Jojo

Grand parents are special people in any child’s life. There is an extraordinary connection between a grandparent and a grandchild that is not there is any other relationship. I have never really had the privilege of knowing any of my actual grandparents, they kicked the bucket quite early in life so I hear.

My father had some sort of uncle, am not sure how exactly he was related to my father because I never bothered to find out, was a cousin or actual brother of my paternal grandmother I presume, but like I said I did not bother finding out. He was the only grand father figure in my life, a pseudo grandfather if you may. That is our Jojo. We first made acquaintance when I was 8 years old, my parents had recently separated and he came to take care of us, let me not get into details here. Jojo never married and it would not be wrong to say that he pretty much devoted his life to his “grandchildren”

The grandchildren grew up and moved away from home, we had jobs you see. I go home maybe five times in a year on an average and sometimes when it takes my fancy I go and pay him a visit. Jojo housed with my cousins some five minutes walk away, he had lost his mobility by then.

This year I have gone home frequently, and kept meaning to go and see him . Every time I was home I asked father how Jojo was doing and tell him I was going to pay him a visit the next time I was home. This week I went home again and I wasn’t even thinking of Jojo, I had some other work, Jojo next time. Well what do I Learn? That there is never going to be a next time, Jojo had passed away just two weeks ago and they had already cremated him. No one found it necessary to tell us. I did not ask why they could not have picked up the phone and tell me. So much for my next time. Well it was pure pleasure to have known you JoJo. untill we meet again.

Metamorphosis

How many of you reading this believe in love at first sight? (If you do I would advise you not to read further) Do you know why people find it so difficult to fall in love? It is difficult to fall in love because; love is a situation where everything has to be picture perfect. The circumstance, the person, the chemistry, the personality and the list goes on depending on your taste. If that list of requisition is short, well and good, you will fall in love that much faster but if you have a long list then God help you, it will take nothing less than cupid working solely on you for at least a couple of years to make you fall in love.

How many of you have seen someone easy on the eye and declared to the first person willing to listen that you are in love? My dear friends let me tell you, that is not love but mere infatuation, so that makes it infatuation at first sight. Now if by high chance of coincidence your object of affection (for that moment) happens to live within a reasonable location and is still unattached you have the first component of love right, otherwise it is yet another unfinished story.

Then comes the more difficult part, the personality, what if the person you think is the one you have been waiting for all your life, is nothing but an empty headed, vain, can’t put two sentence together kind of person? You would not go and fall in love with such a person, would you? If you do, then in a few years time you will be yet another divorce statistics.

There is no such thing as the perfect person or perfect chemistry, the person sharing your office cabin, or the person you have known for ages could be your perfect person given the perfect situation and of course your free will. After all it is with a reason that people say “very few live to experience love as it should be experienced”

The Gift of Life

Human beings are funny animals, those who have it all have nothing to share and those who have nothing have everything to spare. There are people who move in imported cars, wear the latest designer brand, tort all over the globe and eat a variety of cuisine that some people can’t even pronounce. They have a life that seems almost too perfect, a life for which most people would sell their soul to the devil…actually on second thought, maybe that is how people get rich, it’s kind of difficult to find a richie rich with a soul…..These are the people who make up that part of the community who think giving a few ngultrums to a beggar will encourage begging. They will think a hundred times before smiling and a couple of thousand times before talking to someone not really in their league. Can’t really blame them for the way they think or the way they operate, that is what life has taught them, “not to trust people”. They have no time to share a game of ball with their kids, too bad since later in life these same kids have no time for their parents, its payback time after all.

Then there is another class of people who are so bent on striking it rich that they forget to live their life. There is no room for love, laughter and happiness, all that will come when they earn all the money they want, but by that time they have that money their life is halfway through. If they see a rose they would rather cut and sell it then take pleasure in its fragrance and beauty. So sad, because no matter what people say there is something called destiny and you will never make it if you are not meant to.

Well again there is another category of these strange animals called human beings. These are the people who won’t think beyond this day, this moment and this time. They will give you their all and not want anything in return and as abruptly as they have entered your life, will leave you too ….a rather rare species…but when you meet one of their kind, you thank your lucky star and hang on to the gift of their time. Don’t expect too much and don’t blame anyone when they leave you, after all they have to spread that sunshine to some one needier than you.

For My Father With All My Love

I guess its time to sing tribute to those unsung heros, the heros who taught us how to battle and win against life, the heros who gave us so much and never expected anything in return, the heros called FATHERS

Dear Father,

I don’t know how you felt when you first held me in your arms, a pink faced, wrinkled mass crying its lungs out, but I know you have loved me ever since.

I remember riding your strong, broad shoulders the winds in my hair during our walks together. I remember the dark stormy nights of summer when the rain splashed outside, the thunders raging furiously, the lightening flashing, you would tell me “Don’t worry precious the sky is just in the mood for some merriment.” I believed you then and till date whenever a storm rages I remember your words and smile.

You have taught me to take life one step at a time and to face whatever it offers with open arms. Most importantly you taught me that nothing can hurt me if I don’t let it affect me and if today I am a stronger person you must take credit for it and if I am not it’s not your fault.

There were times when things became difficult and I would cry my heart out, never ashamed to let people see my tears because you have told me that tears are not signs of weakness. You have always protected me from the harsh realities of life but also let me grow as my own person. When I was younger I would come home from school with torn uniforms and skinned knees yet you would never question me. You trusted me to do the right thing and still do.

You could never stop praising me, about how I was the brightest, the smartest and the loveliest at 13 that made me feel like I was the greatest creation of God, you still continue saying that but today with the wisdom that you have passed on to me I know I am no such thing, I am just your child and that is the best gift ever.

People say God could not be with every one so he created mothers but I think they are wrong, he created fathers too.

I am a grown person now but in your presence I still feel like that little child who could not wait to grow up. I just want to thank you for your unconditional love and your unquestioning trust, for all the beautiful moments you have given me but mostly for being my father and my best friend. Dad You Are My Hero.

Love You Always

The Power of Dreams

Dreams…where does it begin and end? Since the first moment consciousness take root the wondrous journey of dreams begin. These are the small things that make every hard step in life an easier one. What would we be without the wings of dream to keep us afloat? We are often told to get our head out of the clouds and to face reality, but has that ever stopped us from dreaming about impossible things? Every time we fall face down, we get up and try harder.

Sometimes we dream about being a singer and sometimes about painting masterpieces. The fact that we do not have the requisite voice or the talent does not matter, while the dream last we are indeed the singer and the painter. Our dreams allow us to paint life in our own shades and sing it to our choice. At times things go wrong and the shade is either not to our taste or the song totally out of tune but that is not the end of it. As these dreams perish others take the place of those that have failed.

Each day is a canvas for a new dream; it is for us to paint it vividly and every moment a song to be sung beautifully. To keep clutching on things that could have been, is missing out on what can be. If you don’t want to miss on what life has to offer keep on walking don’t ever pause and look back. Keep those dreams alive and believe you have it in you to make them come true.

Darkness

The pale pink blossom wavered afar,

As the gentle breeze blew so sweetly,

The unseen birds chirped out of sight,

As the mighty grayish great of the heavens,

Waited patiently for the grand darkness,

The darkness not stained by fear or sadness,

That which is filled with clam peace,

Amid the struggle of the dangerous deceitful light

Angels

I have a smile for every moment,

A reason to laugh away my woes,

I can catch the sun in my eyes,

I can hold the rain in my hands,

Joy blossoms bountifully at my feet,

The mighty darkness is but my slave,

I have been blessed with something mythical,

Something found at the end of the rainbow,

I call them God’s beloved children,

These angels who have touched my being