I see a fleeting shadow in the corridor, but there’s no one there. I get back to work, but those sounds of criticism reverberate in the room, and I feel tempted to scream with tight fists. There is someone who brings out the worst part of me – in retaliation, in self-defence, in expression of … Continue reading Devil’s Abode
I reprimand someone for carelessly unmuting themselves during an online training session. Deep down, I’m grateful for the sounds of music that streamed in, altering our states of consciousness. Frowns in open windows change to smiles, but disappear as quick as the sun between heavy showers. He switches on the camera to apologise and I … Continue reading Work-Life
I learnt to decipher what’s happening in my body with the help of emotional intelligence. I’m not sure if I’ve learnt to manage those, as I sink deeper into an emotional abyss every day. Anger and pain dominate. No one needs me in the sunset years of life. We have set up household gadgets to … Continue reading The Lone Leaf
I recall living in a house with a sloping roof. Getting it cleaned was difficult. It turned out that a Dutch architect had designed the homes and provided for the melting of snow. Snow is unheard of on the Indian plains. What we need here is more housing to accommodate the burgeoning population, and they … Continue reading Needs Analysis
“Should you buy the white?” A headline on my screen sets me thinking. It alludes to bullion prices, where silver appears to be riding on the gold wave. But I am transported to another zone. In my late years, should I settle for the neutrality of white as against the dense wisdom of black? Is … Continue reading Buying the White
It is the season to lie low and enjoy a hot beverage with fritters, get romantic under an umbrella at a picnic spot, or sing on a swing under the trees. It is a reason to read and write poetry, as the showers from heaven wash away past seasons and renew the Earth’s soul. The … Continue reading Why complain?
I look inwards to see the baby up there, whom I miss so much. Then, I see two naughty pups watching my next move and think maybe she is already back with me. limited visionHow do I know if a soul rests in peace, is contemplating her return to the world in a fresh reincarnation, … Continue reading In Memoriam
Déjà vu strikes as I see the old man on my first visit to the city. I’m sure we’ve never met before, but he has been there forever in my fears of the future, in my tragic stories and in the history of pavements. I avert my eyes --till they catch sight of his tiny … Continue reading Deja Vu or Veja Du – a Braided Haibun
I miss Mom more than ever as I walk through Sakura-laden sidewalks. The extended cherry blossom season has brought in a fresh wave of tourists, and visitors in outfits from different countries liven up the landscape further. I stopped to see a girl child in a wheelchair. Her expression sharply contrasted with her mother’s morose … Continue reading Cheer
I always landed jobs through the entrance test/interview route and prided myself on being chosen on merit, till someone told me that’s not the right way to get selected. Good candidates are those referred by one or more executives because it shows that people in the industry think well of you. I stood for organisational … Continue reading Fated Encounters
Creative Experiments and More 