പരിശുദ്ധ മറിയം - പ്രതീക്ഷയുടെ ആദ്യ തീർത്ഥാടക

 My first poetry in Malayalam written for a Forane level competition. I was surprised as every one else when it won the prize. Especially because I generally don't write in Malayalam. 

I fondly remember one of my dear friends, Sobha, who rekindled my interest in Malayalam poetry with her captivating poetry recital during our college days. 

പരിശുദ്ധ മറിയം - പ്രതീക്ഷയുടെ ആദ്യ തീർത്ഥാടക

ദുർഘട പാതയിൽ ചരിച്ചു തളർന്നൊരെൻ

മുന്നിലൊരു  കരിമ്പുള്ളി കുരച്ചു മുരണ്ടിതാ

കൂർത്ത നഖദന്തങ്ങൾ കാട്ടി അടുക്കവേ 

അക്ഷണം പാറി കാറ്റിൽ ഒരു നാരിതൻ നീലാംബരം

ഭീതിയിൽ പിന്നോക്കം മാറിയാ കരിയാസുരൻ 

ഗർജനം മാറ്റി കരഞ്ഞിതാ പാഞ്ഞു പോയ്

തൻ മൃദു സ്പർശത്താൽ ചേർത്തു പിടിച്ചവൾ 

എന്നുടെ വ്യസനവും ഭീതിയും മാഞ്ഞുപോയ്

മറ്റൊരു പാതേ നയിച്ചു അവളെന്നെ

ചേർത്തു പിടിച്ചുവെൻ വേദനയ്ക്കാശ്വാസമായ്

സമുദ്രശാന്തതയൊടു;  പ്രവാസിയായോരെൻ -

കരം ഗ്രസിച്ചു, കൃപയാൽ നയിച്ചവൾ

കരുണ നിറഞ്ഞ മിഴിയോടെ നോക്കിനാൾ

ദുർഘട നിണക്കുറി പേറിയ പാതയിൽ 

കുന്നിൽ മുകളിലേക്കെന്നെ നയിച്ചിനാൾ 

കണ്ടൂ ഞാൻ അവിടെ കുരിശിൽ പിടയും മനുജനെ

അവൻ്റെ മാറിലെ ക്ഷതത്തിൽ നിന്നൂറിയ 

രക്തജലങ്ങൾ എൻ മേലെ പതിച്ചു സൗഖ്യമായ് 

ഉണർന്നരുണശോഭയിൽ വാനവും ദീപ്തമായ്

ഹരിത നവ്യതയാൽ നിറഞ്ഞിതാ അവനിയും

ചെമ്മേ അവളെ ഞാൻ കണ്ടുവാ പ്രകാശവലയത്തിൽ 

അവളാദ്യം നടന്ന ഈ തീർത്ഥാടനപാതയിൽ 

എന്നെ നയിച്ച സഭതൻ ആദ്യ തീർത്ഥാടക 

എന്നുമെപ്പോഴും നമുക്കേവർക്കും മാതൃക

L Joseph

Aug 22 2025

Time: the steadfast partner

I'm in a steady ceaseless gallop

And you'll never catch me lollop

I never rest in between or tire

I'm time, my feet are on fire

By my rules I live

I slow down for none

The world revolves to my tune

The Earth, the stars and the sun

When in joy, I give them wings

As tears flow, chains to their feet clings

Lover fly miles as they sing

And Sadness, burden to the trot it brings

When meaning changes life's shade

Busts held high and plans laid

The universe conspire and come to their aid

I hold their hands and to the summit we made

When its cloudy and the goals look vague

Clean the clutter and become a sage

When its time I tap you awake

I cheer on the sidelines as you walk out of the cage

All this while I'm at you side

As you walk the path of your life

With a steadfast spirit you gather the treasure

Or as a victim you stoop to the pressure

The Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth- A Bilimbi story and more...

Some time ago I came across a news where a person was admitted in hospital with discomfort and nausea. The tests revealed severe renal failure. The perplexing fact was that this patient's tests had shown healthy kidneys just a few weeks back. It turns out that this patient consumed a glass of bilimbi juice each every day for four days and by fifth day developed the said symptoms. detailed tests showed oxalate crystals in urine due and had to undergo weeks of treatment and hoemodialysis before he regained full health. Apparently the bilimbi juice consumption was done based on advise via YouTube by some self proclaimed "experts". On search I came across many other patients who were admitted in hospital due to the over consumption of bilimbi juice to treat their hypercholesterolemia. A good research would have revealed that there is no general prescribed daily dosage for bilimbi juice. All authentic sites give you the benefits, but advise you to consult a doctor before starting on the bilimbi for any health benefits.   

Many of our attitudes are formed by hearsay or ideas projected to us through mass media, social media, cinema and literature. The Internet is flooded with videos, discussions, debates, advises and articles, many of which gives a singular dimension of the truth. We often forget that there is a huge difference between Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth. Our selective amnesia on this important fact make our attitudes dangerously jaundiced and biased.

One such topic is our apathy towards the govt health infrastructure and personnel. The Whole Truth about this can be found only with effort, time and humility to accept that our knowledge and exposure is limited. Kerala has one of india's best health infrastructure. Another strength is the proactive Community medicine department in Kerala that was noticed by public only after its contributions to effectively control the Nippa outbreak. 

Interacting with people in the health sector reveals the extreme resource constraints within which the health system works. In my personal interaction with many doctors, nurses and support staff in the govt. sector, I was surprised and humbled by their dedication despite the severe resource (both human resources and others) within which they work. However most of them were accepting of the situations and kept their morale high by contributing to filling in the gaps in the resources in their own way. A doctor donated chairs for the doctors waiting room which had little furniture, another donated a music system to the C-ICU to play soft music and soothe the nerves of the suffering patients, PG students assisting in the ICUs and wards always decide on and donate an equipment needed, at the time of completion of their course. These people did not wait complaining about the situation, but found their own ways to run the system in the beat possible way. 

In this context I borrow a point from the book 'How NASA builds teams' by Dr. Charles Pellerin - "Where attention goes; power flows". It is high time we take effort to shed light on the constraints and difficulties in the health system, so that the authorities concerned would pump in resources to strengthen it and not just conveniently crucify the personnel whenever there is an error in the system. Whenever there is a gap in the system we give our opinions without hearing both sides of the story and join the media in blaming the system and echo their accusations. 

We took its services for granted till now. Now lets give it the attention it deserves, and let the power flow.

What makes a joyous life?

What makes a joyous life?

Chocolate melting in you mouth and filled platters

Content palette and tummy matters

Dance, music and disco lights

How can we miss the party nights!

What makes a joyous life?

Watch the silver moon and the golden sunrise

Roaring waves and the breeze on my face

Feet in the cold stream and fish nibbling my toes

And walk on wet grass with no shoes.

What makes a joyous life?

The buzz and noise of day 

The silence and quiet of the night

Times when we talk and talk away

Lips silent and eloquent eyes bright

What makes a joyous life?

Sit by his side and hold his hands

Caress her cheeks and the lovely strands

Listen to his dreams and his chatter

Enjoy her songs and her laughter.

What makes a joyous life?

Tears flow out; It's the cost of wisdom flowing in

Fierce Red sea, does part ways, revealing path in between

You see morning dew however scorching yesterday's sun be

Rainbows are invisible unless there are eyes to see!

Deep impressions- Journey down the memory lane

How the human mind and memory works has never ceased to fascinate me. I was amused by the movie Inside Out with its creative and imaginative representation of the human mind and memory.  For the same reason I have read many books that explain the peculiar nature of human mind. One such book is 'Invisible Gorilla' . The beginning of the book, mentions an experiment where you need to watch a video and count the number of times a ball is passed between certain participants. I was confident of my observation skills and was proud that I got the right answer. But I missed a glaring visual- a participant who walked across the stage in a gorilla suit. I thought my husband was pranking me when he brought it to my attention To my utter dismay, I found that he was right when I watched the video again . But yes, this did teach me a lot of things about judging people and how I may miss the glaring gorilla if I am not careful enough. 

As I understood from different incidents in my life; the gorilla can be objects, facts or our own attitudes and prejudices that we miss due to the conditioning of our minds. 

I had very clear memory of many incidents in my childhood. A very old one is regarding my visit to Goa when I was just about four years old. Even today I can remember clearly the layout of the apartment, the building, the children's park behind it and the beach near by. 

Today I believe that many of the old memories stay with you for a reason and you get to figure it out only much later. Three very old memories involving my father made me come to this conclusion. It was my father who taught me how to read time from an analog clock. He drew a clock and explained it in a simple way and I could figure out how to read the time very easily.  A few days later when I had difficulty reading the time, he again repeated the process without judging me. Today, whenever I have to explain something I use illustration, synthesis  and a little patience, and I see it working each time.  

I had seen my fathers tender and patient side even though he was known for his short temper and toughness. As a three year old, I remember sitting on my fathers lap watching the rain through the grilled verandah. After some time, he suggested that we go inside as it was growing cold. Not wanting to stop watching the rain, I insisted that we stay for some more time. Complying, he took me inside, wrapped a towel around my neck and we watched the rain together till my hearts content. 

Another memory is my fathers reaction when I broke a new bottle of sauce the same day he bought it. Achan, as I call my father, was always passionate about cooking and loved to experiment. Different types of cakes, grilled chicken, my first taste of chilly chicken, batura (a popular Indian bread) were all his specialties; all of which were novelties at that time. One day as I was helping him clear the shopping bag, the big ketchup bottle that he had purchased for one his special cuisines slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor. I froze and looked at him nervously expecting a dress down. To my surprise his reaction was "Thank goodness it did not fall on your feet!" Then he helped me clean up the mess. As we were doing it I asked him, "Now what will we do? It was a new bottle." "Buy a new one tomorrow. What else?" was his reaction. 

Many such memories come right on time and help me see the gorilla in front of me before I become the irritable, impatient, prejudiced and judgmental self that I am. It helped me forgive the broken china, give into the requests of  kids for extra time with them, do activities of interest with kids and challenge myself to work on my creative side. 

Great memories are treasures worth revisiting. walk down the memory lane and wipe off the dust settled on it so that it glows. There are deep biochemical and neurological explanations for how memories are built. I would say our memories are seals that mould us and make us who we are. The unique patters developed by the different incidents imprint on us and give us the unique personalities that we have. When it begins to crumble and fall off we lose a part of ourselves and we seize to be who we are.  This is the realisation that would help us be more humble and grateful selves. 

Ode to the Friend

An ode to the NGO, Snehita (which translates to 'Friend') Women's Health Foundation that work tirelessly in the area of breast cancer awareness. Snehita has always lived up to its name lending a supporting hand to the people in need. In the time of the pandemic when everyone was confined Snehita got more visibility by the efforts of the member volunteers through online webinars and media. A lot of online events were conducted in association with other institutes and organisations including the NSS, each of which was a success. I am a proud Snethita!

 In the highest tower Friend lit the lamp

To spread the missive as a beacon, 

Guide the multitude in the damp

And shepherd them till the war is won.

The crowd moved as a busy bee

To work, markets, park and beyond the sea

Engrossed in the work of the hour;

So busy, they never lifted their eyes to the tower.

The Friend stayed up and kept the lamp lit;

By morning and night with determination and grit

Little by little the message did spread,

To raise their eyes who were prepared.

A heavy, bleeding, hurting grasp,

Anyone in the clutch of the crab;

In pain of the tightening pedipalp;

The Friend did have the healing message of help.

Then came the damp killing mist,

Stole the souls of those who touched it or breathed.

Anyone in the streets fell its prey,

The crowd stopped venturing out for work or play.

In the confines of their home,

They cried out in agony and pain

They longed for the light but in vain.

Days were dark and damp, and nothing was the same.

In the solitude they raised their eyes high;

Far above the mist was the tower high.

They descried the missive it beaconed,

As they followed it, the clutches of the crab weakened.

The mist outside was dark and damp,

But now the crowd had eyes on the lamp.

The lamp that shed the ray of hope,

For liberation from the crab, a way it did ope.

Adventures of POLICE - POLICE to Blunderland

Six kids accompany their grandfather in a perilous journey to experience the mysteries of a place they had heard of only in his narratives. ‘Police to Blunderland’ tells us about their first ever adventure together. 

What do they face on their journey? Do they finally reach Blunderland? Read the exciting story to find out.

To purchase this book, please follow this link : amazon.com/author/josephl
This book is currently available only in kindle. You can purchase the book via the Kindle App. 

Books to expect soon: 

-- POLICE in Blunderland
-- Adventures of Dr Cloney 2 - Dr Cloney and the Robocops

Here is the 'From the Author' section of the book

This story started as a bedtime story. My kids loved listening to stories and would beg for a story every night. As days and years passed by Jo and me soon ran out of stories and were forced to be creative. Every night a part of the story would be narrated an we would stop as soon as the kids fell asleep. Kids love these stories more than the stories that we narrated from our memories. The more elements of creativity Jo added to it and the more the kids loved it. A few years ago wrote a single page outline of the story and then sat down to build it. In 2013, I wrote the first manuscript. I edited it several times before it came to this form. In 2016 I added some illustrations to it on Jo's advise. It did add to the the overall appeal of the book. In my previous book, the cover page was a big challenge and I had a difficult time designing it. Though I put effort on the design, the book cover did not come out that well. So I thought of adding a good photo for my second book. I chose a real photograph for this. This photo had an air of mystery and also a fairy tale feel about it. It did come out better than the first one. 

The Black Dog and its new prey?

Sushant Singh Rajput -One more added to the list of good souls held captive by the Black Dog?

I saw him first in the movie, PK and was sure that he was a promising artist. With this single movie he moved to my list of favourites in Bollywood (in line with Aamir Khan, Shabana Aasmi, Konkona Sen, Nasuruddin Shah, Om Puri, Navasuddin Siddiqui, Nana Patekar, Paresh Raval, Kajol...). He had a captivating smile and his eyes could express even the subtle emotions.

I remember one of his speeches given to students of DCE where he was an alumni. The audience wooed and clapped for almost all the lines he spoke. There he described himself as an introvert. Though he was the owner of a personality that attracted the attention of a lot of youngsters, it did not sound contradictory to me. Many of the Mollywood actors whom I watched from childhood and appreciated were introverts. From big shots like Momootty, Mohanlal, Shobana to other talented actors like Prithviraj, Fahad Fazil, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Sreenath Bhasi, S P Sreekumar, Sudev Nair, Tovino Thomas, who won the hearts of people of Kerala are introverts. Many times I felt that they compensated for the limited words in their life with the mind blowing performances as outgoing characters. This was kind of confirmed in the message that Sushant conveyed in his speech at DCE. He admitted to feeling excited and happy when he played the characters in the movie who were very different from him.

Samuel Abiola Robinson a young actor from Nigeria, played the role of a football player in the Malayalam movie- Sudani from Nigeria. This movie won a lot of awards in the Kerala State Film Awards. Samuel was appreciated for his brilliant performance in this movie. Recently he was in the news because of his post in the social media regarding his stint with the Black Dog.

The topic of the Black Dog never came up in any of  Sushant's conversations. So none of his friends found the need to dig deeper or found any reason to be concerned. Did the brightness of his smile hide the Black one that growled behind him? Smiles can be very deceptive...

Reminds me of a small poem (Sher) which I jotted some years ago

कहते है सब, आप की मुस्कराहट है हंसीन बड़ी।
कहते है सब, आप की मुस्कराहट है हंसीन बड़ी।
मगर वह क्या जाने ;
दिल में जो चिंगारियाँ है, उसी की रौशनी चहरे पे पड़ी ।।

By the POWER of Google Search… I have POWER…

I remember the time in early 2000s when Altavista was awarded the best search engine award. Google was there even then and it made me wonder why Google was not rated the best. Today Google has evolved to become the answer to most of my questions.

Now when I search for something it gives me much more than I ask for. I can also use the powerful options given by Google to promote my site. The beauty of it is that these powerful options can be used by following some simple steps.

Knowledge Panel – This is additional information about the entity searched combining many related attributes of the entity like website, logo, name, etc. This is seen as a box on the right side of the search result. You can own up the Knowledge panel and do the necessary modifications so that the knowledge panel shows the right data. https://millennialmoderator.com/how-to-create-a-google-knowledge-panel#fold

Example: Search for Google in Google search. On the right panel you see the Knowledge Panel with the summary details of the entity Google.

Site search – This is a powerful tool to enable Google search within your website. When you search a website powered by Google search, Google gives a secondary search option in the search result for your company. Use this secondary search option to search for anything within the website. To enable this, follow the instructions in https://support.google.com/customsearch/answer/2715510?hl=en.

Example: Search for pinterest.com in Google search. You can see a secondary search option in the first result. Search for something using this and the search result would only have items within pinterest.com

Rich Snippet- Do you want Google to give you rich snippet for the items/products in your website, then this feature is for you. Code in micro-data on your product into your website page using JSON-LD or Schema.org. Google would use this micro-data to build a rich snippet in the search result. Want to know more? https://jsonld.com/product/

Example: Search for a popular product in Google search. You see the result with the micro-data that you set for the item like Rating, Description, Price, Reviews, Offers, etc.

More on the powerful options of Google search in another post

Pay it Forward

I searched the net to reach, 'Paying Forward-Trigger of an uncontrolled chain reaction', I posted in TwoDropsOfInk. I also wanted to see how Google handled my search request.

During the search I stumbled upon a movie Pay It Forward directed by Mimi Leder, released in 2000 with Haley Joel Osment in the lead. The story line is beautiful and in line with the title of my post.

Pay forward, I believe is something that every person can practice [This is more a reminder for me than an advice to others] to change the world for the better

Currently it is published in the international blog twodropsofink.com
https://twodropsofink.com/2017/03/21/paying-forward-trigger-of-an-uncontrolled-chain-reaction/?iframe=true&theme_preview=true

Adventures of Dr Cloney - Dr Cloney and the Invisible Aliens

This is the story of Dr Cloney, a brainy scientist, who is an expert in modern physics and robotics. He uses this passion for creating amazing gadgets and devices which he ultimately uses to overcome the different problems faced by people.

He is part of the Save Earth Team that saves Earth from any disaster. He is assisted by his humanoid Robot, Robbie, and his bright apprentice Dan. In this adventure, Dr Cloney and team confront the invisible aliens who landed on earth.

Read the story to find out the intentions of the invisible aliens and whether Dr Cloney and team were successful in the venture they took up.


To purchase this book, please follow this link : amazon.com/author/josephl
This book is currently available only in kindle. You can purchase the book via the Kindle App. 

If you have a kindle-unlimited account, you can read this book absolutely free. 


Books to expect soon: 

-- POLICE in Blunderland
-- Adventures of Dr Cloney 2 - Dr Cloney and the Robocops

Aparthamma - The mother next door

As a kid I remember running to the neighbour's house when ever I got a chance. Our neighbour and us lived in a twin  house. We shared a common compound and gate. Though in the same compound I was supposed to ask permission to go next door and was never denied the permission.
I called the head of the family 'Doctor' and his wife 'Aparthamma'. Doctor was an Ayurvedic physician and so calling him so was not out of the ordinary. But when I think back now, 'Aparthamma' which meant 'Mother next door' had a very deep meaning though I never realised it as a kid.

I had the freedom to go into their house whenever I felt like it. I could even go into Doctor's consulting room even in the midst of a consultation. It never raised a brow. If my mother had to go for work on a school holiday, then Aparthamma's home doubled up as a daycare for my brother and me.

Aparthamma had four children, all of whom were much elder to me. However, I had two friends in the family. Her second and third kids; son named Ani and daughter named Lekshmi, both of whom were pursuing their graduation. Lekshmi was one of the prettiest ladies I had ever seen. She had long dark hair and I loved playing with it. Ani was popular in his college and he also won the college election. Spending time with them was the best entertainment I had as a kid.

The dishes that Aparthamma made had a special Malabar flavour. I can still feel in my taste buds the taste that I used to feel on drinking the Karingali (water flavoured with the bark of Cutch tree) after a ball of hot rice mixed with curry. Having the food on my own was good. But having Lekshmi feed me was even better. The way she mixed the curry and rice with her hands gave it special taste. Having dinner with Ani too was fun. He would tell me interesting stories while I had food.

Aparthamma was a simple lady with long curly hair and drooping eye lids. She always had a smile on her face and kept some goodies for me when ever I visited her. Her house was always well maintained and had guests most of the time. She was always busy with some work and seeing her rest was very rare.

Today when I think of her, I realise how big a heart she would have had to welcome two kids like that into her home. The lasting memories that I had of her family shows how deep an impression she left in my heart. Every time kids come to my family, her memories challenge me to be the good host like her. As I grow older, her memories become fonder as I realise how difficult it is to be the warm and smiling lady Aparthamma was.

Dedicated to the lovely family:
Dr. Madhavan Nambiar
Ms. Malathi Nambiar
Mr. Rajeev Nambiar
Mr. Ajay Nambiar
Ms. Lekshmi Nambiar
Mr. Manikuttan Nambiar

Sher - Smile (मुस्कराहट)

कहते है सब, आप की मुस्कराहट है हंसीन बड़ी।
कहते है सब, आप की मुस्कराहट है हंसीन बड़ी।
मगर वे क्या जाने ;
दिल में जो चिंगारियाँ है, उसी की रौशनी चहरे पे पड़ी ।।

The journey

The lady shouted at the boy. “Why is it that you cannot take care of even the simplest of tasks?” She angrily wiped off the crumbs from his shirt and the car’s seat. She then turned to the little girl next to him and snapped, “How many times have I told you not to shout into my ears? Can’t you remember the simplest of rules?”  The face of the kids turned dull. The boy kicked the floor of the car which invited further admonition from his mother. He sulked and looked out of the window with occasional comments which provoked his mother further. The husband then pitched in with his advice that kids need their freedom. “But not at the cost of discipline,” she retorted. “I have asked only for the basic discipline.” This triggered yet another heated argument between them.

I felt uneasy as I realised that I was looking at myself and was filled with remorse. It was only yesterday that we had planned to have a wonderful journey. Both kids had selected their favourite snacks with great interest.  I had resolved that I would keep the perfectionist within me under control. Early next morning, we had a quick breakfast, got dressed up and took the packed bags to the front door. My son was engrossed in using up his last minutes of video games on the tablet before we started. The kids were more interested in the last minute entertainment than starting on time. Jo did not seem to be too bothered about getting late. My resolve was melting and I showed the first sign of it when I snapped at my son for not helping with the luggage. Soon the chain reaction started which finally ended in a tussle of words between all four of us. The bad mood lingered as we got into the car and started the journey.

This was in sharp contrast with our journey to Kathmandu. The visit was planned only for one week, but the joy of it was spread over a full month of planning and preparation. We bought ourselves a traveller’s guide to Nepal. I looked up the places mentioned in the guide on the internet and prepared an itinerary. My son meticulously researched the places chosen for the visit and found good hotels where we could stay and discussed his findings with his father when he returned from work. My daughter made a checklist of things that we would require for the entire journey. Then together with the kids, we made a big list for shopping which also included some items that they wanted for themselves. We spread the shopping over many days and the kids ticked off the items in the checklist as we purchased them. From the joy on their faces, I could see that for them the journey had already started in their imagination. At times they would tell me how they would use their cap and earmuffs and why having a jacket was useful. They were excited to pack the bags and both kids had their personal backpacks also in which they could carry items of their choice. They could also have a quick access to their caps, tissues and candies. Each day my son would come up with a new information he found about Nepal on the internet and would spend hours discussing its specialties and how he found it out with his father. We chose to book the hotel that my son suggested. He was proud that his parents took his advice though he was only nine at that time. My daughter who was seven too was happy to go through the checklist to make sure that we had everything that we needed. We were all happy that the packing was not a chore, but was part of the excitement.

My kids and I were going to board a flight for the first time. My husband was quite used to flights because of his business trips. So we took advice from him so as not to make a fool of ourselves. Kids were excited to be at the airport and they were full of questions on the new things they saw. They went through the clearance section with excitement. The luggage carousel, trolleys, auto walks and the escalators were all sources of excitement for them. The flight change at Chennai and the two-hour wait at the Delhi airport too were part of the fun as it was more like a visit to the mall for them and they were only very happy to walk around. I was tired walking around and I offered to sit and look after the luggage as my husband walked around with the kids.

The experiences at Nepal rejuvenated our spirits. The people, the cuisine, the beautiful hills and lakes and the clean streets were a treat to our senses. The end of the tour did not seem to disappoint the kids since they were again excited to board the flight. As we took off from Kathmandu, we got the final gift of the trip- the enchanting view of the Annapurna ranges that we missed at Pokhara due to the cloudy sky. We were in high spirits even after we reached back as we shared gifts and experiences with near and dear ones.

I snapped back to reality. Here I was in the car with three fuming souls and I realised that it was my responsibility now to change the mood. The message from a cartoon movie resounded in my mind - End definitely matters, but it is the Journey that matters at the end.

I turned back and offered the snack box to kids and said. “Here have this. I shall clean the seats when we stop over for breakfast. And watch out for your favourite restaurant. Make sure to remind papa to take the right turns. We don’t want to miss it.” I saw a smile break on my son’s face and within minutes, both the kids chatted away as they planned the food to be ordered for breakfast.

I exchanged glances with my husband and he gave me a smile indicating I could have done this earlier. He then laid his hand on my lap and started a conversation on one of my favourite topics. I felt my nerves ease up and I smiled to myself. 

The black dog

I see him walk past my house every day;

He never lifted his eyes from the bay;

Never seemed to notice people or what they say;

Every day his big black dog, followed him all the way.

He was never seen without this canine.

Both their faces were dark without a shine,

He never talked or smiled,

He was bound by fear of some kind.

None in the avenue tried or cared,

To give a warm wish or friendly smile.

To approach this man with the dog, none dared,

None had a pleasant chat with him in a  while.

I know that dog! I know him close.

A dark one peeped in  life when I didn't choose;

Then my heart was filled with gloom;

My fears arose of the awaiting doom.

Then, I felt a warm touch and friendly hug,

This magic renewed me from rags.

Yes, this was the magic which brought in the beam,

It drove away the black dog, he was nowhere to be seen.

Today, I knew a paying forward was due.

I walked to him as he crossed the avenue,

The dog growled and its fury grew;

Unbothered, I held out my hands, "Friend, how are you?"

Startled, he lifted his head and looked at me,

In his face, a cry for help I did see.

The canine kept growling and barking at me,

But, the lost glow in his eyes was what I yearned to see.

This repeated the next day and the one after,

Each day the dog grew smaller and his growl milder,

My friend lifted his eyes and his face grew brighter,

I knew he had conquered his captor.

The next time you see a black dog's captive. 

Look beyond the dog and hear the captive's silent cries.

Jackson, Williams, Hemingway or Chester we wouldn't have lost,

With a bold warm friend, if they were close.

L. Joseph July, 21,2017

This poem is now published in an international blog twodropsofink.com
https://twodropsofink.com/2017/08/31/poetry-break-by-lily-antony/
Pin it here :  https://in.pinterest.com/pin/149041068901774307/

Slow Down

Slow down... slow down...
To see the sun set and the leaves fall down.
Slow down...  slow down...
To hear him fret and soothe her frown.

Slow down... slow down...
Be here in the present, time never slows down.
So, slow down... slow down...
To play with Ria and read with Ron.

Time goes on, on and on...
Time spent with them would play Epione.
Soothe the pain and dry tears flown;
Mend little minds and the little hearts torn

                        -L. Joseph, June, 2013

Paying Forward-Trigger an Uncontrolled Chain Reaction

He pulled up his sleeve exposing his forearm and looked at the man with expectation and hope. There were others before him with money in their hands waiting for their turn to get the Mehandi tattoo on their forearms. He has chosen the design he wanted on his forearm- the one with lotus and the peacock. That was a rare one, and it would look good. He extended his arm forward whenever the Mehandi man completed his work on a person’s hand. The person standing next to him waved his hand high with an open palm, indicating that the boy would now get spanking if he did not move out of the line. The boy soon withdrew his hand and moved back, but a few moments later, he came back again and kept trying to extend his exposed forearm. Finally, the man called the boy near and asked him which tattoo he wanted on his hand. The boy pointed to the one with lotus and peacock. The man arranged for the boy's arm to be tattooed and paid for it to the Mehandi man. The boy’s face lit up and he looked around at all the people standing there with pride on his face; showing off his tattoo. The boy nodded his head and thanked him in Nepali and ran off with his forearm still exposed and face lit with the full smile.

The Mehndi tattoo on his arm would soon fade away, but the tattoo that was imprinted on his heart by the stranger’s kindness would stay for a very long time.

On a train trip to Trissur last month, the seat next to my husband was occupied by a person who came with his daughter. I found the person’s body language to be different from normal people. When he was trying to talk to his daughter in the front row, he stooped low, focusing his eyes on some invisible point and was a bit clumsy in returning back to his seat. He picked up a conversation with my husband. The conversation soon diverted to technology and the mobile app that helps him to refer books. The app would read out books for him and help him prepare for his class. He had only 10% vision and that too in the straight direction. This explained his peculiar body language. In the midst of the discussion, the conversation deviated to the kindness of a person who had sponsored his education after high school. With the help of the sponsorship, he completed his education and gained the job of a teacher in a government school. He mentioned that without this help he would have become another helpless person struggling to make both ends meet.

We are moved by stories and acts of kindness and feel good, touched and emotional on hearing such stories. But how much does it take to help a stranger or a person in need? Some acts of kindness are motivated by the expectation of getting it back at a later time. We may also have experiences of paying back the kindness we received in our lives, by offering help and kindness to a person who was good to us earlier. We feel obliged, indebted and compelled to take this step of kindness till we feel that the ‘Thulaas’ is balanced.  This pay-back is only a reaction to the first act of kindness extended by the person and it stops at paying back; unless the payback is done to the nearest kin of the kind person which again triggers the payback instinct when they are capable enough.

Being the person at the start of a chain reaction of acts of kindness, expecting nothing in return, is often not easy and comes out of a conscious choice with a selfless motive. One great way of making reaction an ‘Uncontrolled Chain Reaction’ is the act of paying forward and not stop with payback - as the stranger at the bank counter taught me.

At the bank cash counter, I searched my bag for a pen. The queue behind me was long and I was keeping people waiting. Not finding a pen, I sheepishly asked the lady near me for a pen; which she gave with a pleasant smile. After filling the form I returned it. But she asked me to keep it. I thought she wanted me to keep it till the transaction is over so that I don’t bother her again when I need a pen. But later when I tried again, she refused saying, “Keep it, I have another pen with me” and left the counter with the same pleasant smile. I was a bit taken aback. That was the first time somebody reacted that way. The people at the counter were watching us with amusement. The lady was kind and did not embarrass me in any way, but had sown a thought. I left the counter with the pen in my bag, deciding to pay forward.

I held out my hand to my son,

He’d extend it back when I’m old

I said, “Be good to others, my son”,

But his reaction was nothing but cold.

I was good to my neighbor, a ton

He would return it later two fold

I said, “Look and learn from me, my son”

But the advice remained unsold.

I lend my hands to the stranger,

He couldn’t return it; he was old.

Then, my son extended hand forward to another

The chain reaction started untold.

-L. Joseph, June 2013

The beautiful porcelain ware and the Faustian bargain

“People are busy talking and enjoying in the party. You feel good that you are invited to the party in which celebrities are also taking part. They look great in their expensive outfits and accessories. You feel good that you chose to wear the best Sari from your wardrobe. Your kids too looked great in their new dress. The wine is already served. The crystal wine glasses the celebrities are holding sparkled in the light. You walked to counter to take the wine. There are only a few crystal sparkling glasses left. You are happy to get one of them. Kids too are delighted. The stage show started and the dinner is also served. You stayed near the stage since the kids wanted to enjoy the show for some time. Again you noticed the ware in which the dinner was served. The plates that the people were holding were beautiful. Never had you seen such beautiful crockery.

By the time you reached the counter where the dinner is served, the exotic ware were all taken. You are disappointed. Now you have no choice but to have food in the few plain wares which are left. Now the caterers are not willing to keep any good ware since the celebrities have all taken their food and they know very well who is a celebrity and who is not. Your children are also complaining. One of the kids managed to get one the good plates. He was as ecstatic as the other was whiny in not getting a good plate. You take food and walk to your table.

Suddenly you start to feel bad and conscious. You feel that others are watching you and one particular person who talked to you earlier is now trying to avoid your company. Now isn’t this is a clear message that you are not one of the special guests? Now you do not feel confident to sit in any of the special tables set. You chose a table at the corner. The food is great, you liked it. But it would have been better if you got to use one of those exquisite ware too…”

This is a fictitious scenario, but all of us would have similar experiences in many areas of our life. If you look at the situation objectively, the important thing here is the party and the great food that was served. The ware is only the container which should not in any way affect the taste of the food. But many a times the ware becomes more important than the food in our life– From the model of mobile phones, the car, the house, the dress, the pay of the job, the type of seat you reserved on the plane, the status of the family, the caste, the make of the watch to the type of pencil box, the school bag and where Papa took you this vacation. The list is endless, but it is enough to make us forget to enjoy the food.

We often go for the best valuation without looking at the other aspects like time, relationships, joy, contentment, etc. and run after the best pay, highest position, superior model of car, premium cosmetics, the exquisite jewelry and life befitting the status of the family. This proves to be a Faustian bargain earning us what we want, but ultimately draining us and depriving us of the ultimate goal of a peaceful, joyous and content life. In our yearning for these, we forget that that these luxuries are means to a wholesome life. We tend to connect luxuries to our identity and the Means ultimately become the End. 

I remember one story I read in this context. I do not remember the details correctly, but it goes somewhat like this. There was this particular place where the public could also take rides on the carrier which took people from the terminal building to the private aircraft, if they had a valid pass and ID. The author noticed a father and young son who were particularly enjoying the ride among the others who were all serious and sophisticated. The son was enthusiastically looking out of the widow while his father explained the little things that they saw. About the plane, how it flew, how they got the ticket and with each detail, the boy would laugh out loud with delight and ask more questions. The carrier reached the aircraft and the boy watched the people as they got down. The author asked the father whether he was not going to board the plane, to which the father replied:

“No, we are not. Ronny (I don’t remember the name in the story) loves to ride in this carrier. So we take this ride once in a while. He knows that I cannot afford to take him in the plane. We see almost the same things every time and I tell him little things. He just loves this and I love to see his joy.”

The father asked the son whether he wanted to go back to the terminal or take one more ride. Jumping with delight the boy asked for one more round. The author was touched by the joy of the father and son and walked to the plane bidding farewell to the father son duo. 

One particular episode of the cartoon Phineas and Ferb- one of my favourite cartoons - gave a particularly touching message based on the experience of Candice- one of the main characters in the cartoon. It ends with note to the effect:  “The End definitely matters; but it is the Journey that matters at the End”.

This realization liberates us from a lot of stress and also helps us slow down in a lot of matters. It helps us fix our priorities and to look around and enjoy the little things around you. Then, the shopping before the picnic become a source of enjoyment and not a chore; the check in and clearance at the airport become a whole new experience and not the tiring procedure when you see the excitement and curiosity of your kids.

Each moment you have today counts

‘Cause “It’s the journey which matters”

Present is your Friend on whom you count;

Future is a Stranger; too far away to matter. 
- L. Joseph, June 2013

The way up the Hill

I finally made up my mind to join the way of the cross - It’s not during the Holy Week that I should go for easy choices. The prayer started and I could hear the song ‘Oh! The one who brought victory by dying on the cross’ and I started walking towards the group.

We progressed slowly, singing to the next station. The song was sung at least three to four times before we reached the next station since each station was arranged at least a quarter kilometer apart. By the time we reached the seventh station, my legs had started aching. This was not easy - I began doubting whether I made a wise decision to go for a long way of the cross on the day of fasting. We reached the tenth station and the road was still level. The way of the cross was supposed to be up a hill. I was starting to feel a bit cheated since I could not see any hill nearby.

The road soon reached a steep climb uphill. The climb was so steep that I had to support myself by pushing against my knees with my palm. The steeper the road became, the lower went my confidence. Soon the road ended. I looked up and saw a very steep climb covered with big rocks and loose debris. The main singers were progressing forward singing as energetically as before, but I gasped for breath. I brought my gaze down from the steep hill to my feet and took my first step to climb. After that I never looked up. But just kept climbing up, searching for the next best rock to place my foot. Gasping and panting I reached the top of the hill and there, stood the big Cross - The sign of the greatest victory ever. The cool breeze brushed past soothing me and I felt a sense of quite and peace. After the final blessing we began the climb downhill. I was quiet worried about the steep hill as the climb down could be very tricky and dangerous especially for an amateur trekker like me. Again, I proceeded –one step at a time.

Within no time I reached the road and I was amazed that I made it without much problem and slowly began trotting down the steep road. Suddenly it occurred, life’s problems too had seemed overwhelming to me. I had stood frozen at the foothill of problems seeing the big hard climb. But I also remembered with gratitude the first step I took in faith with grace of God and people who lend a helping hand wherever I stumbled - Friends, well -wishers, men of prayer and everybody who was there to ensure that I completed the climb. Time quickly passed and I never realized that I had already started the journey downhill. The journey was still hard but the gentle helping hands were still there to guide me.

I woke up from my thoughts with a soothing thought that, I am on my journey downhill – not just literally but I believed it by faith since I knew that the ‘Journey’ was not yet over. My slow steps gently gathered momentum and I began to run. Yes, I am on my journey downhill. I pressed my eyes hard since I did not want anyone to see my tears - I have left the ‘Hill’ behind and will soon reach the quite road Home.

The hot dry evening was coming to an end and the sky prepared for the soothing Good Friday drizzle. 

Gift

A gift is a wonderful part of sharing love and appreciation. The gift itself is special and it is mostly enough to convey the message of appreciation intended. But then why are the gifts wrapped in beautiful papers with pretty ribbons on it?  A pretty frock given as such and given with a good wrap does make a difference. The wrapping makes it explicit that it is a gift given as a token of appreciation. It also ensures that the gift is not taken for granted and is noticed.

All the gifts in life do not often come with the glitter paper wrap around it. May be this is the reason why many of the little gifts that we get in life are taken for granted and why many of the gifts are not appreciated to the extent it should be. It takes conscious effort to appreciate such gifts and utilize it.

I used to be quite excited to visit the small piece of land that my parents had bought. It was sheer joy to see our house come up in this plot. By the time the structure was completed, I had completed my pre graduation and somehow lost the full excitement. I visited the house the day before the blessing. The painting was not complete. The exterior was painted fully white, including the roof. The hall was painted with a good shade as suggested by the architect. The doors and windows were also done. The wardrobes were yet to be completed. But the house had just enough for us to start living there. I took a look at the house again before I left for our rented house that day with no great feeling of excitement. All arrangements for the blessing had been done and we all had to just reach the house on time the next day.

I got ready and drove with family to the house the next day. The house faced southwest. So when we approached the house, I could see the morning sun slowly coming up from behind the trees near the house. The sight of the house caught my attention. I noticed that the rays of the sun rising up from behind the house added to the beauty of the freshly painted walls of the house. The thick rows of Lindana on the topmost terrace and the table rose on the terrace just below were in full bloom. I had never seen the house so beautiful before. The blessing ceremony began soon. I moved further to the front of the picture of the Sacred Heart adorned with Jasmine flowers. I had seen that picture the day before too. But on that day the picture had a special glow around it. Never again in all these years have I seen that glow in that picture when I sat down before it to pray. I felt a sense of peace within me.

The gift! It suddenly occurred to me. The beautifully packed gift! I thanked God for the wonderful gift he had given our family. I felt special that day. HE had arranged things so beautifully, the glitter wrapping of the sun rays and rows of thickly blooming flowers as the pretty ribbons to remind me that I received a wonderful gift that day.