A cracked lip; raw skin; I pined for orange flickers Of a dancing fire. A cutting blast of air Had caught me unawares, again! – reinforcing my desire. Turning down an avenue, I froze; bald, suspicious trees – likely destined for a pyre – Laughed off the icy chill Of callous Winter nights. And I? Simply to retire Inside a clasping chair Of warming solitude. And at the door, a festive choir. I guess everyone in my peer group go crazy when I say ‘I love winters’. But it is a fact I m winter lover. I love the snow, the coziness in sleeps, the warm food, I mean I love everything about winter. No doubt the main reason is’ Christmas’. The season of joy. It is this season which gives you lot of reason to smile. But usually people generally tend to see only the dry side of it. It is very  [...] 

Garden Magic This is the garden’s magic, That through the sunny hours The gardener who tends it, Himself outgrows his flowers. He grows by gift of patience, Since he who sows must know That only in the Lord’s good time Does any seedling grow. He learns from buds unfolding, From each tight leaf unfurled, That his own heart, expanding, Is one with all the world. He bares his head to sunshine, His bending back a sign Of grace, and ev’ry shower becomes His sacramental wine. And when at last his labors Bring forth the very stuff And substance of all beauty This is reward enough. -MARIE NETTLETON CARROLL “Oh grandpa, when will this plant grow? I water everyday, I take care. But still it is going big” my grumbling voice used to get more agitated by looking at the plant which  [...] 

It was hell experience for 5 year old Isobel’s parents when they use to see their doting child in unendurable pain. For any parent it is just like facing death. Children have huge power: when they laugh the entire world laugh with them and when they cry the entire world cry with them. One should have great threshold to see a child a crying. At least for me I couldn’t see that sweet little Isobel crying out of pain. But sometimes cure is not in our hands but yes prayers and preventions are definitely in our hands. Isobel’s family was my neighbor. Her father Dr.Luis was a physician. They were a lovely family. Both her parents were absolutely crazy for sweet little Isobel. But like it is said life is not all time lovely. All three of them use to feel helpless when they use to see Isobel  [...] 

I miss out on a third of the day Sleep on I lie down to sleep and lose control Sleep on I don’t want to sleep but remain in charge Sleep on Anything could happen to anyone Sleep on Lighten our darkness Sleep on O Lord we pray Sleep on Preserve us Sleep on From all dangers Sleep on Only God keeps watch while we Sleep on - James Hart It was midnight 03.00 hrs when my dad saw me walking in our lawn and got worried. For a moment he thought I am suffering from sleeping disorder. So he headed downstairs and stood in front of me in lawn. “Hi sweetheart, is anything wrong? What got you here so late?” his voice sounded tense at the same time soothing. His questions were actually answerable but I dint from where do I start “Umm.. Well nothing Dad its just I was sleeping and I got up again and  [...] 

“Mommy, have you seen green jam?” My 4 year daughter had plunged herself in my bed. The question definitely woke me but more to surprise she had got much earlier today. The question bowled over me. I was wondering where she saw GREEN JAM? At first I thought she might have seen in some fairy book but on asking she replied in innocent tone “well, I saw green jam in sleep. Mum it was looking so yummy can you please get me the green jam”. Her demand actually made me speechless. Heavens from where do I get this green jam. For the moment I changed the topic “hey Paris, who gave you this wonderful bracelet?” She was wearing a thread with colorful beads. Sometimes it is so easy to divert their mind” oh! This mommy you forgot, you only got this last night” she said flashing her memory  [...] 

Last night as I was sleeping, I dreamt – marvelous error! - that I had a beehive here inside my heart. And the golden bees were making white combs and sweet honey from my old failures. The squalling and yelling could be heard till the main gate which made me walk faster towards my home. The voice was definitely of my 3 year old daughter Lucy. I was just hoping she has not hurt herself again as of she was having temperature from last night. As I entered the living room the vision it self made everything clear. Well, it was my maid who was running behind Lucy for her medicine and Lucy rebelling hard against her desire. The moment Lucy saw me, she sprinted  towards me and in a weeping tone pronounced words “ Mommy please ask her to get that away, please, please, please …”  my maid  [...] 

It was the empty bottle of my sunscreen lotion that made me land in a cosmetic section of the departmental store where I found this two cute teenagers conversing about the most branded cosmetics products and helping each other to buy richest product. It reminded me the site of my teenage wherein even I use to walk with bunch of my girl friends in cosmetic section in hope that after using this product we will compete any fairy angel. I had to stop the flow of my memories, as their conversation was taking a narrow turn to fight. “Please Laura why don’t you understand this product is only for acne and not for oily skin” her tone was a combination of irritation and convincing. “Listen Grete you are small don’t you understand if your acne is cured you will be able to attend the Nyah’s  [...] 

“I am home.” My mum was struck to hear my voice; no doubt the reason was my early return to home from office. Yeah from past few days I am having itchy days. Gosh! How creepy it sounds but that was the reality. I rushed myself towards my room in order to get a good shower. My mother came in with glass of water and some fruits “you again had a itchy day?” I wanted to scream mom please at least you don’t call it in the same manner like the others do but what pulled me back was my conscious who screaming ‘ please she is concerned about you.’ “ yeah  mom it was the same like you all call it itchy day” I guess she felt bad for the words but pacing herself she just added” why don’t you find the root cause of this bad days ?” moms I just don’t understand how are they just  [...] 

I think if I were a woman I’d wear coffee as a perfume. Such a great aesthetic sense was created by John Van Druten. No doubt everyone in the world knows that coffee is a stimulant and energies your brain but to tell there are many more inventions for coffee. Millions of people drink coffee around the world in fraction of seconds. Coffee is a brewed beverage from roasted coffee beans Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small bush of the  genus Coffea .Once ripe, coffee berries are processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. The term coffee was introduced to Europe by  [...] 

“Where were you for so long?” Bennett queried in agitated voice, which surprised me as I never went anywhere without informing him. Somewhere I knew this is routine but still I expected him to remember that I had been to my exams and so undesirably even I replied in rough tone “how does it bother you? As of, you don’t remember”. This moment he sensed a roughness in my attitude and realized that he is forgetting something. Patting my back he said “oh! Come on I was just kidding, of course it does matter to me, Naia.” this made me to get on my nerve, I just looked in eyes “great, so you must know where I had been so long?” I knew he was not able to lie me as I was looking in his eyes, taking a heavy breath as of he just gave up “ ok, ok look I am really sorry but I really  [...]