Passion…unbridled

Recommendations for a life-changing book I see

As an avid reader, I start pondering over the question instantly

Is there a book that actually changed how I view

The world, is this something that a book alone can do?

*

The more I thought about this question, the further back in time I went

To an age at which I was impressionable to a greater extent

I thought about all the books that left a mark indelible

On my mind, to see if there was a common theme identifiable

*

Of course some outstanding books I recalled

But the thread that was common to them all

Was that at pivotal points in my life’s journey

Those books had provided guidance to me

When I was struggling with illness, strength I had found

In reading a memoir by an author with an illness profound

When I was conflicted in taking a career decision

An excellent book had helped me make a choice with precision

A beautifully crafted book stood out in my memory

Because the setting in which I had read it had a memorable story

When I was learning to grapple with death as a new physician

A powerful treatise by a doctor was an invaluable companion..

*

Regrettably I have not read anything that has left an impact

In recent years, though I read much more these days, in fact

I am not as impressionable as I used to be

When I was younger, with more cynicism the world I now see

I would love to find a book that has the potential

To change my life, to answer some questions existential

Until then I shall continue to read for the usual reasons

Stress relief, entertainment and education

(Based on NPR report on lack of access to menstrual products and restrooms in Gaza)

She is used to seeing reporters around these days

Asking hopeless residents about the different ways

Their lives are in this brutal war affected

Whether they are getting aid as expected-

Many people just mumble replies incoherent

But to talk about a specific ordeal is her intent

So when she is questioned, she mentions the “issue”

Talking about a subject that is still a taboo

Is embarrassing, but women are in dire straits

To deal with menstrual periods with supplies inadequate

Is a nightmare- feminine hygiene products do not rank high

On the list of essentials that aid trucks supply..

*

There are crises being dealt with in a war zone

But this is one that affects women alone-

Menstrual cycles add another layer

To their problems that they cannot easily share

With the men around them, they are desperate

Trying to find hormonal pills to alleviate

Their suffering by halting menstruation

Trying to find a way out of humiliation..

*

In this humanitarian crisis most decisions

Are being made by men in powerful positions

Tragically, to this day, oblivious they remain

To the other gender’s suffering and pain..

All the books, printed articles and e-mails

I can barely read, yet I repeatedly fail

To get rid of them, they occupy precious space

To make matters worse, embarrassment I face

When I see them piling on my desk hoping to be read one day

But that hypothetical day never comes my way..

*

My sartorial interests are quite varied

I seem to hoard clothing items indeed

Yet I wear clothes from a selection small

At times I cannot find some items at all…

*

All the hobbies that I have dabbled in

Have required me to buy new things

That languish in a corner as I either no longer care

For that particular hobby, or have no time to spare

*

My life is cluttered and stressful indeed

I have stuff that I absolutely don’t need…

*

When clutter tends to accumulate

It takes up physical space but affects our mental state

All the excess borne out of acceptable greed

All the stuff we amass beyond our needs

Remains in the universe to create chaos

We celebrate our possessions but disregard the loss

Of mental peace that clutter leads to

Confusion and decision paralysis ensue

Precious time is lost in trying to organize

Ever increasing possessions before we realize

We have many times more than enough

And we are now being owned by our stuff..

*

At the snap of my fingers I cannot declutter

But I can ensure further accumulation does not occur

It is a small start, but a start anyway

I hope my life shall be free of clutter one day..

When the Western way of individualism disenchantment creates

To practices from other cultures do people gravitate

Thus “Yoga”, “Ikigai, “Hyggae” now dominate

The collective consciousness of our society, to alleviate

Modern-day ailments of different kinds

That increasingly plague the body and the mind

*

It is interesting that many ancient cultural practices have been ruled

As regressive and unscientific, summarily rejected and ridiculed

Yet when the modern Western way of living has failed to provide

Adequate support for its followers, they have begun to explore outside

Their culture which is considered hegemonic

Into other cultures, in a move ironic

*

The standard Western approach to life may be good for an individual but

Other older cultures are not irrelevant, and must

Not be treated as such, must not be forgotten

Their traditions and customs must not be overruled or overwritten

For centuries, colonization had systematically tried to suppress

Indigenous cultures, curbed their freedom to express

But in a new world order, we should realize that in order to thrive

Diverse cultures and their practices need to survive

Each culture has valuable lessons for life that can be

Imbibed to improve how we live as a society

I learnt this astute life hack

To fill my life with what I lack

Which is sleep of adequate quality

I toss and turn in bed endlessly..

*

The acronym is oxymoronically named “TENSE”

It makes you go through each sense

To determine the best memory of your day

You go down the list this way-

T (tongue) represents the best thing you tasted all day

E (eye) reminds you of the best vista on display

N (nose) is the best aroma you took pleasure in

S (skin) reminds of what felt best on your skin

E (ears) reminds you of the best sound you did hear

The day that went by wonderful does appear

When you go down the list of what you liked best

With your mind filled with positive vibes, you can finally rest..

*

The best thing I tasted today was Indian tea

A beautiful sunset I saw unfolding before me

The smell of my lavender soap stood out

The hot shower touching my skin felt good without doubt

On public radio I heard an uplifting story

I am smiling inwardly at each memory..

*

As promised, sleep is knocking on my mind’s door

Earlier than it would have done before..

*This life hack for better sleep is described in a book by Paul Callaghan named “The Dreaming Path-Indigenous Ideas to Help us Change the World”

If you deal with anxiety excessive

It affects how your life you live

You often feel embarrassed to admit

Your anxiety, you’re afraid you do not fit

In with people around you that you perceive

As appearing carefree, you wish you could achieve

The same level of equanimity that they display

In situations that make you anxious every day..

*

While you need to manage your anxiety, take some comfort

In the fact that your anxiety and hyper vigilance can avert

Major accidents- being cautious is better than its counterpart

True you get anxious, but your anxiety may impart

You with an ability to notice when others are in distress

The fear and insecurity they face, you can address

And no matter how distressed you yourself are

Being empathetic and helping someone is by far

The best remedy to improve your emotional state

Your anxiety this should be able to mitigate..

*

Your anxiety a character flaw does not reflect

It is of your multifaceted life, but one aspect

Let guilt not be added to your anxious state

As your anxiety you try to alleviate

(Happy New Year 2024!)

I’d like to give myself a pat on the back

For having done something well, but I lack

The ability to encourage myself in this way

“It was nothing special, what you did today”

I end up admonishing myself for feeling proud

And this rebuke my psyche hears, clear and loud..

I remind myself I am far from perfect at the moment

To become “better” in the future is my intent

So that I have something of which I can be

Genuinely proud, something that the whole world can see

*

I have noticed that no matter what I achieve

My inner critic continues to make me believe

That the person I am now is not good enough

To hear its constant rebukes is tough

*

Since this is a new year, it is time for a resolution new

The following is what I am planning to do-

I resolve to meet myself where I am and not where I want to be

Since I reside in the present, not in the future I want to see

I promise to treat myself with the kindness I deserve

All the negative self-talk has never any purpose served

So let me change the way in which myself I address

Extending grace to myself might lead me to happiness..

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one

Is a good time for contemplation

What direction do I want my life to take

What unfortunate habits do I want to break

I reminisce about the year gone by

The best and the worst I try to identify

When I look at things at the end of the year

Everything a little brighter does appear

The good times were good, the bad not so bad

Throughout the year, many opportunities I had had

To improve my behavior, my skills, my attitude

Therefore I end this year with profound gratitude

I submit myself to a higher power and pray

That the next year lets me grow further in every way

They tell you to jot every idea down when it surfaces in your mind

But when I try to put an idea to paper I find

Into something amorphous it has transformed

To a tangible, coherent shape it does not conform

The idea that appeared so inspiring in my head

Has fizzled down to wispy fluff instead…

*

I prefer to keep ideas stored at the site

From which they arise, most never see the light

Of the day, because they disappear from my brain

Some stay put, eventually I dwell on then again

And incorporate them in my verse for the day

I put onto paper and lock down ideas this way…

*

To write is to capture ideas and thoughts that may

Otherwise appear briefly and then drift away

The more you write, the more you learn

To lock ideas in your brain in order to churn

Them into words when you are struck by inspiration

The writer is an artist in this process of creation

I had this habit of getting obsessed with projects new

I would aim to be the best at my novel endeavor, all I would do

For a few weeks was to spend every available hour

In pursuit of my passion, driven by a newfound will-power

The candle at both ends I would burn

Everything about my new passion I would try to learn

Invariably in a few weeks the enthusiasm would fade away

And my abandoned project would never again see the light of the day

*

I was frustrated because meaningful progress

I could not make, I could not turn my passion into success

I would start on a very ambitious note

And then struggle to keep the pace and stay afloat

One day I decided to start the opposite way

I began with a simple goal, then I did stay

At the same modest target for a week or so

Before escalating just a bit, my steps were cautious and slow…

Years later, my interest is very much alive

I cultivated my passion slowly, and now I thrive

Doing what I had wanted to do all along

It took me a while to really get going, but I am now going strong!

•

Sprinting is not easy but still doable

But a sprint by definition is not sustainable

To push yourself to do something for a length of time finite

Takes effort and will power, but to sustain that fight

Needs you to go slow but make progress every day

It’s the infinitesimal steps upwards that pave the way

To scale a mountain, or build an empire- as they say

Remember that Rome was not built in a day

There was a time when my expectations were not as high

Even though I wanted to eventually soar higher in the sky

On earth I was grounded and did not require

Expensive things to make me happy, I did not desire

Designer items, luxury vacations or such

I did not really think about much..

My discretionary spending was minimal but i was content

Despite being ambitious, my financial situation I did not resent

*

As the social ladder I climbed higher

Upwards swung my materialistic desires

The explosion of social media made it worse

As I compared myself to everyone else in the universe

I acquired shinier objects to show that I had “arrived”

But I was less content, I felt less alive

*

Now, when my financial worth is the highest it has ever been

Materialistic luxuries are fast losing their sheen

For the fanciest new object I no longer crave

My time and effort now I want to save

To pursue everything else in life that money cannot buy

I am more grounded after having found wings to fly

To believe in the notion of exceptionalism is dangerous

Though many would support the concept in a manner vociferous

To believe in one’s exceptionalism makes one strive

For constant praise and acknowledgement, in order to thrive

It gives an all- pervasive sense of entitlement

Which can sometimes work to one’s detriment..

*

Not just individuals but communities and countries believe

In their exceptionalism, they perceive

Themselves as unquestionable leaders, guiding the rest

Such exuberant optimism can sometimes be put to a test…

*

Humans believe in their exceptional status indeed

The natural world exists just to satisfy our needs

The consequences of this exceptionalism are grave

Climate disasters and new pathogens we have to brave

*

Neither humankind, nor any nation, nor any individual

Should carry the hubris of being exceptional

No one is ordinary, nor is anyone special

Each one should achieve their true potential