Sunday, July 21, 2013

A KALEIDOSCOPE CALLED 'LIFE'

It was just another afternoon. My maid was finishing up her chores.

She is a strong woman, worked all her life,
struggled to make a living, to make ends meet,
2 sons and a daughter, her husband a alchoholic,
Every single morning, with a smile she does greet.


I was going to visit my mother's place. I step out of my house and walk down to catch an auto rickshaw. As always I cross the market, busy as always, to get to the main road.
The place is buzzing with activity, sellers, buyers bargaining, moms dragging kids and their shopping, kids returning from school, cyclists and much more. But one person stands out in all this chaos.

Sitting on a gunny bag, a scrawny old woman,
Selling sad looking lemons, very few I must say,
Munching a little something, trying to sell her wares,
Trying to make a living, braving the sun everyday.


I then get into the auto rickshaw, the regular chap. He chats as we move along.

He is so cheerful, and works very hard,
About cost of educating kids he talks, and petrol prices,
He had two kids, lost one to the tsunami,
We have to get past the past, whatever the crisis.


I stop by at the tailor's shop. It is a small one room shop with 2 people on sewing machines on one side, a table on the other, one sits on the floor stitching buttons. I talk to my tailor who stands by the table, cutting material.

Here is a man, old enough to be my grandfather,
Is compelled to work at this age, not a day of rest,
He has no vision in one eye, the other is a blur,
He smiles at me as I leave, I feel a knot in my chest.


We stop at a signal. A little boy approaches me with some coloring books and begs me to buy a few.

He runs and stops cars, and pleads to sell his wares,
A small little boy, he is no more than ten,
My heart goes out to him, I buy a few from him,
He ought to be in school, not standing in the sun.


As I reach home I see my grandfather sitting in the living room, reading...as always. My grandmother hobbles in and asks me the same question she asks me every single time i visit...what will you eat?

I see my grandfather, he battled cancer at 75,
A surgery he had, chemo and radiation he survived,
he is now 85 and earning, a self employed consultant,
Been married for 62 years, on strength of family he thrived.


My husband calls, to ask if i reached safely.

He works in IT, they dont have office hours,
He is stuck his laptop, it does not matter night or day,
Strives to succeed, to keep his family happy,
he is a self made man, what else do I say.


Life's lessons are numerous. Some we see, some we see through others eyes. I look around and see different people and their lives, like a kaleidoscope the colours are similar but patterns different, everytime it turns around.

I learnt to appreciate what I have,
I learnt not to take things for granted,
I learnt to take life as it comes,
I learnt to thank god for my health and happiness,
I learnt to empathise, to be productive and to spread happiness,
I learnt to live.

I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.

This post is the winner of a contest :)

49 comments:

  1. Prrethi it is wonderful writing...you have summed up the biggest of life lessons wonderfully.
    All the best for competiton, you deserve an appriciation.

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    1. thank you so much sugandha for your kind words :) they are really encouraging :) I started blogging recently and this is the first competition i have entered...thank you once again :)

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  2. This is indeed lovely. All the best for the contest.

    Heena
    icynosure.blogspot.in

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  3. Such a beautiful way of seeing life!! I hope that many more people read this blog :)

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  4. Preethi, one of the best posts that I have read recently. Yes, life in its varied colors offers a lot of lessons for us and ultimately teaches us to be thankful for everything that we have in life. If you find time do download the PDF file "The truth about life of this world". One song I always enjoy "zindagi kaisi thi paehli haaye, kabhi ye hasaaye, kabhi ye rulaaye".

    Good post and best of luck for the contest.

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    1. thank you very much sir, i appreciate you taking time to read and comment on my post, i have download the book you suggested. just read the introduction part so far. loved the words "It is a short and deceptive life in which worldly desires seem fascinating and full of promise, but the truth is otherwise"...so beautifully said is also how true faith is not only belief but complete trust. thank you once again :)

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  5. Lovely as always, Preethi! Good luck for the contest!

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  6. I am speechless akka..Proud of you :)

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  7. Excellent matter.. Simple yet so meaningful…and we need not go around finding the people in the content who just surround our everyday LIFE…Each One Has A Unique Life…..Hence we never can or never should compare our lives with others…..All have a share of happiness and sorrow…. As correctly stated, we must learn to appreciate and take life as it comes and Not forget to Thank God for all the good he has showered on us!!!! Wish You Luck Chechi…!

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    1. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts :)

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  8. Simple and colorful things we see in everyday life... and so well observed and so well learnt :) You are definitely gonna win it for sure..Best wishes and keep writing!!

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  9. Great writing ma'am! Being thankful for everything in our lives does put things in a better perspective. Your writing was like as if someone is piercing he veil from my eyes.

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    1. thank you subashini :) thanks for reading :)

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  10. Very well written. More people should actually see people around and appreciate how lucky they are in their lives.... and strive to make it better by taking the best out of others.

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    1. Thankyou :) thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts :)

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  11. very well written and congrats. you deserve it.

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  12. Nice to read your post. Many lessons neatly presented on a platter! Congrats for your win!

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  13. Life's little and everyday lessons..very neatly and elegantly put...A well-deserved win..Congratulations!

    First time around..Following you.

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  14. Very well written... loved it...!! It gives a lesson from every inch of life...
    Much deserving!!

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  15. A very beautiful presentation! Rightly deserved!

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  16. Hi preethi.. Just now read this article. Came to know you won the competition.. You actually deserve it..

    Below this is my blog.. Just started 1 week before.. Let me hear from the recent winner how it is..

    http://journeywithbarani.info/myblog

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    1. thank you very much :) am much as i am a recent winner..i am an amateur too..my blog is just a few months old :). i did take a look at your site. you are doing great :) all the best to you :)

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  17. Beautiful post...How optimistic it is indeed. Loved your thought.

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  18. simplicity in your writing is very unique and rare! I really liked this post!

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  19. Beautiful post! Liked the style :)

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  20. Simply superb! You truly deserve the award!!

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  21. Very beautiful post! A pat on your back, Preethi. I also participated in the contest. But I feel, YOU ARE THE BEST - you deserved this.

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  22. Very nice insted I would say Wow, nice sum up of ordinary people into inspiring one specially with the rhythm, the point at I loved it most:
    Here is a man, old enough to be my grandfather,
    Is compelled to work at this age, not a day of rest,
    He has no vision in one eye, the other is a blur,
    He smiles at me as I leave, I feel a knot in my chest.

    Congratulations for BlogAdda wining post.

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  23. Congratulations for winning the contest. Well deserved..

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  24. Wonderful post... loved every bit of it.. deserve to be a winner.. congrats..:)

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  25. Really a nice way of expressing things, from a kaladoscopic view, excellent preethi.

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