Growing up

The whole purpose of working hard and studying harder is to have a successful career when, hopefully we can finally start to relax. Not to burst the bubble, but simplicity lies in perception and not in fact! In other words, the road to success and the ensuing journey is hardly as simple as it may seem. Eventually, every eager traveler ends up falling into either of two destination potholes: a no-time-to-breathe life or a monotonous life. Each has its own undeniable perks as well as disappointments, yet the bottom line is that happiness has once again taken a humble backseat. Is having a monotonous life that bad or are we miserable simply because we just cannot help but get trapped in the clutches of comparison?   Blatant continuous comparison with our peers, analyzing each and every aspect of ours and their stress-riddled lives to the point of sheer insanity. Having balanced working hours with enough time to relax with family and do something you love can surely not be detrimenta...

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon and the street was unsurprisingly quiet. The elders were having their precious midday snooze and the kids were glued on to their smartphones much like the way kids were attached to running around in the streets in the good old days. However, the quiet atmosphere was rudely disturbed by the shrill, piercing chirp of the cuckoo. It kept calling out again and again, oblivious to the irritated roars of the many sleepers it had just startled. The Cuckoo was apparently on a roll and was happily chirping away or singing in its opinion anyway. If the Cuckoo could talk the way we do, it would have spoken joyously about how its parents had hoodwinked the crow family into keeping the cuckoo egg. By the time the Cuckoo had grown into the absolutely delightful bird it was now, it had been too late to go back. The attachment had been sealed, family ties had been cemented and the Cuckoo was now an undeniable part of the crow family. The Cuckoo had no qualms in narr...

Ringing school bells cut sharply through my latest train of thought as I scrambled to my feet knocking my knee against the nearest chair leg in the process . “Ow”, I muttered, wondering why I was hearing the bell now as it has been more than ten years since I completed school. And then there was the annoyingly persistent banging of my rickety windows signalling that the winds were having their day of fun again. I immediately put my fingers to my ears and forced my eyes open to take in a frantic glimpse of my surroundings. I was still in my room and as far as I could see, the windows were bolted shut and I had a faint memory of triple checking them last night before snuggling underneath my cozy blankets. The noises in my head were showing no signs of dissipating and were now accompanied by more disturbing ones. The lines of some familiar song were being played again and again indicating that the record player was stuck, there was a shrill, ear -piercing sound of a swing going ba...

“ Go to sleep soon, otherwise the monsters under your bed will come and take you away.” This was the affectionate lie that was relied upon by many a parent to put their highly energetic children to bed. It was an effective one too, as the fear of some hideous , unknown creature attacking us was enough to drain away any enthusiasm for staying awake. As we grew up, we could only roll our eyes and laugh at our silliness, and at the same time, be thankful that they really did turn out to be just fictitious characters. But, as I donned the hat of introspection and ventured into one of my deep thinking expeditions, I realised that the monsters still exist , in our heads!! They slowly poke their heads out and sniff for traces of nervousness and trepidation, as we slowly navigate our adolescent years. By that time, the carefree nature and infectious enthusiasm of   our childhood has already faded, making way for the mounting pressure to rise up the academic ladder. As we take our ...

The docile fawn ran merrily along the green grass with a bright smile , thrilled to see the glowing rays of sunlight follow it   amidst the canopy of trees. “ Slow down dear, you will trip yourself again. You nearly broke your leg the last time, when you tried to jump across that huge fallen log” , shouted her mother who was eyeing the fawn with a mixture of worry and amusement. “ I will be fine mother. Little bruises here and there do not bother me at all.”, said the fawn, jumping gleefully as she chased the colourful butterflies near the little stream. She loved the mornings when it was bright and sunny as she could run about wherever she liked, her swift legs guiding her along to many new, exciting places across the huge forest that was her home. The fawn was a sweet little thing, with a smile for everyone and the first one to rush to help whenever any of her fellow fawns got into trouble. She loved to make friends across the many parts of the forest that she bounded of...

Fear of losing control makes us keep all our feelings bottled up inside Fear of being called sensitive makes us shed our tears in solitude Fear of being silenced make the untruths sound louder than ever Fear of being left out makes us question our life principles Fear of being perceived as weak makes us ignore our emotions Fear of unmet expectations keeps us from reaching out to others Fear of being mocked makes the walls around us grow higher Fear of missing out on makes us deeply unsatisfied with our lives Fear of being criticised makes us reluctant to do what is right Fear traps us in our mind, Fear renders us blind Fear disappears when we realise we are unique, one of a kind Girl in a daze

Words were invented when actions ceased to be adequate Words were a blessing, a way to assert our place in this world Words gave us power , power to express, power to impress Words ensure that our voices are heard , recognized not ignored Words, when written ,become eternal, etched onto paper forever, Words evoke a million emotions, give power to our imaginations Words shape into stories, they help preserve timeless memories Words are wicked too, designed to cut deep, leave behind aching wounds Words are slippery, quick to fall off , leaving behind an indelible trace Words can be soothing, words can be scathing Words are just the tools to turn into a story of your making Girl in a daze

Confused eyes stare at me, seeking comfort , seeking clarity A little jerk of the head, a slight tremor in the hands, invoking pity A thousand different thoughts run wild in my head, as the eyes stare in vain The person in front of me struggles to say something, all I could see are the eyes full of pain The eyes seem to cloud, choked words come out , a faint cry "Help me" I stare on helpless, the eyes call out to me , tthe eyes are all that I could see I reach my hand out, heart beating furiously, a lone tear falls away from my palm My head seems to spin, my breathing gets heavier, yet I keep looking on The eyes suddenly seem to clear, a faint smile appears, I strain to hear the light murmur I let out a loud gasp, my hand finds something solid, in front of me is a mirror.. Nivedita D