Life goes on
With its pressures
Its frights
Its helplessness
Its threats
And discomforts

But your faith in goodness
Shows its true colors too
And at the brink of
Getting destroyed once again
You get to grab
The extended hand
Which
Hauls you up from the crevice

Promising to nudge you on to
Wide roads
Once again ,make you trudge on the lane to your destination!

Laugh, for you know not
When tears will fall
Laugh, for after summer
You’ll fall.

Fall is the perfect season
with enough sunshine
leaves dropping down
trees changing colors
changes in our lives
with the elections
coming
with approaching winter
please O God
make it "changes for the good..."

Spring is here
This time we are witnessing
Blossoms from our windows
Shops are the same
But we are ordering online
No full parking lots
No crowded aisles
No rushing to your offices
No rushing cars on the
Three lanes of highways

Only places crowded
Are the hospitals
And the mortuaries
God has painted a very bleak
Very heart wrenching picture of planet Earth

Still, mankind is clapping
And singing, and jiving
In homes, cheering on life
‘Cause life still exists
And God is watching how
We are still keeping our lamps lighted!

I play classical Indian music on my speaker
At dusk when I am
Done with my chores
And am taking some rest...

That spreads harmony
Throughout the house.

Likewise, listening to chantings
And the story of God
At the weekends
When you are done with work
Spreads harmony in your soul...

Promote harmony.

When grave things
Get me wondering
When sad things
Get me down
I know it is better
To smile them off
Than it is to frown

Coz I find a way out
When I smile
When I hold back tears
They can't make me drown

So let us keep smiling
Let the sunshine shine on
Cheering up
The whole town!

Today is a different creative day
The tv is on, hubby is teaching downstairs
The day has already rolled into night
And I am in between reading a novel
And a book on art
The times are becoming full of hope again
Goodness won the elections
There are chances of a vaccine
For the pandemic getting distributed soon
But evil is taking its time to exit
And is opposing God
Winter is approaching
Festivities are on the close horizon
Let us pray
For the floods and the fires to succumb to Hope!

Sometimes I call it a roller coaster
Sometimes the changing weather
Sometimes I feel heavy as a log
Sometimes as light as a feather!

Now life is at a juncture where
Things seem upwardly lifted
Now is a time when my
        Low,depressed perspective,
Has radically shifted!

I am happy as a lark...

Life has been
This roller coaster lately...

Frenemies sharpening their knives
And friends lending their shoulders.

One night it is this
Grand dinner with ground turkey
The next night
It is with bitter gourd...

Getting boundless love
From all quarters
And then getting hurt
From some corner...

Always remember
That this is enriching,
A process of never ending growing up,
Of evolving...

Embrace love
Embrace hate, as well.
Every time you do so
You grow into
More of a human being!

Had Lindt chocolate the other day
And pistachio ice cream the day before
With my family.

The little children
At the impoverished crèche  in Kolkata
For which we chip in
Were too far off
For me to share it with them too...

They would have loved it!

So I resolved
To treat them to chocolate
When I visit them in winter...

But how do I get them Lindt?

The way to move forward
Is to accept love when in pain
Nowadays, pain comes cheap,
Hurt comes easy,
Light seems rare.
Get love
And conquer pain.
Light up the world,
It is waiting!

Shakespeare-in-the-Park.
Troilus and Cressida.

A tale unfolded
Before our eyes
Which proclaimed
The power of true love
And told of two innocent souls
Which yearned for one another.

And of war
Of disaster
Of loss
Both going hand in hand.

Love overcomes.
But war makes everyone
Overcome with anguish...

Victory and tears
Is that God's design?

Days are
Bright and hot
The nights
Cool and breezy.
Conducive
To dreams...

City is
Witness to
Helplessness and poverty
Prone to
Gun violence and craziness
Conducive
To action

Let us live the world
Embracing both.
Make it wholesome.

Yesterday evening
watched Tango at
Pier 45
went to the Bleeker St.
Pizzeria
Went to Manhattan
after a long time
Feeling joyful
Feeling relaxed
Experiences
Danceful!

The painting thing
Did not happen
And I was in tears...

Life goes on
You have to try harder...

Have not been able to
Resume my biking lessons
After the fall
And I am feeling bad about it...

Life goes on
You have to try harder...

The days are so beautiful
You simply have to smile
And think of the good things
That are also happening...

You have to smile
And acknowledge
That God is working full time...

And keep moving on!

Stone facade houses
And buildings
In a forest
House my son now
And tell him their story
In whispers.
He listens, as he always does!

Season of renewals is here

Life is closing worn out chapters
Opening new ones

Season of soft sunlight is here

Life is seeping in life giving elixir
Breathing in dew wet new Suns...

It is a nice day
In winter
It has snowed
And there is sunlight
Shining on it
My home is
Looking bright
And cosy
And I am feeling
Proud of it
Am chatting
With my son
Who is at college
And with my hubby
Who is out at work
And I am thinking
Of my love
A full day
A full life
God's grace.

Nothing hollow
Haloed days
Greenery outside
My son's happy ways...
Cookin, eating,
In grand ways
Summer is here
Golden days!
Agendas, routines,
Resolutions, pride,
Completeness.
He is watching always!

Have to face
Ups and downs
Smiles and frowns
Lectures and jokes
Different strokes

Sometimes I answer back
Sometimes get angry
Sometimes just sit quiet and tight
Sometimes get hungry

Life seems like a battle
Lots of effort needed
But it also looks like a flower garden
Blooming if seeded...

We have moved
To a new home
And I am so happy!

There is more space
And my son
Is revelling in it!

There is more sunlight
And my husband
Is soaking it in!

And me?
I am just planning
To bring in
A lot of

Green indoor plants
Water them
Put them on the
Patio
And in my
Living room

And make them
Thrive!

Our tickets have been bought
For a Europe tour.
I am dreaming and imagining
Imagining and dreaming!
I am that excited.

But then
Paris and Nice and Munich
Come to remind me
That I have to carry the flag
To urge.

No more ruthlessness
No more unmercifulness.

Would people notice and read
My flag?

Would our tickets
Lead us on into the
Kingdom of light, one day?

Today mom is in pain
It feels like my own.

I cry and fret
But she is far away...

When I talk to her
She is happy for my advancements
And prays for
Her grandson's wellbeing...

I yearn
To run to her
Alleviate

And want her to lean
On me again...

Christmas is close by
We are going to celebrate in India
Without the snow
Happy and sad
Missing friends
Reunite with family
US is now home
Where I have stayed
For thirty years
And my home in India
Had my company for twenty six
O Lord
May both my homes
Prosper!

These are times
When things are unjust
These are times
When speaking up is a must
These are times when
You have to seek people who are just
These are times when
Parents have to
Hold on tight to their kids
Lest they lose them
Times when the health of the country is not robust
Remember that you have to protest
Remember that fairness must come first...

It rained heavy the last
few days
I love watching rain
the trees get washed
and so does the concrete
Everything glistens
getting wet is a joy!
Being out on the streets
in a car feels cosy
pain removes pain...

The sky is overcast
It is raining
But it is raining love...

For the flowers are coming out
With the falling rain...

All seasons
Are acts of love-
God pouring love
On his creation-
This earth...

And he wants his creation-
Man
To savor all his acts of love...

So sing on
It is raining!

Dizzying heights
of love and achievements
holding close to my heart
my loves and friends
my love the most
my days and nights
my travels and delights
my vistas my mountains
my oceans my flights
darkness and light
with all my might

We are very busy
Preparing for reno
Of our old new house
And I am loving it!

Then comes the vacation-
We will see new countries
In Europe
And I am immensely excited!

Then we go to India
Meet relatives, friends
Exchange news...
It is that warm feeling...

Then we come back
And move into
Our new home
And be with you all
Once again...

Can life
Be better than this?

What are your rainbows?

Today,
The worlds came together
When I met
My far flung friends.

We laughed
And had lunch together
And it seemed as if
The whole world was vibrating
To the same wavelength.

All of us who inhabit
This planet
Are such friends.
And when we laugh
It resonates
With God's laughter!

Life's challenges
Will keep pursuing you.

See to it that your sword
Rifts through them!

You will be able to see
The sunny skies beyond
And carry on!

This life is precious.
Fight for it!

While having an avocado
For b’fast
I remembered that many
Loved ones who might have
Loved avocados are missing
From several dinner tables now…
Those who might have loved
Getting up early and exercising.
Like I do.
Those who might have
Wondered at a bough full of
Flowers they saw while out
On their walks.
Who might have felt
Awake on smelling their coffee…

Days are sweet
With an interplay
Of sun and clouds...

Nights are beautiful
With the super moon
And moonlight...

TV is disturbing
But music is soothing.
Listen to more music.

Winter is approaching
But there is Christmas
At its wake!
So stay cheerful!

We have travels in front of us...
Feeling excited about it
But will miss home
And all of you...

But I will only be gone for a month.
So let us rock on!

Moonshine
Sunshine
Star shine

Diamond shine
Gold shine
Silver shine

All illuminating
My life right now!

It is snowing today
Everything is white, pristine...
God is making it beautiful
In these stressful times.

Man is making things ugly
And God, making them heartwarming, nice...

He is making us believe
That the good and the beautiful prevails.
Ugliness gets defeated.

Believe, go on believing
That "this too shall pass."

Last week for us
Was movie week.

Travelled the galaxies
And travelled the world.
Star Trek and Jason Bourne.
We were transported.

Gus went to work
This weekend
So we were home bound, doing chores.

We always have to
Strike a balance
Between reality and feeling
Between love and the outcome

We have to accomplish
And be on watch
Peril beckons
We have to outlast.

Dream on
Act on...

A new day has dawned.
I have to laze in the morning
Water my plants
Cook
Exercise
Feed my son when he is back from college
Go out do a little bit of groceries
Come back, sit and write
Paint and sing...

But all days do not go in the same fashion.
Some days are disorganized
And there is a sadness to it...
I am sad when I think
Of things which go wrong

In life,in others' lives, in the world...

I know that
We have to spend effort
To correct them

And look towards God
To bolster our efforts.

The world would surely go right again.

I was out with my friend
And it rained this afternoon...

They had said it will be scorching hot...
But God decided otherwise

He soothed us
With raindrops
Coz I was out
With my friend...

Today I took a walk
In the sun

Went and bought some books

Welcomed spring into my life
First time this year

I know what a whole lot
Has to be done
When the days are this precious

Wish me success

The sun already did!

And the books?
To be read by the poolside...

Having coffee
Listening to the birds chirping
Outside
Running over
The day's agenda
In my mind
Gus has gone to work
My son is at college
Working hard...
That is what my world
Looks like now
Peaceful, serene.

But then, sudden jolts come
And it seems as if
The world will come to an end.

People scurrying all over the place
Trying to catch the wrong doers.

And we get closer to God.

Do they not ever feel the need
To stop and support peace
To call upon God,
They, who wreak havoc
Upon this earth?
Do they not, ever, cry?

Summer was full of parties,
Prayer meetings, picnic, beach going
Our son was here with us...

Now we are anticipating fall
And its colors...

Then comes winter
And the white snowfall...

Seasons come and go
All aglow
With their beauty

Created by God
With a lot of care
And love!

We love them too.

Being in love also
Is a many splendored thing.

Radiant,joyous,oxygen.
Repeatedly felt kernel of life...

Once you meet it
You can't live without it.

It beats with your heart
Breathes with your lungs...

Delve deep into it
And scoop up
The delight
With which
It lights up all your moments!

When
Innocent lives
Get scattered
As ashes
Over the
Oceans and the mountains

Does the planet
Give rise to goodness?

Friends dropped in
And my house
Was glowing!

Settling down
More and more
Happiness is growing

How can I
Not love this country
When sadness
Is abating
Grief is slowing
               Down?

There is support
Without which
I couldn't have gone on
After falling down
And hurting myself...

My support
Stood up when I did
And is thriving
Now that I am too...

The world is beckoning!
May we be able to sprint
And then, run!

Our annual
Puja- worship days are here!

We worship a goddess
Who kills an evil demon
And spreads prosperity.

In India
This worship goes on
For ten days
With drumbeats
And sweetmeats.

In America
Indians congregate
And pray to the goddess
For several days...

May the goddess
Spread joy
Throughout the world

May she **** the demon
And once again
Let humans prosper!

The purple orchid
Which came into my house
As a gift

Has been teaching me
A few things

When I take good care
It thrives

And when I keep busy
Doing other chores

Forgetting to put that
Ice cube in the ***
So that it keeps moist

The orchid becomes sad
And it's leaves wither

I have to constantly
Read it to know
How it is keeping.

And that is what
Happens all around me
With all those
Whom I care for!

Blue skies
Pink skies
Grey skies
Red skies

All overlooking

Our destinies
Our actions

Our sorrows
Our resilience

Our joys
Our sharing.

Ramakrishna Mission
spirituality destination
Go there
Meditate
Be close to God
Feel uplifted
Sing out loud
Reach the
vicinity of God
come back
with a piece of peace
in your heart

Came back from India
Renewed,saddened
Happy and glum
Were surrounded
By friends,by people
Met ma,di,dada
And felt reassured...
Back into
The snow covered lawns and roads
Knowing
Warmth exists!