memoirs of a homemaker

Thursday, December 8, 2011

IF....

One little duckie

Following her mom

Five little duckies

Following their mom

Wandering and wobbling

On the muddy ground.

Seeing them hanging around

Mary cries in the rain

Wish she too had a mom

To follow around.

For - Bluebell Books - Short Story Slam week 16

EACH DAY, PART OF A BIG PICTURE.

I created a lot of ruckus when I wasn’t able to register for the Mumbai Marathon of January 2012.

After coming back from my Diwali vacation, I started to look into their official website more closely. Somehow waiting for more than 14 months for the next marathon was not on my agenda. There has to be a way, I thought and there was! One could get registered for the marathon by donating for a cause to any of the NGO’s listed on their website. Here, was my chance. I clicked on the first name on the list…the charity bib status was “Sold Out” in red letters. Shit! I clicked on the next, and next and next….they have more than 213 organizations registered, wasn’t even one available? Just as I was losing hope, there was “Available” written in green. Yes! Actually, I did not mind as to which NGO I would donate as long as I got my bib. But, when I saw the name of the organization, I couldn’t help but, smile. God never ceases to amaze me. It was the “Epilepsy Foundation”….my son was an epileptic as a child!!

He was barely 6 months old, lying and playing on the cot. He started crying for no apparent reason. I lifted him up and tried to calm him, when his eyes rolled back and so did his head. ?? I just shook him. And, he was ok, just like that…! He seemed a bit tired and he slept. I thought this was one such incident and did not mention it to anyone.

This happened again after a month. My friend was with me that day and she freaked out more than I. We did take him to the Paediatrist. Nothing could be established, but the doctor told me to bring him immediately if the episode recurred.

Three months later, now 9 month old, when the crying began whilst he was playing. His dad picked him up and laid him down on his lap. First the twitching, then the jerks and a full blown seizure to the left side of his body. All I can remember now is that I picked him up and ran to the doctor’s clinic which was just across the street. I could feel my baby go limp in my arms. He was semi-conscious.

Series of tests began. My baby looked so vulnerable and tiny. The CT scan machine seemed to swallow him up. Wired to the EEG monitor with so many electrodes coming out of his head, the scene was surreal to experience.

There can be many reasons for a child to be an epileptic. Even insignificant things like worms in the intestine, teething, which is a natural process and of course a fall, high fever …anything can cause a seizure. But, fortunately he did not have any attacks while on medication.

His medication was stopped after 3 years. And then, a relapse! One night he just did not sleep, he was disoriented and lost. There was a blank look in his eyes and he failed to recognize me! That was an “Aura” of an epileptic seizure. Now, he had to take medicines for 5 more years.

He started school, and when he was introduced to writing; he used to write with both hands, sometimes right and sometimes left. I thought he was ambidextrous. But, I failed to recognize it as his confusion; it was an indication that he was dyslexic. This was limited to his academics only. It became more pronounced as he got to higher classes. He was also a borderline ADHD – attention deficit hyperactive disorder. He was fidgety, lacked concentration, could not sit at a place and always hurt himself. The doctors denied any association between epilepsy and his learning problem.

Today, almost four years since the discontinuation of the medication, he is fine. No ADHD at all. His learning capabilities have improved a lot. Academically, he is poor but, there is more to life than academics. He is healthy, that is all that matters.

HE has a way of connecting the dots or placing the pieces of the puzzle in such a way that the big picture becomes visible only when the last dot or the piece connects. I, donating to the Epilepsy Foundation became the Big Picture. It makes complete sense now.

P.S. – I have signed up for the marathon, awaiting confirmation.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

MALICE.

The deceptive

Smile, cannot hide the

Malice in words.

For - Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Theme - Malice

WAR WITH ALIENS.

The UFO landed with a thud

Flashing and blazing lights

Ultrasonic sounds,

Scaring the creatures of the night.

Ultraviolet rays,

Cast everywhere in the quiet,

Unbidden they entered

Unbeknownst to us Earthlings.

Unbounded they went about

Uncontrolled in their romping.

This uncanny and uncouth behaviour

Uncalled for....

They needed some underhand tactics

For underrating us.

US forces heavily understaffed

(still majority languishing in the middle east)

A few troops were sent

To undertake the task of unleashing

Attack on these Aliens.

The Aliens, unsuspecting, were taken aback

By this untimely attack on them.

They were uprooted unsparingly

And the troop triumphed-

Uproariously!

For - ABC Wednesday : U
dverse Poets - OpenLinkNight- Week-21

Monday, December 5, 2011

THE PAINS I TAKE TO WRITE.

“You are writing only poems these days, which I don’t understand, write a blog for me, mom.”…my daughter’s complaint and plea. So, this is for her.

I find writing a poem more challenging, as we have to say so much in such a few words. And, when I get the poetry prompts from various groups I have subscribed to, I am possessed! I don’t want to just test the waters but, want to stretch my limit. Can I pull this off? Is my question every time I am faced with a challenge (of the writing type) and I usually do.,J

I have a confession to make. I do not understand the technicalities of writing a poem….nothing, nada. This after majoring in English Literature! Let me be more honest in admitting (sheepishly) I do not remember even a single poem from the world’s best poets I have read or even a line from any of the Shakespearean plays. To top it all, we had H.D. Thoreau’s “Walden”, a book revered by many writers, in our final year B.A. and I did not attend even a single class of it. The professor assigned to teach us “Walden”, used to smother us to sleep. Only the few who dared to attend were insomniacs (I now understand, why).

Recently, a Hindi movie was released, Rockstar…it was a rocking movie. Well, the hero, a singer and a big fan of Jim Morrison, fails to shine as he lacks attitude. There is a scene where he is sharing this with the canteen manager of his college. The canteen manager says, “All the creative people who have been successful have one thing in common, PAIN. Their best creativity arises when they are in pain.”

So, what has this got to do with my writing a blog? Well, I have written 4 poems and writing this one and I am in pain! Yesterday, I ran a distance of 10km and today, I could barely make 5km and my legs are screaming in pain! And so I am inspired to write…and I can’t bloody sleep.

Last ‘time’ I checked, it was 3 am and ticking…still no sign of sleep! Are we writers, creatures of the night? Nocturnal?

Pain+ insomnia = inspiration…This is my formula. Figure your formula while I toss and turn to catch some sleep.

MOMENTOUS MOMENT.

Can you hear the trumpets?

Can you hear the music?

Or the bells ringing?

Can you see the stars in daylight?

Can you see the world painted red?

Do you see yourself glow?

Do you catch yourself smiling for no reason?

Do you keep humming a song?

Or talk non-stop for no reason?

Spend ions looking at your reflection?

Do you have a beat in your feet?

A song you repeat?

Do you search for some signs?

Or wait for him to say a few lines?

Do you keep talking to yourself?

Isn’t falling in love, crazy?

Making you act a bit tipsy

Head giddy, palms sweaty?

A momentous moment

This Event…

Falling in love the first time!

For - Theme Thursday - Event.

Poetry Picnic Week 16.

PUSSY CAT.

{This is the cat which visits me every couple of hours of a day for some love and also for a bowl of milk....well, mostly for a bowl of milk. Cats!!}

Pussy cat, Pussy cat

She grows big

Pussy cat, Pussy cat

She needs milk

One bowl now &

One bowl then

Until there’s nothing left

For other’s to drink!!!

For - The Purple Treehouse Funny Bunny Fridays.

AT THE LUNCH TABLE.

Look at the spread

On the table

Complete with fruits

And vegetable

Arranged aesthetically

Beckons us invitingly

We all gather

And say a prayer

As I believe

“A family which eats together,

Will always stay together”

Is my theory.

For - Mag 94

Sunday, December 4, 2011

INCREDIBLE INDIA - A PEEK - BIMBETKA, A WORLD HERITAGE SITE.

How would you feel if you were standing at a place which was the cradle of civilization?

Indus Valley Civilization is considered to be one of the earliest civilizations in South Asia (3300-1700 B C) but, little is known about Bimbetka which dates back to 9000-7000 B C. Some of these shelters were inhibited by man even before 100,000 years. It is believed that this place was once submerged in water and we can see some rocks rising above to more than 500 meters from the ground level.

Bimbetka means “sitting place of Bhima” – Bhima, one of the Pandavas, of the epic Mahabharata was believed to have sat in meditation on these rocks.

This place is known for the cave paintings...pictures below.

Isn’t it awesome! In the heart of India? I visited this place two years back and felt proud of the rich heritage we are blessed with. I left this place richer.

More information is available on Google and Bimbetka - A Dive Into The Stone Age