Origami

Folded red heart,

Under her bare feet,

Seeking merciful acceptance.

For Haiku Heights # 212

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Sandcastles

Have you noticed a child making the sandcastles? Ever? There is nothing between him and the play. The sand and his hands are all that he is careful about. He makes the castles as if he is going to live in there for eternity. Yet at the end of the day, when his father calls him, he leaves everything halfway or better destroy everything with the same hands that build them, and goes back to his father. With no regrets, no attachments to his treasured castles.

I want to live like that. I want to spend my life in such a way that though I may tend to do the things or make the relationships which seem to last longer than life yet when the death comes to hug me and to take me to my father Lord, I leave everything behind with no regrets, with no attachments whatsoever. I want no one to remember me after I leave this earth plane. Neither for good nor for bad.

Leaving your mark behind is what everyone is so conscious about. But what for? The one who leaves, has no connection with the mortal world. So why be so desperate for leaving your mark behind? I maybe making a mistake but that's what human life is all about. To make mistakes. To learn from them. To live for only yourself.

And perhaps in the process, somehow, I hurt the people around me - by not getting attached to them so much.

For Three Word Wednesday

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 its 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