Five Lessons Learnt ( cut to life):

Lesson 1: Never let yourself be influenced by the wrong forces.
Context: I was a bright student in school. I was seated next to a talkative girl to set a good example for her. Instead of me influencing her for the better, she influenced me for the worse. I started talking in class. Slowly my grades started slipping. Seeing my grades, my Math teacher commented “Don't be like the axe that cut the sandal wood tree, but be like the sandal wood which spreads its perfume to the axe that cut it raw”. That was the last time I found myself talking in class.

Lesson 2: Be reasonable.
Context: I wanted an expensive pair of boots. My mom refused to buy me one because I had three pairs of shoes that were lying unattended. She reminded me of what my teacher said in Class IX “A man complained that he did not have a neat pair of shoes, until he saw a person with no legs”.

Lesson3: Being confident helps.
Context: My DBMS professor questioned me on Fuzzy logic. I felt the earth beneath me being ripped part. A lot of people who had their viva before mine, didn't score too well. I rattled everything that I knew about fuzzy logic in five minutes with a lot of confidence. Deep down I knew that I would score a big zero because I had no answer to his question. At the end of the session, my professor said “ Lady, you did not convince me, but you certainly have me confused. I give you marks for your confidence”. I passed out the paper with flying colors.

Lesson 4: Never waste food.
Context: I threw a plate full of food into the bin at a house warming ceremony. A construction workers daughter, immediately picked my plate from the bin and started eating from it. I couldn't believe my eyes. My soul stirred. I don't waste food anymore.

Lesson 5: Accept a compliment gracefully.
On being complimented for a speech that I made at the Sunday school, I said “Oh! I don't think I did a good job”. To which my Sunday school teacher replied “ Learn to accept a compliment gracefully, say 'Thank You' if you must, but don't doubt the other persons judgement. Besides, in accepting compliments, the person is actually complimenting your creator”. Point taken.

Petal

Gentle caress, treat you mild,
Immaculate beauty so fragile;
Tender cluster of the bud,
Cling to pore for life galore.

Shimmering attire of the flower,
Firm you stand against all power.
Live to see the morning light,
Glorious surrender to the night.

Gracefully wither from the soul,
Touch the earth, and make it whole.
Now in peace, you lay to rest,
Humble life, at its best.

My Big Black Feather

As a child, I remember having a flair for feathers. I maintained an album book with different feathers. I had no great knowledge about birds, yet I collected their feathers with great zeal.
I had two peacock feathers and was striving hard to complete the trinity. I had feathers of all shades; pink, green, red, and white. I distinctly remember having this pink feather which had a little extension to it, I called it baby feather. Somebody once told me, that applying talcum powder and hard pressing these feathers in a note book has great effect on feathers. I never questioned their intellect. My only objective was to have a hundred feathers. Hundred was a big number then.
I used to take a generous helping of my grandmas 'Yardley' powder and sprinkle a little on every page of my book. I would then hard press these feathers in my note book and patiently wait for the baby feathers to grow. Every Sunday, I would religiously open my album book and check if these feathers were there. To my eyes, the feathers looked bigger, every time I opened it.
One day, I took my album book to school. I exchanged a few feathers with my friends in school. A lot of them wanted my pink feather. A friend of mine was ready to trade her peacock feather for my king sized pink feather. But the pink feather was my priced possession. The peacock feather could wait. On my way back home, I met my cousin, who was quite boisterous. I proudly opened my album book and displayed the feathers to her. In a blink, the feather was gone. She pulled it out of my album book and ran for her dear life. I chased her for quite a distance, but of no avail. Tears rolled down my cheek, and before I knew it, I was howling away to glory. A lot of my grandmas well wishers, and curious onlookers, stopped by to find out what the matter was. With all the sniveling, I could barely speak. Finally, I reached home. My grandpa took one look at me and thought that I was sick. He let me settle down. I poured out my heart to him. That night, I was inconsolable. I told my grandpa that he should admonish my cousin for stealing my feather. My grandpa never took sides. He simply nodded his head.
The next day when I returned from school, my grandpa seemed excited. He had a gift for me. I remember feeling happy from within. What more could a broken hearted kid of eight ask for. He instantly pulled out a big black feather and handed it over to me. This big black feather had a soft baby feather attached to it. One look at it, my smile withered. I loved the feather, but I hated the colour. My granpa told me that this feather was unique and nobody else would have it. That night I was a happy child.
Next day, I proudly displayed the feather to my friends in school. Everybody wanted a look at my priced possession. My class teacher stopped by listening to the racket we were making. One of the girls shouted out , “Miss, Cresilla has got a big black feather, Miss”.
My teacher walked up to me and asked me for my feather. I felt the blood rush to my cheek. My only worry was that if the teacher liked the big black feather, then she would take it. With a stone on my heart, I pulled out the feather from my album book. One look at it, and she announced, “Children, that's a crows feather. Haven't you seen a crow?”. The whole class burst out laughing.
Suddenly I felt my hands and legs turning cold. I couldn't believe my ears. My grandpa, actually got me a crows feather. I was totally miffed. I went home, and refused to talk to my grandpa. My grandpa seemed upset. All he said was “ I'm sorry, I didn't want you to cry”.
Today, when I reminisce, I can't help but smile. My grandpa indeed had a heart of gold. He was so caring. My fetish for collecting feathers wilted away, but my grand fathers love will remain in my heart forever.

To Mom, with love - > Part II

I was nonchalantly telling my mom that I have been putting off buying a watch for quite some time; her immediate reaction was “See, I have two new watches, you can take one of them, and I can settle down for the less pricey one. You need the watch more than I do”. I felt a lump forming in my throat. I thought to myself, I'm old enough to buy a watch for myself and yet here's my mom who just got herself a new watch and is ready to part ways with it. That's the power of a mothers love, it cannot be measured. And, then there is my grandma, who never forgets to ask me “So, what do you want from Mangalore?”. By the very virtue of being a mom, these women, have always learnt to give, never expecting anything in return. I could never fathom this unconditional love, until I had my own child.
From the time, I learnt that I was pregnant, I felt a spring in every step I took. The long awaited good news was finally ringing in my ear, head and very being. My joy knew no bound. I thanked God profusely and prayed that the little one be safe. My prayer for the safety of my child in my womb was an eye opener. I had begun to realize the power of unconditional love.

To Mom, with love -> Part I

I dedicate this space to all mom's and to those who are treading the path:

A lot has been, is and will be said about mommies, it is one topic that all of us can easily connect with. Yet, I choose to write about a few things that thugged my heart when my daughter was born. I'm sure you too will be able to relate to a few things. After all, how different can a mom's world be.

You know,

• Her heart melted when you cooed.


• Her heart and mind, feels and thinks that you are the best.


• Her heart accepts you the way you are, with all your short comings.


• Her heart is uneasy when you are in trouble.


• Her heart aches when yours' breaks.


• Her heart knows no bias.

Above all, she always will have a prayer on her lip for 'YOU'.

Tryst with Destiny

In troubled times when I seek out,
I know not where to go and how;
I see no beam, I see no hope;
I still cling on and won’t let go.
An earnest endeavor, I make,
To break free from the mandate;
Precarious the path may be,
But, that’s my tryst with destiny.
Beyond the sublime ray of light,
I launch a novel flight;
Providence will soon smile on me,
As I make my own destiny.