Strive in Strife

A castle of expectations, 
a tower of anticipation,
built on a mound of confidence, 
in meticulously laid plans.

A shift in winds,
triggers a thunderstorm,
that swiftly destroys it all.
Exposing the fragility of the assumptions,
binding us to the reality that,
expectations inevitably lead to disappointment.

It is not the first of storms,
nor will it be the last of disruptions.
Yet we plan again and fail again,
striving to account for the unknown.
Life is but a pursuit of the unattainable! 

She strides on..

Age doesn’t dull her enthusiasm,

Rules don’t break her resolve,

Hardships don’t impede her generosity,

A guide exemplar and achiever in her own right.

Interpreting the thoughts hidden in the paintings,

Deciphering the language in the sculptures, 

She pushes to educate her group about artists long gone,

Never second guessing or pausing, she strides on,

The survivor in her shines bright.

Determined to convey the essence of Firenze,

Ignoring the costs to herself, she lets her generous spirit take over,

Sending us atop the Piazzale Michelangelo to gain perspective, 

She ensured we saw the city and also its people 

in glowing light.

Note: This is an ode to a passionate guide who gave us her own bus tickets, so we could go to Piazzale Michelangelo in time.

Public Transport Therapy

I walk to the station, passing by 
Pretty canals and daffodils,
Cobbled streets and cyclists, 
Facades from a different era,
Concealing the modern interiors,
The sights and sounds occupy my mind.

I wait for the tram, 
Breathing in the cold air,
Watching a happy puppy playing,
Observing friends chatting and riding,
Marveling at the beautiful shop fronts,
The detail strikes me when I hit pause.

I climb onto the tram,
Thrilled to be in the warmth,
I chat with a fellow passenger,
Learning about them,
Sharing life experiences and world views,
Trading unfiltered thoughts encouraged by anonymity,
Interacting without any agenda truly brings out the best in people.

I say goodbye and get off the tram,
Not caged in the bubble of my views anymore,
Armed with more perspective,
And enlivened by the world around me.

Engulfed by towering mountains that,

Dwarf all things manmade,

Command undivided attention,

Captivate the senses,

Obliterate distraction, 

I watch with rapt attention,

As the clouds descend on the peak,

Blurring the boundary between dreams and reality, 

Overpowered by the fountain of optimism,

I enjoy the moment where everything seems possible.

Overwhelmed by the beauty and the height, 

Certainly it is a meditation in its own right.. 

Power loss or gain?

The electricity is gone..

No computer screens beckoning us to do more work,

No cellphones beeping to guilt trip us into responding,

No Netflix series to encroach on our time,

No distractions from household chores,

Wrapped in warm blankets,

In a room lit by candles ,

We enjoy the hot soup in our bowls, 

Engrossed in deep conversation,

Oblivious to the raging storm and plummeting temperatures, 

Ignoring the beeping sump pump warning us of potential flooding, 

The simple joy of living in the moment is unmatched!

I wonder why we choose,

the abundance of distractions and worries,

And the scarcity of undivided attention, 

To satisfy the phantom fear of missing out. 

Diamonds are forever

Burning the midnight oil,
To perfect assignments ,
Pushing the boundaries,
To finish ultra marathons,
Breaking out of comfort zones,
To embrace the unknown ,
Believing, toiling  and constantly perfecting, 
To make dreams a reality,
Shaped and etched by the relentless pursuit,
You unraveled  the diamond that lay within..

With time 
Dreams may have changed ,
Challenges may have evolved ,
But no problem will remain unresolved,
Since your spirit and perseverance remain unchanged,
After all diamonds are forever .. 

A jingle you love from childhood,
A song you hummed in college,
A photograph capturing moments gone,
A note from an old friend,
Brings to life a snippet of your younger self,
In a time and space disconnected from the present. 

An engaging book which draws you into its universe, 
A work of art which resonates with your philosophy, 
A well etched sitcom which extends your reality, 

A speech that motivates your choices,

Expose the mental space you share with the artists and orators,
Far flung across the universe,

Never once encumbered by the absence of physical contact

Why do we then

Emphasize the physical boundaries,

Divide people on the basis of geography,

Oblivious to their ideas and philosophy, 

And expect that a shared physical space 

must translate to a shared mental space?