Life cycle of human being.

Sometimes I wonder why human are so engrossed in petty things that they miss out on bigger things of life...

From birth I am selfish
I want attention
I need care
I seek love
I demand my comfort.

As I grow I start walking
I get hurt
I bleed
I learn new things
Yet, I demand my comfort.

Time passes and I bloom in youthfulness
I am energetic
I brag about the new era
I am confused
And still, I demand my comfort.

Mid life hits hard and self doubt starts
I feel lonely
I feel unsuccessful
I feel the need to achieve even more
More than ever, I demand my comfort.

End comes near
I sit and remember
I brag about my half faded past
I need support
And I demand all the comfort in the world.

The human life cycle ends
Thinking for himself
During his life
He destroys the world around
To make himself comfortable??

Monkey Costume

Material used - Felt (cocoa/ brown and tan color)

Wire - for tail

Cotton - stuffing the tail

Needle and thread

Measure the length from shoulder to knee. 

Measure the shoulder width and keep 2 inches more

Cut the brown color cloth shoulder width and double the length.

Fold it into half and cut the neck in the middle.

Cut a long brown color band for the belt.

 And stitch the belt on top of the front side.

Stitch the belt to the front side.

Cut a circle with tan color felt and stitch it on top of the belt.

Cut a rectangle brown felt.  Fold and stitch the open side together.  Leave one side open.  Turn inside out and stuff it with cotton.  Put the wire in it and bend it accordingly.

Wire

Tail with stuffing and wire

Stitch the end together to close the opening

Stitch the tail to the back side 

This is how it will look from back.

From front

Now for ears.  Fold the brown felt in half and draw the shape of an ear.  Cut and stitch the open ends.

Cut a slit 

Turn it inside out.

Cut tan color felt ears and stitch it on the brown ears.

Put your finger in so that you stitch just one layer of brown felt.

Take a small rubber band.

Put it inside the slit of the ear

And stitch

Now stitch both the ends together closing the slit.

Make the other ear too!!

Put it on.

Back view of the full monkey costume.

Wear a brown shirt and pant under the costume and paint the face and the little monkey is ready!!

The Seed

In pod
Safe, secure, self- asserting,
Protected, free from danger
In the womb of heaven.
Unaware of the predators
Lurking around, I lay comforted.

Dreaming away
Smiling, laughing, giggling,
Kicking, bouncing, turning
Glowing in the dark pod.
Unaware of the dangers
Lurking around, I lay comforted.

Unexpectedly, I mature
I break the pod 
Blue sky, green leaves, white flowers
Beautiful nature I see
Unaware of the imperilment
 I feel the warmth.

Wanting to explore
I fall on the ground
Fierce wind blows me away
Thrilled with excitement
Covered in dirt I lay
Unaware, I feel safe.

Suddenly I start trembling
I see blue sky turning red
The beautiful world changes
Into a dark, horrifying place
And an insect crawls next to me
Now aware of the danger I shiver.

I close my eyes, I pray
Save me, let me not be a prey
Let me spread my root
Let me live O Lord
Let me grow and make fruit
I am the seed, the future.

Woman

Strong, powerful yet sensitive
Composed, poised yet vulnerable
Bold, courageous and daring
Yet the victim!

With blood she nurishes
In arms she nurses
From soul she nurtures ...
not knowing it's a beast... 

Like parasite it drinks the blood
Like paralysis it numbs the body
Like Mayan eagle it eats the heart
As a prey she succumbs...

Tortured, tormented
Killed in the womb
Taken advantage, invaded
Raped to the core...

The conceiver, the creator
The maker, the woman
Incapacitated, helpless
Feeling ill and hopeless....




Image from goolge image

Thoughts

Random, vague, yet precise
You scrutinize, investigate, analyse
Defend, justify and finally acknowledge
The power of the active mind.

Injustice fills up the guilt
Insecurity gives shivers down the spine
Lies crunches the stomach
Sleep deprived by thoughts...

Mind plays a game
Takes you to the dark isolated place
Where ghosts dwell and fear flourishes
Body a mere slave to thoughts...


A good deed though cathartic
A good speech though cleansing
A good act though purging 
Is not as purifying as a good thought...

ALWAYS THINK POSITIVE!!

Spring is here

     

    Oh! I am so glad that winter is over and spring is around the corner.  In winter months I feel the cold freezes  my brain. I seize to function to my full potential.  My lazy self (Satan) rules my mind and I live my life in a couch covered in blankets and a hot cup of tea whenever I can afford to.  I start avoiding work and find excuse to postpone my responsibilities and chores.  I tend to hibernate every winter.  So, when I wake up in spring I simply love life and am in awe of the beautiful world that God has created.

   I love the sight of the dead tree coming back to life with pink buds all over its branches.  The sight of tender green leaves gives me hope for new beginning.  The cracking seeds, the sprouting saplings, the bulge in the ground all shows the immense power of life.  Life that goes on, life that fights with extremity to bounce back more stronger, more prettier and even more full of hope.   Spring for me is like bouncing back to life after a brain freeze.  And I am glad that Spring is here!

Fate

Little does it know its fate
Funeral, Festival, or date

The innocent bud
That blooms into a flower

Ruthless murdered in its prime

For offerings, for love,  

for sympathy, for apology

Emoting for the one that ruthlessly 

Took his life...

EXPIRING LIFE

Life is a journey 
Of soul
From birth 
Until death.
In a tangible form
That's pliable and flexible,
Mobile and responsive,
Adaptable and persuadable
With an expiration date...

Journey beyond 
Of soul
Is unknown, alien
Incomprehensible.
In an intangible form 
That becomes rigid and stiff,
Motionless and pliant,
Decomposing and disintegrating
With an expiration date...


Why then 
Do our minds flutter
The thoughts cause the pain
Fight with others
For boundaries 
For land 
Struggling for existence
When existence itself has an expiration date?

Elections

   The destiny of the country will be decided by next week.  Either Obama rules again or Romney takes his place.  Now at this tenses moment I wonder will either of the candidate make a difference?  If you think it will then you should go out and vote.  You have the power in your hands so why let it go vain  and repent later.   And if you think it doesn't matter who becomes the next President then like me you are disappointed with the system, the current political spitting ads, and wonder what has become of us as human race.  Where are the morals, the ethics, the strong leadership image?  Will any candidate be able to get US out of the debt?   Promises are made to be broken and so are our hopes... 
    Even though I am unsure myself I urge people to go out and vote. It's the time to show the politicians how to be responsible.  Lets go out, vote and show them that "We, the people", still have the power in our hands.

Wounded Soul

To cure from within 
I open my wounded heart
And now I bleed black

Digging inner self
Hurting all over again
Tears flow in my words

 Nothing did I wrong
Yet it haunts, taunts, and scares me
And I bleed in pain

Like arrow it's piercing
I ask my internal soul
What is bothering?

Contentment said soul
Gladness, gratification
Fulfillment is peace.



(In haiku)

Exploring destiny

     

   I always wondered if the lines on the palm meant something.  Does it predict one's future?  Can it tell about one's past?  Being born in a family of astrologers I was raised to believe that astrology is a science.  Each planet position has an affect on human being and human behavior.  In fact the predictions are based on scientific facts and calculations, and are not just guess work.  Now, does that mean that the astrologers know what will happen to them?  Can they predict each and every moment of their life?  Hmmm hard to say.    Some good astrologers do predict what the future holds.  So, this lead me into another methods used for predicting one's future.  Palmistry.  How much can a palm predict and how accurate can the lines tell about one's future?  This has been a subject that captivated my interest from a very young age.  I read couple of palmistry books and tried my then newly acquired skills on my friends and relatives.  Some of my predictions came true.  By the way, I have no clue how they came true.  I think it was just coincidence.  Anyhow, that was when I was young and curious to know my own future.  At that age who doesn't want to have a sneak peek of future?  As if palmistry was a time machine and took me into the future, I seriously measured the lines on my palm and predicted couple of things about my future.  I felt confident about my predictions. After all, I had read it in a book so how could a book be wrong!  However, you should be a good reader to comprehend the book as the author meant it to be, to be able to make 100% correct predictions.  
   I blindly believed that the future is in our hands.  In this case, it is hidden in the lines of our palm.  Contrary to my mind set, one time I saw a picture of an accident in the newspaper.  It was a picture taken after the bomb blast.  All the people in the picture were killed in the blast and pieces of their body parts were scattered around.  In that gruesome picture, what caught my attention was a palm.  A man whose palm was wide open facing upwards while his young body was crushed and unrecognizable.  I took a closer look at the palm.  The open palm showed a very long life with hardly any obstacles in life.  That picture got me thinking.  How was that possible?  It was against all the rules of the book.  He didn't even look like he had crossed his twenties.  It was impossible for a man with this palm to die!  I was confused, baffled and perturbed.  I couldn't believe what I saw.  The whole science of prediction started fading in front of my eyes.      Can anybody predict the lines of the palm?  Is palmistry reliable?  Is it possible to explore lines to know the destiny?  Well, at least the man who died in the accident, knows that nobody can be sure about their destiny!

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. 

- Buddha


(google image)

My mind is ruled by my body

  

"Health is the greatest possession."

   Sometimes I feel that the physical health of a person reflects on the mental health.  Off late, the season change  has effected my physical being.  Fever, cold, allergy -  things that limited my physical activities.  When I had fever, my body refused to get out of the bed.  I slept almost the whole day.  When I had cold, my nose got stuffy and so did my brain.  I could not think.  I felt like my brain was blocked with my nose.  With allergies, I sneezed my heart out.  So, even though I stayed home all the days when I was sick and had a lot of time to myself, it didn't occur to me to write my thoughts down.  Well, I didn't have any other thoughts than the thought of speedy recovery. I just yearned to feel better.  It was in one of these days that I realized that I am capable of bearing a lot of mental stress but I am incapable of bearing physical pain.  My mental stress didn't effect my physical self  the way my physical being affected my mental state.  My mind is ruled by my body.   As my nose still feels stuffy and the allergy medicine is wearing off, I am starting to feel that my brain has gone on a strike.  I read the news but nothing is absorbed by my brain.  I browse the net but nothing seems to interest me.  I flip the photos yet my mind refuses to function.  So on that note, I end here and wait for the day for my heart to start pumping blood directly to my brain like it did before my sinuses flared up due to allergens. 

What does each color band mean?

These days there is a huge craze for color wrist bands. The plastic bands never appealed to me but being from the country where it is common for girls to wear different color bracelet either metal or glass at all ages, made me start thinking why the school authorities, especially some teachers were against the teenagers flashing their colorful wrist band.  Why are they disapproving the beautiful multicolored bracelets? They looked okay to me.  So, that got me started to research more about the bands.  What does each color band mean?   Each has different engraving, different color but about the same width. Does the engravings make it different from one another?   I had an idea that the band were introduced to support a cause. The first one that comes to my mind is the yellow silicon gel bracelet that was introduced for fund raising for the Lance Armstrong Foundation for the cure for cancer.  Later that year it became "the fashion item" for Americans and  it didn't take much time to spread its popularity in other countries too. Before anybody could realize, it became viral worldwide.  So, does yellow bracelet stand for support for the cure for cancer?  After a bit of browsing I was shocked to find what different color of bracelet meant.  Well, yellow bracelet with "Livestrong"  engraving still stands for support for cancer.  However, just a yellow wrist band indicates the wearer is open to give a hug!  Orange indicated that the wearer is open to give a kiss and the list goes on and on...  As I read the list, each color surpassed the other in the willingness of the teenagers or young adults to do or try new things at that hormonal imbalanced age.  

   With disbelief I dug myself further in the research and found that the jelly bracelets were around from 1980s! It is kind of a game and snapping others bracelet took the game to a whole new level.  Well, I still need to digest a lot of information about these jelly bracelets of different colors.  Knowledge sometimes can have negative effect on our thinking process.

   Having said that, I think not all kids who wear the bracelets are aware of the meaning of the color distinctions.  It is just a fashion statement and a craze among the young, younger and youngest.  And these days there are so many different color bracelets for so many different cause that I strongly believe that in future each color bracelet would stand for a cause.  Each color will retain it freshness, fairness and pureness.

(Photo from google image)
Just for FYI parents check these site out...
http://www.blurtit.com/q610033.html
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shag%20band
 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_each_color_band_mean

    

   

A Perfect Day

 
  A perfect day can be different for different people. For some a perfect day might be sleeping past morning hours, and relaxing for the rest of the day.  For others it might be getting up early and finishing off all the pending work.  Either way, it is personal perception of being happy.   That what makes one feel happy makes it perfect.  In other words, having all the elements in the day desired by you makes it perfect for you.  If you ask a kid to draw a picture of a perfect day, he or she will most probably include a bright Sun, a beautiful green tree, or a flowing blue river or blue pond with few ducks and maybe a boat.  But, it that a perfect day for everybody?  I wonder what is the criteria for the perfect day that includes all living souls.
   Every minute when one person is happy, one might be sad. When one is born, one dies.  When one smiles, one cries. While one succeeds, the other fails.   One person gains and one loses. One builds and one destroys.  So, is it possible to have a perfect day when everything is perfect for everybody!
   Well, as far as I am concerned, each day is a perfect day. Even a "bad day" is a perfect day. If I didn't fail I wouldn't know the value of success.  If I weren't bruised I wouldn't be able to know the true happiness.  If I wouldn't get angry I wouldn't be able to know the inner calm.  If I weren't hurt I wouldn't be able to feel the love.  Each day is a new day and a perfect day!

  

Can you hear me?

I called for you when I was sick

I called for you when I was weak

Under four layers of blanket

when I was shivering I called for you...

Could you hear me?

You nourished me in your womb

you bought me to life

you showed me the path

You taught me to listen...

Did you hear my call?

I lie down and feel the warmth

In pain I twist and turn 

I need you by my side

I need your gentle care.

I yell for you in my sleep...

Did you hear my screams?

Sweat trickles down my hair

I feel unsettled

Worrying about you

Thinking about you

I feel restless...

Are you happy? 

Are you at peace?

Are you there? 

Can you hear me?

Answer me mom...

Planning - not a Libra thing!

   Last week was kind of busy.  I am surprised I got time to breath and am still alive!  Not that I was on my toes physically but it was the mental worry that drained me down.  Being a Libra, I am exhausted when I have to decide on something.  I see both the positive and negative things and try to weigh in all the advice given to me and then finally I get confused and mentally drain out still unable to take a concrete decision. Age is playing a role too.  I think...When I was younger, I did what I wanted and never thought about anything or anybody. It was easier for me to do things my way or no way! As I grew older I realized the importance of people in life.  I started to think about what they would like and started to do some things their way.  After kids, my whole world started revolving around them.  Most of my time was taken by them and I started doing whatever they liked.  I don't know whether it is the women thing or the Libra thing.  But my life started revolving around my family.  And if there is a birthday in the house.  I try to make sure that I do what they like to do on that day and make it as pleasant to them as possible...Well, recently it was my son's birthday! And he is a Libra too! Everyday his place of party changed, everyday he wanted different people to come to his party. Everyday it was a different theme.  Planning a party for him is exhausting! I had to change my plans three times.  It was taking a mental toll on me.  My husband being from Mars and I from Venus was very little help.  He knows that I take care of each and every detail so he presents the most carefree, happy and nothing bothers him type personality.  "Don't worry things will get done" he said to me.  And I trusted him!!!  And nothing got done.  It was already his birthday week with no place booked, no menu decided and no guest invited!  I started loosing my cool and loosing my mental balance.  And trust me if a Libra looses her balance it is not a good thing.  I had no clue where to start and what to do.  I went blank and couldn't think. Gathering all the strength I started searching for party places. I was worried all the places would be booked. Thankfully, I could find a place and I booked it even though it was not the one I would have, if I had planned earlier.  But on the other hand, I was happy that at least I could find a decent venue.  Without further delay invitations were sent out and then came the time for menu.  My sweet, helping hubby offered that he would take care of it. I felt relieved and was starting to get my balance back.  I started focusing on other things for the party.  Little did I remember that we were from different planets and are total different species.  Just a night before the party I got the news that no food was ordered.  I just laughed out loud in disbelief.  Thankfully this time, the Libra's balance was leaning more towards the positive side.  I could think and act and got everything under control. 
  All is well that ends well.  The ups and downs of my scale found the balance and my son had a blast and enjoyed his birthday more than any other times.  I had broad smile across my face.  But one thing I realized in this process that planning in short notice is not a Libra thing - at least not for this Libra!

I wonder about the road to heaven

  
  Sometimes I wonder is there a God?  If there is God then is there a Satan? Or is it just another one of man's imagination?  I do believe in good deed and bad deed but does doing good deed take you to heaven? Well nobody really knows what happens after one dies.  Some believe in rebirth while others believe that that was it.  So, it is unclear if there is heaven or hell other than the earth that we live in.  
    However, I think sometimes the perception of having a place to go after death soothes the inner being and makes this life livable and peaceful.  The human nature of being secure leads us in believing in a place called heaven. A beautiful place where everything is perfect.  No body ever bothers the other soul.  All live in harmony and everyday is just your day.  A living dream, a heaven!  Even the sinners confess and try to reserve a spot in this beautiful paradise.    Sometimes, it makes me think that what happens to the unborn kid?  Do they go straight to paradise?  They technically are sin free!  
    Maybe, there is a life after death!  Who know?  You are ant in one life and an elephant in another.  But interestingly even in this theory one has only seven births based on the deeds of the previous life and then one goes to heaven or hell.  So, in other words, the soul is recycled only seven times before one faces the judgement day.  
   Okay I think my thoughts are getting crazier.  So will sign off for today with the thoughts that as long as I feel happy in this present life by doing good deeds and hoping that they would take me to heaven I feel blessed. After all, I wish to reserve a spot in heaven! 
   
 

I am who I am

Like the curls of my lock

Like the tail of the dog

Like the curves of the wave

I stay as I am

Not the wind

Nor the current

Not the forces of this universe

Could change who I am

People came and went

Friends and enemies crossed my way

Hated, loved, envied, forgotten

Yet I am who I am

Nothing can change

Am true to myself

For I came to life alone 

And I will be who I am

I fear not the world

I am strong and undeterred

I leave this life alone 

As I am who I am

Simply having children does not make mothers.

Being the eldest one in the family is not easy.   I remember my elder brother took most of the blame and scolding for our naughty behavior.  He was the one who was responsible for everybody's (siblings) action even though he was a kid himself.  I was the third of the siblings and I hardly felt the burden.  I was carefree and did whatever I felt like. In other words, I was stubborn and very mischievous.  Little did I understand why my elder brother would get worried and warn me on several occasion when I was up to something.   Most of the time, my parents held him responsible for most of our actions and say,"You are the eldest and you should understand."  Well, today, when I see my daughter being the eldest I try not to blame her for any of my lil' one's actions.  However, unconsciously at times, I feel that I might be holding her responsible for my son's behavior.  Is it the parent thing?  I don't know.  I feel that sometime when the two are arguing, it easier to tell the elder one to keep quite rather than try to explain the younger one why he has to be quite. Especially when you are behind wheels and need the least distraction from the passengers.  I know it is not the right thing to do but do I have a choice?  I feel that the elder one is more matured and is capable of listening to directions than the younger one.  Today was one of those days when I lost my patience.  I was driving with my two kids arguing about God knows what.  They were loud and the elder one kept telling something to the younger one and at one time the little one got so out of control that he tried opening his seat belt.  Well did I mention that I was driving in a packed road!  Even after couple of my warnings they continued their argument. I lost my patience and directly addressed my elder one to behave herself and stop the argument at once.  There was pin drop silence.  The argument stopped and I was at peace.  It took almost half an hour to beat the traffic and come to the clear road.  After we reached home I asked my elder one what the problem was and why was she being so immature?  With tears in her eyes she replied, "He took my homework folder and was scribbling on it.  Now I have to do my homework all over again."  I felt so guilty that even now I am cursing myself.  

Simply having children does not make mothers.  ~John A. Shedd 

(Google image)

Language of a flower

Each color, each variety,
Each number, each bloom
Has something to say
About life and friendship
About death and relationship.

Purple Lilac for first love,
Pear blossoms the friendship
Welcoming is the Mayflower
Black poppy bids farewell
As witch-hazel casts a magic spell.

The Language of flower is simple
It comes from heart
All flowers have something to say
About love, hatred, pain
About revenge, grief and vain.


Olives y'all (Peace)

Power cut

Sweat trickles down my hair

And everything seems so unfair

Power cut for an hour

No water for a shower

Frustrated I sit on my chair.


(Trying out aabba format of limerick... not a limerick)

(Google image)

Morning Sky

The venetian red sky
Burning in the horizon
Welcomes fiery sun. 

(Written in haiku)

Rain

The sudden burst of the black cloud  
Surprised me on a sunny day 
Frightening was the thunder loud 
Lightening too found its way 
Startled I was, as what to say 
No umbrella, no ponche , no shed 
I just ran across to cover my head 
Directionless was my flee 
I followed where my foot lead 
Sheltering myself under a tree. 

(google image)

Fallen Angel

Flying in the sky I felt free of fear 
With eagles I soar with angels I dwell 
My mind unperturbed, conscious crystal clear  
Then I made a blunder and broke the spell 
Suddenly from heaven on earth I fell 
What have I done? As human I am born 
I suffer, I grieve, hurt I am o' dear 
Mercy Lord, save me before I am torn 
Openly I will confess to you God. 
Because in you I seek refuge, Lord.

 (Experimenting Dizain -10 syllables/10 lines in ababbcacdd format not in iambic pentameter..)

(google image)

My son's Top 10 Excuses for not going to school on a Monday morning

10.  Remember last Saturday I fell down when I was playing soccer and got hurt on my knee. So, my knee is hurting and I don't want to go to school today.

9.  The fish will die of hunger if I go to school.  So, I want to stay home and take care of the fish.

8.  It rained and all the rollie pollies will be homeless.  I have to stay home and take care of the rollie pollies in my garden.

7.  Yesterday evening I had hiccups and it didn't go away even after drinking water.  I will have hiccups today too and will feel sick. So email my teacher that I cannot come to school today.

6.  Remember how I watched too much TV the day before.  So, today my head is hurting and you have to take me to the eye doctor to get me glasses like most of my friends.

5.  Mommy, do you see the big yellow bird in the TV?  I cannot see that.  You have to take me to the doctor today so I have to miss my school.

4.  It rained yesterday and the soil will be wet.  And my classroom will be flooded!  I cannot go to school today.

3.  I cannot finish my breakfast because I have to chew, and it will take a long time, and I will be late. So, today I cannot go to school.

2.  I have to stay home and plan for my birthday party.  

1.  I love you mom!  I want to stay with you!  I don't want to go to school today.

(By the way, when he reaches his school he runs to his class teacher and gives her a big hug and he doesn't want me to stay even for the assembly!)

(google image)