Shocked beyond words

Today my friend reported an alarming incident. I am still not sure how to react to it.

I walk through a crowded narrow lane everyday from work to home. I have always felt a little insecure walking through that street. Yesterday morning my friend walked through the same street. She saw a girl was walking ahead of her and she was talking to someone on her mobile. Three men came riding on a Honda Activa. One of the guys on the bike, touched the buttocks of the girl who was walking ahead.

My friend was shocked to see that and she stood there for a minute. Another lady who was walking from the opposite side, told my friend, see what all happens and walked with a disgust on her face. That girl walked away without knowing how to react.
When my friend told me this, I was not sure what to tell about the situation. I am still not able to move away from how men treat unknownn women in our society. I am running short of words.

Haiku Heights - Shimmer

(Picture Courtesy - Internet)

A dew kissed petal,
belongs not to the flower, nor dew,
Shimmers in grace and enlightenment.

Written for Haiku Heights #210.

Why cant people just let it be?

In South India its a little unusual to find somebody left handed. In the early years of growing up, if they find kids using the left hand predominantly, they try to change that usage, by correcting them each time their left hand says "Use Me". They frown with a harsh tone, "Hey, which hand?" Then the kid brings out the other hand. This is kind of training the mind. Parents will tap on the child's hand if they see them writing with their left hand, until the kid gives up and starts using his right hand.

My daughter is left handed.

I feel stumped when people ask me, does she write in left? I answer with a smile, "Yes, she does". It does not stop there, next question quickly follows, "Why? Why didn't you change it from the beginning?" Then I have to give them an explanation of why it is good to let them be and what the Dr's say. Despite that they have that "whatever" look on their face and tend to pretend to ignore it.

Excuse me, what is the problem if she writes in left? When I take her to some functions, it's so difficult to answer. They make it embarassing for me. The problem being she eats with her left hand. Some elders give me a look. Oh! I cant explain that to you, you need to see that to know it. Some give me an unwarranted advice to start teaching her to use her right hand. I nod my head and I just let her be.

What was most perplexing to me was when I was at a function and a learned man asked me, how did you manage to make her left handed?

Oh God, please dont give me the credit of things I did not accomplish. I am a honest person you see and I dont like false recognitions. I am definitely not embarassed about my daughter being left active.

A New Mother

Back after one of the longest hibernation. Feels good to be here though.

My little daughter had one of the worst fevers ever. Last week she was completely down with a viral infection and a very bad cold accompanied by cough. I have never seen her suffer so much. It was a very trying time for me, to manage home, work and a sick child. The toughest thing was the sleepless nights (I dont feel human, unless I get my min 7 hrs of sleep). To top it all, my help at home also fell sick and did not turn up for 3 days.

I felt like a new mother today when I was cooking and packing for her. I was not sure what is safe for her to eat. I was having this strage insecurity in my heart. I felt the same way one would feel, if they have to ride a bike after having met with an accident. A strange fear engulfs our mind, although we have been riding for so many years. The same way, everytime she recovers from being very sick, I feel like a new mother, who has to learn to handle the little angel.

Still having slight cold and cough, I hope she springs back to normalcy very soon.

Haiku#2 - Green

(Image Courtesy - theopenarms.wordpress.com)

Beautiful Indian flag is tricolored,
Saffron represents the vast plains,
White the snow-capped Himalayas,
Green the rich laden forests,
Is it time to change?

This is written for Haiku Heights. The prompt being Green.

This is my interpretation of our glorious flag. I want to believe that Pingali Venkayya, who designed the Indian Flag might have had similar thoughts. Our country is so beautiful and is having Himalayas on one side, Thar desert on the other, the peninsular south which has rich forests. One would fall short of words, if India's natural beauty has to be described.

All this being true, its also true that we are losing the snow capped mountains to Global Warming and all the forests are slowly diminishing. So, this Haiku prompt was thought provoking for me.

I wish we try to retain our country's beauty and not just restrict the beauty to our flag?

Unaffected!!!

Bathing in the rain,
Glistening in the sun,
Droplets on the leaf,
Unaffected by everything, Unattached!

***************************************************************
Writtten for OSI. Prompt - Bathing.
Sincerely wish to be one. Unattached and Unaffected. Can I or will I ever, is the question?

Love, for a beautiful soul

Greed causes desire,
Envy causes spite,
Lust causes anxiety,

Love, cleans,
purify's the soul.
Fill yourself with Love.


Haiku fever has caught on. Written for Haiku Heights.