Lost Message

Look up!
Image from Pixabay.

Sitting on the bench under the tree, Bob was simply gazing. It wasn’t a garden so to say, just a bit of shade and a place to rest; though quite attractive for some, like it was for Bob.

He had kept his packet next to him and was looking very comfortable on that bench. His eyes were staring in one direction but his ears were catching all the noise he was surrounded by.

In such a place where one could not think about concentrating on one element, Bob was surprised by his focused mind.

He felt like a spectator who was looking at a live performance, not involved himself rather just witnessing it.  

Dashing!
Image from Pixabay.

Even if he wanted he didn’t see individual actions. What he saw was a mass flow. Everyone was dashing in one or the other direction; by foot or by a vehicle; some looking happy but mostly stressed.

Strangely Bob questioned himself, ‘Where are they going?’ He was dumbstruck. He couldn’t assess the reason for such a rush.

Bob had a feeling that they all should stop and look upwards. It was getting dark but the sky was still reddish-orange. Indeed, it was a pleasant sight.

He had a strong urge to ask everyone to enjoy the rich colours, to capture the sky’s vastness and to wait for the first visible star; only to then relish the starry night.  

Bob got up. He tried to shout at everyone present in the scene but his voice failed. After a few seconds, he finally said, ‘everyone, look up at the sky.’ But it wasn’t a shout, in fact, his message was pitched below his normal level.

A person, who was just passing him, stopped and started looking upwards. He asked Bob, ‘What is it?’ Bob was alarmed, he didn’t expect any questions. Bob replied in a confused tone, ‘Just…just…have a look.’

Looking hard at the sky that person again inquired Bob, ‘But what is it?’ Bob was speechless. His mind was scattered once again.

A lot of thoughts entered him and knocked his focus down. Bob managed to say, ‘It is beautiful…the sky…?’ That person left Bob with a cold look, munching some harsh words on his way.  

Rubbing his face Bob asked himself, ‘What was I trying to do?’ He had no clue. He checked his watch, almost twenty minutes had passed. He took a deep sigh.

A couple crossed him, they had the same bag as he had. Suddenly he looked at his bag, then his watch and took to feet immediately.

Bob’s mind was shouting in bold letters, he could see it through his inner eye. It was repeating some words continuously- ‘THE BAG…YOU ARE LATE…BAG…LATE…BAG…SO DEAD.’  

Bob walked so quickly that soon he merged with the crowd. With all those who didn’t hear his message.  

Look Up!
Image from Pixabay.

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Now!

When hard work paints your shirt with sweat, it is the highest form of painting. It becomes a proof that you have acted.
 
You are then completely in the present. You are then truly living with the pace of the universe.
 
Nathu doesn’t know all this. He is like any other rickshaw-wala. His daily job is to earn for the day; not for the future or for an investment, but for the present day.
 
Nathu lives each day as a new day though his routine stays the same. How lucky!
 
His past sometimes brings his village memories to him and his future makes him wonder, but nevertheless he is the man who lives in the ‘now’.
 
It is very difficult to be in the moment that is revealing itself to us.
 
We rarely do so. Caught up in some bygone drama or future trick we forget the precious present.
 
Nathu is not different from anyone, he just lives in the moment.
 
Another rickshaw-wala living in the Now.
Image by beginmag from Pixabay

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The Report

Gita came from some other time and some other place. She was here to understand the reason behind what happened, why it happened and how it happened. Astonishingly, it didn’t take her long to find the fault. She filed her report and returned back.
 
Place: Earth
Century: 21st
About: Earth and its Inhabitants
 
I observed people. I observed a lot. The answer came quickly to me- a mad, blind, cruel race. There is a rush here on Earth; an urgency to finish one thing and to start another. At the moment materialism rules here and the motto of majority of the people is ‘more is good’. More and more of everything, no matter what it costs and what the result might be. 90% of the most advanced and intelligent species (Homo sapiens sapiens) don’t utilise their intellect and rather stay busy in following whatever they think should be followed. The other 5% remains occupied in taming the 90% through a monetary system and though they continuously rule the lives of the others they don’t like to show off or call themselves as Leaders, Monarchs, Kings etc., but prefer names like Bank Owners, The Elites, etc. They are probably of a shy nature. The last 5% of this species try to spread truth and equality but mostly meet a fatal end (especially if caught in the lime light).
 
The thing that I found silly, but which is actually very sad, is that this species has no respect for the very planet they live in i.e. the Earth. They are continuously ruining it, foolishly misusing it and most importantly they show no reverence towards the great planet. Almost all believe in a spiritual power or God (a name given to this spiritual power by them) but few believe in the magnificence of their planet. Strangely, they have faith in the unobservable but not in the observable.
 
I visited many places on this planet and I faced troubles almost everywhere. I noticed that the most gifted and talented are the young ones of this species but sadly they are not given much importance. Slowly, the society shapes them according to their norms.
 
Conclusion:
Earth is a beautiful planet ruled by the species Homo sapiens sapiens. This species is powerful but believes more in following blindly, in only dreaming, in talking, and talking more, and less in doing or acting (in the true sense of the word). They try to search for the Spiritual One outside and they know very little about the inside. The evolution has stopped so far and degradation has started instead.
 
 
 

The blogger wrote this post long, long, long back, and probably when she was feeling utterly hopeless.

*

Dear reader, check out the following posts to rekindle hope and joy within (you too may read it, o-me-from-the-past):-

Spirited Away and the Art of Forgetfulness

Paper-Light-Lemon-Fresh-Stories

Message from Mandarin D

The Old Fortune-Teller’s Special Offer

Ninety-Nine Times out of a Hundred

To The Moon and Back

Life-Affirming Pair of Socks with Three Holes in It


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Maybe I Will

It was raining beautifully, sounding like a melodious song. I had to rub the windowpane to see outside; first a smiley face and then a big wipe. I could see the trees nearby and the wet track till the fog allowed me. I noticed that the grass was looking greener and happier; welcoming the rain by spreading everywhere and in every direction. The dominant colours outside were wet green, wet white and a subtle mass of wet darkness. Inside it was dim yellow but the darkness was same rather more polished than outside. I ignored it.

The rainwater was dripping through the leaves making them bend downwards. I thought of going outside to collect the dripping water in my palms…I like doing so. But maybe I’ll go when the rain stops or when it’s drizzling or then when I’ll go to open the gate. Maybe I’ll not go at all. It’s wet and slippery and I don’t want to get dirty.

It was raining heavily yesterday and day before yesterday also. I don’t keep record but it was raining. The days that have passed don’t look any different from today. I am the same me and so is the rain. Maybe I’ll change with the weather. Maybe I’ll be rewarded for waiting so long. Maybe I’ll not regret but accept. Maybe I’ll open the gate and step out.

Lost In La La La

Flash Fiction
Pink and blue butterfly.
[Source – Pixabay]

*

La la la

I am dancing

La la la

I am laughing

La la la

Sky is clear

La la la

Life is near

La la la

Brightness in me

La la la

Lightness in me

La la la

All I see

La la la

Is the glee

La la la

I am Miss

La la la

I know bliss

La la la


Bright day, said light blue shade.
[Source – Pixabay]

Tiara was singing this weird song. She was hopping in the garden. The flowers were looking at her and so were a white rabbit and a caterpillar.

Lost in the present, Tiara was happy. There was no particular reason behind it. Everything looked beautiful, pure.

A blue bird was sitting on a tree near the garden. She had a message for Tiara. It was full of lustre. The blue bird thought it was time to deliver the message.

Tiara, who was without a clue about it, was blushing with joy.

Joy that brings a big smile on your face, that makes you peaceful, that stops your mind from thinking and time from running.

The blue bird landed on the lawn and Tiara took notice of her. Their eyes met. Tiara immediately knew what she was meant to know.

The lustre will stay with her like a fragrance; all she needs is to remember. 


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A Soul Nebula

Poem

Nebula helix_spitzer_2048 [Source – Flickr]

*

The glowing dust took me away

Bluish green and reddish grey

Nearby star: a dot of light

Peeking through the dusty night  


Where am I? Earth or sky?

Dancing with gravity, can’t fly!

Still I am floating very high

In a hazy colourful sky  


A strong fluorescent light touches me

Immersed, I try to see

Emptiness fitting all around and silence

Assuring me the Grand Presence  


Sitting cross legged and eyes closed

I float with a pink rose.  

*


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Buddhahood

The place where the embodiment of peace, Gautama Buddha, found enlightenment was recently shaken by bomb blasts. The holy Bodh Gaya shrine became the target of those who believe in destruction. The government has started the probe and they are confident of finding the culprits. Meanwhile, the Buddhists are back to chanting and praying, back with the Lord himself.  

Such blasts cannot stop what Gautama Buddha started. He commenced an inward journey; a journey to find oneself, to realise the inner self and hence attain inner peace. What the confused and angry minds cannot understand (and may never understand until they end their confusion and calm down) is that what Buddha taught and left behind is not stored in a shrine or in a scripture or in any physical form.

What he left is eternal and universal. It is in nature and it is nature. It can only be felt and realised and not be touched with bare hands. It is everywhere and in everyone waiting to get recognised.  

The ones who stubbornly want to fight don’t know that Buddha is in them too. Buddha is in all of us; when we act purely, correctly and truly the Buddhahood shines in us too. How can something so powerful be destroyed? How can something so true be crossed? We mere mortals can never do so; our futile attempts will only look ridiculous.  

You need not worry about any evil in this world; all you need is to reach the state of Buddhahood, to let it shine in you. Radiating light everywhere you’ll then fulfil the purpose of being you.


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The Circle

Peace within.
Image – Pixabay.

We need to listen. We need to understand.  

Calm yourself, close your eyes. Meditate. A vibration hits you. A circle is formed and your closed eyes can see it; luminous circle at the centre, full of life.

Don’t allow your mind to trick you and take you on a sensuous ride. Be wholly in that centre. Feel it.

Realise it and you’ll come to know the vastness of the universe, the music that the silence plays and the serenity present in every colour.

This experience will make you sublime.

You’ll then have a bit of universe, a bit of silent music and a bit of every colour in you.  

At peace, you’ll make peace.  

*

Meditation is one of the greatest arts in life – perhaps the greatest, and one cannot possibly learn it from anybody, that is the beauty of it.

It has no technique and therefore, no authority.

Jiddu Krishnamurti

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On A Foggy Day

Whiteness rules a foggy day.
Image from Pixabay
Walking in the whiteness with silence around me, I kept searching. The moment stayed for a few minutes as I moved forward.
 
Caught in the fog I felt happy and I knew I wasn’t alone. The wet freshness flying everywhere made me alive.
 
With every step, I came close to nothing. The road was dark grey and blackish; it was also wet. The grass that was visible was blooming and beaming, full of life.
 
I turned back once, just to check. There was only nothing.
 
Rejoicing and smiling I walked steadily. I was dizzy. I don’t remember the reason for my happiness now. Probably there was magic in the air.
 
In this joy, confusingly, I was looking for something. Maybe that’s why I didn’t stay there for long and I kept walking ahead.
 
In a minute or so, I was able to see the surroundings; trees, cars, buildings, lamp posts, shops, people, and me.
 
The moment of joy passed so quickly that I felt I didn’t enjoy it properly.
 
No one teaches us how to relish things, to realise the moment. I thought I could have done better.
 
But no, I told myself, such things cannot be taught, feelings cannot be caught.



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The Better Way

Flash Fiction
Neatly folded and settled.
[Source – Pixabay]

Kavya was searching for a book to read, only to pass that foggy evening. She was in her grandma’s house for vacation. Nothing but memories was left of her grandparents. A faint image entered her mind every time she thought of them- she is sitting beside them and her grandma is reading a book, they are on the balcony, soon she falls asleep, nevertheless feels the warmth because of their presence.

She was young now and restless. An idea came to her, she imagined herself sitting the way her grandma was sitting and reading, she felt that if she copied it she would get some of the serenity that her grandma had on her face. Strangely, Kavya could now see wholeness and contentment in her grandma’s eyes; calmness on her face; as if she is telling everyone to have faith…to believe; even the old monotone photographs of her grandma spoke the same whenever Kavya looked at them.

Finally, she picked a book and went outside on the balcony. Pulling a chair towards her she sat on it. She sighed…what for…she had no clue herself. Was it something in her life or was she simply missing her grandma? Maybe she sighed because we sometimes do, without knowing that we did.

There were two more pages to finish the first chapter, checked Kavya. She always did so. Kavya didn’t count herself in the category of the fervent readers, but among those who read because others read, because books are there to read and because they know reading is a good habit. There is nothing wrong with being in this category; it is just that you lag in one or the other way.

Trying to sit in a comfortable position Kavya got up and dragged the chair but while doing so she dropped the book. The book was old and some pages peeped out as soon as it hit the floor. ‘Oh!’ said Kavya. They say what happens, happens for the good. While placing the pages properly she found a folded piece of paper. Curiosity made her eyes big. She opened it; her grandma’s handwriting spoke to her. The words were few. It said ‘Just smile…it is the better way’ and under it were her grandma’s initials.

How quickly can things change, how strangely can people change, how fast the light passes in the darkness, right? Kavya couldn’t believe that she was suddenly full of happiness; spirited to do anything. She looked at the piece of paper once again and said, ‘Thank you grandma…thank you so much.’ She got up and left the balcony.

Indeed, Kavya didn’t finish that book but then she had something else to complete. The old book is back on the shelf but the message is with Kavya, which will stay with her forever.


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