The Promise of Life

I am lucky and blessed to have spring come right to my door. This amazing tree (I wish I knew what it is called) had been repeating this miracle year on year and I have been a witness to it. Come spring and its transformation is so utterly complete and breathtaking that it leaves one wondering about some quintessential questions of life.

Not only is the transformation beautiful, it is so quick that it really makes one wonder, why it takes human beings so long to pick themselves up, dust their seats and move on when they stumble.

Within a week, this tree changes from being dusty dry and dull to be bare and within hours filled with juicy ripe buds just bursting at their seams with life, next morning when you wake up, you find that the tree's world is all golden and green. Lovely fresh young leaves tender and velvety have burst forth and now clothe the tree from top to bottom.

This splendour is breathtaking, its awe inspiring and its a lesson in life.

Such beauty, life is attracted to life and this tree becomes home to birds, butterflies and squirrels. Birds chirp, sing and play all day.

Once this amazing tree has shown the world its golden colours, it takes on a beautiful, stable

darker green hue. Showing how important it is to reveal what you have within at the right time and then gracefully keeping it within and drawing on it but never being arrogant about it or showing it off unnecessarily.

I always say one can learn immeasurably form these wise old creatures. From this one I learned, The Promise of Life.

The Last 10 Rs Note

My gym bag is an interesting little thing, no larger than 8 inches by 4 inches, it was I believe a purse to carry cosmetics, with its pale green silken finish, but well, am putting it to good use.
Now this bag contains a number of things, some cash, my home and car keys, the gym diet plan, ear phones and some other stuff. Every now and then I love to shop after the gym for household stuff - visit the vegetable shop, the grocer, the chemist.

A couple of days ago, I bought a whole lot of stuff and then my eye caught a small kiosk selling fresh hot steaming momos and I walked towards it without being consciously aware of it...

Opened my gym bag and saw only a single 10 Rs note in it. To my delight, it was enough to buy half a plate of vegetable momos. I bought the half plate, complete with a spicy sauce, popped it next to me on the car seat and drove back home enjoying Yani and the spicy aroma of the momos. Parked the car at home and decided to take a couple of moments for myself to savour my treat. With the windows rolled down and music playing, I enjoyed the dish in complete privacy, it was delicious, a complete delight! Devoured the 4 pieces on my plate and wished I had a paper napkin to wipe my hands on and behold! there it was neatly folded and tucked under my plate. My heart blessed the boy who owned the momo kiosk for such a complete and delectable experience. The last 10 Rs note bought me much more than its official worth .

The Composition of Silence

While on a holiday to God's own country, Kerala with my mom and daughter, I heard silence after a long long time. It was early evening, my baby had just woken up from a nap, mom had gone for a river cruise, I took my baby and sat on the wrought iron bench right by the backwaters.

That evening the silence had so many shades, it was the fresh cool grass under my feet, it was my baby's innocent playful smile, it was the molten grey water and the lap lap of its gentle waves, the crimson stemmed palm trees, the rustling of wind in the coconut fonds, the magnificient sunset.

It was beautiul music - the composition of silence.