Conflicting Mind by Ronaq

This poem has been written by Ronaq Sahni, a 6th grader...rarely do we come across such sweet gems...thought I would share this with you all:


CONFLICTING MIND.
I stand at a Crossroads,
Perplexed and torn, bewildered and confounded
Tugged and pulled, the paths drawing me in,
I stand there,
Gripped in fear of making an erroneous choice
Yet acknowledging, I must make one,
On the path to my left, I see enlightenment,
A colorful rainbow, bright blue sky, butterflies fluttering through the air,
I am quite tempted to choose this road,
But there is a false sense of security and gaiety,
I realize as I gaze at the butterflies fly idly, and the rainbow, which seems almost bland,
I then have a feeling that this path would lead to sorrow and would end my journey,
I fought the temptation to choose this passage and looked away.
On the road to my right, the clouds are black,
The moon unseeable in the pitch black sky,
Rain pounding hard against the ground,
The trees sagged, their leafless branches almost touching the ground,
The road is fouled and begrimed, covered with cracks,
The grass was dry and eerily glowing in the darkness of the night,
This road looked miserable, and I knew then, that this is not the road to take,
If I did, my journey would come to an unpleasant end.
At last, I set my eyes upon the path in front of me,
There was a slight drizzle, and the clouds were gray,
But the rain was helpful, supporting the greenery underneath,
The Sun poked politely through the clouds, casting a rainbow that looked true and genuine,
I took a deep breath and walked ahead, hoping I chose well.
While making decisions, one must make sacrifices,
Yet keeping in mind that they cannot get out of hand,
Many hate choices and making decisions, but the wise do not,
For they know that our choices control our destiny, and keep our destiny from controlling us.



[Source: https://www.facebook.com/subarnas ... Ronaq is Subarna's son...Ronaq has been chosen for a writers' workshop with author & poet Paul B.Janeczko after being declared First Place winner in a Middle School Poetry Competition. All the very best my dear boy and thank you for letting me share :) ]

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"Delhi Yarns" by Nabaneeta Dangwal released on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V4K9MWW

Heartwarming urban short stories based in the enigmatic city of Delhi. A doctor who understands true love's calling, an adolescent who comes face-to-face with the reality of her life, a gay individual reflecting upon his choices in life and death, an interesting encounter with a homeless vagabond, a career woman seeking a place in the city - five stories five lives and their moment of realization!

Watch this space for book promotions and updates!!!

[Pledge - 10 percent of the royalties I receive from the sales of this book will be donated to non-profit organizations who do incredible work for the community]

Safety for School

One of the most remarkable traffic rules in the US refers to School Buses. When a school bus stops to pick up or offload children, it flashes its various lights and pulls out a mechanical arm that has the "STOP" sign on it. Traffic on both sides of the road has to come to a complete stop at least 300 m away from where the bus is. Violations to this rule are not given traffic tickets or fines but carry severe penalties including but not limited to revocation or suspension of the driving license.

I have forever been fascinated with this rule. Rush hour, no rush hour, busy roads or not, there is not one vehicle that does not stop. And I see children run to the bus or alight from it, safe.

And I think of children who do not have this right to safety. I remember my days as a child. And I remember the horrible accident I had once been witness to. Mom was late by a few minutes, the child alighted from the school bus and ran across the road without paying heed to the traffic that had no obligation to stop.

There are no similar rules in India or if there are, I have not seen any vehicle taking note of it. All I hear or read of in this respect, are young lives snubbed out under tires.

Children need protection. Children are the future. Children have rights. And yet, the largest democracy in the world cannot ensure the right to safety of a child in the simple scenario of her getting on and off the school bus.

You can't afford her!!!...

Some years ago, we went to a wedding ceremony and were introduced to pleasant middle-aged guy. A little small-talk later, he asked me what I did...Having quit work with a brand new baby then, I sheepishly replied..."Housewife"

He smiled and turned to my husband and said - "You know, if she billed you for all the work she does, you would not be able to afford her."

That guy, I learned later, ran a reputed multidisciplinary super-specialty hospital in India. No surprises there...only someone who thinks right can do right, right? smile emoticon

Living in Minnesota – Mummy’s the wor(l)d!

Subway’s a favorite with the four-year-old which is where we headed for dinner the other evening. It’s exciting for the tiny tot to see the array of vegetables that are put in the bread and even more exciting are the high stools where they can be consumed with relish. 

A sandwich and salad later, we perched ourselves with our picnic atop those round things which do give me a bit of a vertigo so to speak.

What’s that Mummy? – the little one points to the box of salad. It looks different from the six inch bread that he has his hands and mouth full with, and therefore the curiosity.

It’s salad. You can try it but I don’t think you will like it as much. I say.

A minute later when Papa joins us in our high perch he asks if the sandwich eater would like to try some of the salad.

No, thanks. Mummy says I won’t like it.

You know, there are some perks of motherhood that surpass their worth in gold. And that moment was one - when Mummy knows everything.

I am guessing in about ten years or less that statement would change to – Mummy you don’t know anything. I already have trouble telling one Nicki Minaj from another for crying out loud! (No offense to the pop icon, or is it hip-hop?)

But right now, Mummy’s the world. And I am deliriously happy to be it. J

Happy New Year !!!

The month of December has begun to scare the daylights out of me. It stretches between the year gone by and the new one to come like a black hole ready to devour and spit out all that remains of humanity in one dark breath.

But December gets help, if not from nature by way of tsunamis or earthquakes, then from us when we bring out to the fore that which should reside forever in darkness. I shudder to think of what more we are capable of.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children - thus goes a Native American saying. I think we have already borrowed too much of it in every which way and all that we have left to pass on is a legacy of bloodbath.

And yet I cannot give up on hope. It bursts forth like a little sapling from within the depths of a stained soil. I want to nurture it. I need to nurture it.

Now that the calendar has turned its leaves, discarded a year gone by and heralded in the brand new sunshine of January, I can breathe a small sigh of relief and say a little prayer.

Of Hope.

Of Change.

For Children.

For Us.

For Safety.

For Prosperity.

For Peace.

For A Happy New Year...