We spread our arms to receive blessings from the Universe, and thunder strikes. It is only an announcement that God’s bounty or forgiveness will not take us anywhere towards Nirvana. We were created imperfect with a mission to achieve near perfection, and it is a rocky road with no shortcuts. The self-appointed agencies of God have … Continue reading Malleable
Welcome to a night of celebrations, whether you are Trick-or-Treating or Diwali meeting-and-eating! Diwali always falls on a New Moon night, and people light lamps and burst crackers to obliterate the darkness. It also celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, gods over demons and so on. On Halloween (as far as … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #354
Welcome back! PROMPT #353 We have an image prompt this week. Source: Pixabay Description of the image: The sun is shining with the word TRUTH emblazoned on it. Down here, a man walks with a lantern and an umbrella printed with the word UN-BELIEF. His shadow falls on the ground ahead. The format of the … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #353
The devil shrieks, “She’s up again”, and I rise from bed with a spring in my step. It is a story I tell myself to keep morale up for a challenging day. I’m known as a tease, a temptress, a shrew, and a manipulator as I juggle several hats to keep the show going. I … Continue reading Trap
In childhood, our teachers processed the world for us. We believed the picture they created for us. To some extent, they also shaped our goals. Then, influence gets granular. Bosses, peers, gurus, media, and literature influence our self-image and how we view the world. We pat our backs fulfilling someone else’s expectations; we flagellate ourselves … Continue reading Nirvana
Welcome back! The mood was retro last week, but the present keeps pulling us back. PROMPT #352 Once again, we have a line prompt. "Halloween is still days away, but horror rides unmasked on the streets." The format of the piece is not restricted, and there is no last date either unless you wish to … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #352
“Is this a house?” “It looks like an old-fashioned inn we read about in story books”. “It's not inspiring enough for me to get in,” Ted said, turning his face away with an upturned nose. So we walked on, the anticipation of finding a place that would satisfy Ted’s taste and my rumbling stomach keeping … Continue reading On a hungry stomach
The knife's metal blade catches threads of light to gleam as the sweetness of the fruit lingers on my tongue. It takes a knife and sharp teeth to extract sweetness from a well-bred fruit. The book taught me horticultural tricks but not the art of enjoying the fruit of my labour. I learnt it from the hard knocks … Continue reading Changing Gear
I met him after two decades, seated behind the counter at the Mom-and-Pop store, getting things packed for the delivery boys. I recall his arrogance as the concurrent auditor (he was related to the promoters) in the bank branch where I worked and the life-changing moment when he exclaimed, both condescendingly and lecherously, “She’s not my … Continue reading Presumptuous
Welcome back! PROMPT #351 We haven't done a collage for quite some time, so I'll let it rule this week. Do the images evoke something in you? Is there a story or memoir that connects with this? Can you choose one word for the theme or spirit of this collage and use it in your … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #351
Creative Experiments and More 