices-there are so many
That make life worth living,
From happiness like sugar
To anger that’s bittersour.
But there’s a special spice
That makes all things nice.
It is the secret ingredient
That tops other condiments.
This spice grows in hearts.
When sprinkled, it imparts
A flavor that’s everlasting
With a freshness like Spring.
It has many superpowers.
It creates, unites, and cures.
But there’s also a caution –
To use it in apt proportions.
This spice is the only one
That makes us all human.
It’s a covenant from Above.
This spice of life is – Love.
The Rain Fell
The rain fell,
And it washed the green leaves covered with dirt.
It also took away the colors from my tie-and-dye shirt.
The rain fell,
And it cleared the air of dust, smoke, and pollution.
It also took away the scent of the roses in the garden.
The rain fell,
And it brought forth saplings from the earth.
It also took away lives when the rivers overflowed.
The rain fell,
And it whispered constantly with a low pitter-patter.
It also took away the tranquility with the roaring thunder.
The rain fell,
And it cooled the heat of the summer nights.
It also took away the twinkle of stars and the moonlight.
The rain fell,
And it made the peacocks sing aloud and dance.
It also took away the solitude by kindling romance.
The rain fell
And it changed everything –
Life itself… and how we live it.
Know Thyself!
Know Thyself!
Not in the “what the mirror reflects” kind of way!
Not in the “what riches you possess” kind of way!
And surely not in the “what people say” kind of way!
But know yourself like the still, clear waters of the ocean
Reveal everything in their purest, unadulterated versions.
Know yourself like the eagle gliding in the blue expanse
Never misses the slightest movement in the grasslands.
Know yourself like the map of a thick tropical forest
That has every bush, every tree, and every dirt path plotted.
Because only if you seek to know your self from yourself
Will you be able to traverse the maze of this worldy existence,
And, only if you are aware of all aspects of yourself
Will you be true to your life and all you expect from it.
I Pedal Towards Hope
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe
To break the silence around suicide.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.
As the wheels turn on the road,
I call upon people from far and wide.
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe.
This plague has the world in its scope,
But we can unite to make it subside.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.
Across all boundaries, let this be told.
It’s okay to speak your mind; to confide.
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe.
Emotions, events, people, and workload –
You can win it all with Life on your side.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.
Silence is not always akin to gold!
Raise your voice! Let nothing be implied!
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe
With my words, I pedal towards hope.
PS: This poem is a Villanelle.
The Light of Hope
The Sun may set in the west
Leaving behind a trail of darkness.
And if this weighs heavy on your chest,
I’ll be the one to ease the sadness.
For all that remains unexpressed,
I light a candle at dusk with earnestness.
And through its glow, I suggest
Let’s talk to end the hopelessness.
Many-a-times in life’s quest,
There are moments of unsureness.
Let this little flame put your mind to rest
With it, you are no longer directionless.
Just like the flame flickers with zest,
Let hope chase away the gloominess.
And if you need to choose for the best,
Choose life with all its meaningfulness.
The Road Itself
As we journey through our lives,
What stays with us is the road we tread.
Be it through pleasant or harsh climes,
The road unravels with every step.
At times, smooth, and at times, cobbled,
At times, dusty, and at times, cracked,
At times, graveled, and at times, potholed,
The road goes on as a neverending track.
Sometimes, it takes us down a blind alley.
Sometimes, it descends into a valley.
Or, curve till it reaches the mountain peak,
But the road we take is our choice totally.
The road is there, it always existed.
Waiting to be walked on and discovered,
Waiting to lead to new places and people,
The road unites with the one who travels.
Countless destinations are reached
All because of the roads people take.
Yet, we do not appreciate or notice
How life intersects with the road itself.
There’s a Choice…Always!
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
Every moment brings with it an array of options.
We become what we choose from them to take.
Every wish, every dream that keeps us awake
Can be brought to existence by our own actions.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
We can’t decide when the Sun rises at daybreak,
But the dawn brings chances without questions.
We become what we choose from them to take.
Even when we feel we have made a mistake,
We can make amends after some reflections.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
It’s our life after all, and we are the ones at stake.
The world offers a Pandora’s box of passions.
We become what we choose from them to take.
With every little shove that seems like a quake,
We can either give up or reshape our missions.
In our lives, we always have a choice to make.
We become what we choose from them to take.
PS: This poem is a Villanelle.
The Faces of Life
What is life if not an evergreen shrub
With hurtful thorns and velvet buds?
What is life if not a swinging ride
Sliding down and then up so high?
What is life if not a bride’s dress
With sturdy satin and delicate lace?
What is life if not a big mirror
With a side clear and other blurred?
What is life if not a vast ocean
With calm waters and raging storms?
What is life if not a bestseller
With true love and aching heartbreak?
Yes, life in all its beautiful moments,
Strives to always create a balance –
Opposites so distant and yet so near,
Life serves up both smiles and tears.
wordsofhope 