Life as I know it.

Have you ever thought of giving up on life? A life which is unpredictable. A life which has boundless uncertainties. A life surrounded by burdens. Of regrets, Remorse and Despair Have you ever thought of giving up on life? A life that feels like a demon which suffocates you to the core. A demon so strong, so terrific that you lose control. Life is not a bed of roses, they say. Indeed, it is a mighty throne of bloody thorns that none can conquer. Have you ever thought of giving up on life? A life which is a mysterious puzzle. An undiscovered treasure. The truth is; You do not really want to give up on life, even if you wish so. You crawl, You struggle, You wander, In search of meaning, To find out the ways to overcome the obstacles,  To win the battle, The battle we call life. Keep fighting, Keep losing, In pursuit of a remarkable victory. Never give up! 

Pandemic hit the world, People got scared, People were anxious, Everybody was concerned, Economy was ruined, Jobs were lost, There was crisis, agony and despair, They say wear mask  People wore masks,  People had been wearing the masks,  Since the very beginning The mask,  That wasn't visible  The mask,  That can only be observed through deceit, treachery and hypocrisy.  It's the mask that everybody carries like a sword,  The mask which conceals the reality,  Reality of relationships,  Truthfulness of emotions,  Reality of the world.  A world which is surrounded by the masks.  The mask which is lethal,  The mask which will leave no stone unturned to harm you,  The mask is worn by people around you.  It can strangle you with the duality of truth and lie.  The mask is a serpent  A slow poison which will suffocate you,  The mask is worn by people around you, those who claim to love yo...

It's a man's world, they say...  I've grown up hearing this cliché statement that, "the world belongs to men"  I've always been a rebel, a girl who'd try and bring a change, a positive empowered change. I've raised my voice against injustice and cruelty that is inflicted upon women by her very own protectors, her saviors, men... But, today, I feel like a failure, a loser who is denying the reality of the world.  There's no point of fighting for equality or justice. It's a man's world after all. A man can do anything, they can exploit you, abuse you, blame you and seek refuge in the world which absolutely belongs to him. No place is your place, woman.  This place belongs to vultures, for whom you are nothing but a piece of meat.  Nobody would hear your cry. It is useless to seek justice in a wolves den.  No place for a woman in a man's world.  It's a man's world...

People fight, A woman's fault Society is flawed, A woman's fault Catastrophic disasters, A woman's fault My son is innocent it's her wife who is uncivilized My brother is a wonderful man it's her woman who is dreadful Domestic violence, A woman's fault Sexual assault, A woman's fault Acid attack, A woman's fault Men will be men let them have fun It's the woman Shackle her Keep an eye  Do not let her breathe  It's always the woman's fault

We are the shadows of the dark Demons of the darkest hour Surrounded by an eternal agony There's no place to reside  But a wretched gloomy street which goes nowhere, guarded by the hounds  A deprived shadow of the secret valley of grief  There's no way to go  The shadows feel frightened  The night is long followed by the forever eclipse  They mourn  They cry  They pray  Shadows are diminishing because of vulnerability  Dreams of light and day are dying  A light that never comes  We are the displaced shadows of the darkest night  We cry, we mourn, we pray 

It was a dull afternoon... I was standing right there, while you were laying on the hospital bed. I was numb...staring at your feet. They were swollen. I touched your feet with this desire that they'd show some movement, some signal...that you're here...with me. I couldn't believe the touch of my hands. My sensory organs were failed to process the information. I did not give up, i wanted to be sure. I wanted to feel your presence, your warmth. I leaned forward and kissed your feet...they were cold. You were never cold, Nani Jan.  I couldn't believe that kiss... I couldn't believe that touch. So i remained there, for moments... It was my moment...it was our moment. There was undesirable noise, of ventilator and respiratory equipment...i wanted to hear your voice. In that very moment, i wanted you to call my name. I wanted you to scold me...i wanted you to open your eyes and see...see my face and say, "you're not eating healthy, look at your face ...

Days passed by, nights have gone... Another day, Another hope... When will this come to an end? When will we go out? When will we see the light and hear the noise? When will we touch the grass and feel the warmth of the nature? When will this all be over? It's been months  Months that feel like ages... Some days are hopeful while others are dismal... Days passed by, nights have gone...  Another day Another hope...  A hope that this too shall pass... It won't be like this forever. We shall live, We shall breathe... A bright new day awaits us... 

It all started with my birth, Father was disappointed, Mother felt ashamed, People came to visit to pay their condolences over the unfortunate incident...the arrival of a daughter.  I am a daughter,  A great burden, certainly not a blessing,  An unwelcomed child,  An undesirable member of the family,  A curse,  I am a daughter,  A wretched soul,  With no desires,  No dreams,  No aspirations.  All I can do is, stay inside, cook meals and marry to give birth to sons.  I am a daughter and I am not allowed to feel alive,  I am not allowed to laugh or clap with joy,  In this way, I'd bring dishonor to my family.  I am not allowed to feel cheerful in rain,  After all, men of my family do not approve of this innocuous behavior.  One day, I forgot the rules...  I started laughing joyously,  I have always adored the rainy day,  So I came outside to rejoice those unusual moments.  ...

All mothers are great, but mine is the greatest. Sounds like a cliché. Even so, she truly is the greatest, bravest and the perfect mother one could ever ask for. Let's start from the beginning, when we were little girls. My mother used to work at a school. She had been an exemplary teacher to her students. I still remember the way her students used to come and tell us stories from her classroom, the way they used to appreciate her. Their eyes used to sparkle with great admiration and respect. She had always been the darling favorite teacher. And, I am so proud of her. I really am. So, where were we? The school, yes! Mama used to go to her school every day around 7:30 in the morning. I marvel at her management skills, the way she took care of ourselves, home and her school. Only a super human with super powers could do such wonders. Today, when I am an adult woman, let me correct, an adult lazy woman with a degree in management. I really wish I could be half as good as h...

They call it a deadly virus, I call it a chance for contemplation, It indeed is.  An absolute opportunity for us to explore,  To recognize,  To yearn for the very purpose of life.  What do you think life is all about?  Is it for us to get a degree?  Is it for us to hunt for a good job?  Or is it to find a soulmate and get ourselves a stable future?  The secret to a meaningful life is simpler than we think!  So, let's take a deep breath and contemplate the essence of a life worth living.  A life which is not bounded by materialistic possessions,  One which seeks the true sense of happiness and joy,  The incredible power of contentment you feel when you see a child smiling at you,  Or an old woman gratefully waving a goodbye,  Life is all about these little but significant moments of hope, love and gratitude.  The deadly virus has locked us inside our homes, even so opened the door to a new perspective....

All you need is love,  Kindness,  And Compassion A love that is for All, For all that exists in the world  All you need is, to be considerate of other fellow beings Empathy is all you require to be a better person No, you don't need all those jewels and gems to sparkle All you need to shine, is affection and warmth  Your true power resides in your heart  A heart that is tender and gentle  For that is all you need my love  A love that is for All  You are a human, so act like one who's generous and kind For, that is what is required  You have a responsibility towards humanity  Feel that, embrace that and be the first to offer help  Remember, all you need is kindness and compassion  Yes, that's all you need  That's what the world needs  Love, for all. 

I am Kashmir I am broken I am shattered   I am dead I've been bleeding since my inception  There's nothing left  Nothing can ease my pain  My misery is everlasting  I am an unending story of a brutal tragedy  A tale of violence and resilience  I am silent as a graveyard My beautiful valley is now a land of death and ashes My children are orphaned My people shed tears of blood There's nothing left but hopelessness I am bleeding, I am burning, I am dead  My ashes are being gathered by the leaders of the world They say they are among us They say they will leave no stone unturned to raise a voice A voice in favor of Kashmir Tell them we cannot hear them Tell them it's the deaf world  The world, where death is a celebration  Where they enjoy holidays to show solidarity  Kashmir is bleeding when you are rejoicing  Kashmir wants freedom  To live  To breathe  To feel independence and liberty  Kashmi...