Picture Challenge - 7

The last couple of weeks have been hectic. We are celebrating an Indian festival on 7th April and we are preparing for it in a very traditional manner. I am participating with others in folk dance and to sing a song. Every weekend I have to take T for kids yoga practice and I have my own practice too. Everybody is so charged up and enthusiastically working towards making the event a success. We have already reached a count of 100 visitors and we are sure that we will rock the show. So in all this, I didn't have time to write. John had sent me this image a couple of days back, but I could take out time only now, towards the end of a very busy month. So what challenge did John give me this time?

Happy Birthday, dear Zara

Zara, the apple of our eye, who is like our daughter, born to our best friend, Sonali turns 7 today. I am away in Germany and Snehal stays around 5 km from my place in Bangalore. Zara is fond of us and our boys and she is very kind and caring and we love her a lot. What gift could I give her from so far? I thought of writing this to her on my and Snehal's behalf.

I am someone

I am someone who thrives
rises and shines
with and around people
who are mine
who give me unconditional love,
support and care
and are always there for me
in my darkest times

I am someone who draws energy
from the crowd, chaos, and noise
that keeps throbbing in my veins
and gives me joy and
it is a sign that shows there is life around
and that I am very much alive

I am someone who withdraws,
keeps quiet and withers away
when there is silence, no human contact
and coldness envelopes around
When the sun shines out there in the sky
it doesn't really make me warm

I am someone who has learned a lesson
the hard way
never be blind in love and give away
everything that you have
your self-respect and mental peace
are the utmost things
that make or break you
and no one should be allowed
to snatch these things from you

I am someone who thinks
of returning to my motherland
who gave me everything
and made me what I am
my roots and the bonds of love pull me back
the comfort and money in this land
can't hold me back

I am a peoples person
and I don't want to change and adapt
and be lonely here
under the garb of leading a very "personal" life
I would rather go out there
face the problems and the crowd
make a difference in their situation
and be happy and satisfied

Exam fever

The month of March is a season of exams, at least in India.

Students spend sleepless nights, lose appetite, sit at home the whole time, scurry, try to cramp in at the last moment and then go and write it out on the exam paper. The same cycle continues every year. Marks are scored, distinctions are made, some lose in the race and some shine out.

She is like the wind

To all women in my life and in yours!

On occasion of International Women's day, a tribute to all women who are strong, vulnerable, nurturers and achievers!!

We all rock and will always continue doing so.

Let's love, share, care and make this world a beautiful place!

Lost and found

My sister, Shreya returned from India to Stuttgart on Thursday. She had gone to India for vacation, mainly to avoid the coldest month of winter, which is usually the month of February and also to spend time with her mom and finish some formalities there. She called me on her way back from the train and she was very happy to return to her routine which does not involve much noise and crowd. She has become a German already, I think by the fact that she enjoys her own space and doesn't yearn for people around like I do. She loves black coffee and she makes every second of her life here interesting and happening. She called me later on Thursday evening when she had gone shopping for groceries and she did not sound good.

Blog Marathon accomplished

I successfully completed the Blog Marathon which I challenged myself to take up. I started on 1st February and wrote throughout the month till 28th February. It was for the first time ever since I started blogging that I took something like this up. 28 days of successive posts on various topics. I lay bare my feelings of happiness, loneliness, excitement and a varied canvas of experiences. I wrote poems in English and Hindi, which I had never ever attempted before. I wish I had written something in my mother-tongue, Marathi. Maybe I should try to do it consciously in the coming months.