Reflection post #atozchallenge

Nottingham, U.K.

Reflections-

What do they tell us about us?

Are they mirrors to our past,

Present

or

Future?

When we reflect,

do we have the courage to be honest?

Do we take off our masks

and see clearly

in the pools of pondering

or do we

choose to 

see what 

we know 

is not true?

*****

What I did in April 

(for the second time)

was the A to Z.

I cobbled together a new post every morning

followed by sharing 

visiting other bloggers

and 

commenting

and reading comments left by others.

Truth be told, it turned out to be more challenging to read than to write!

Never thought that was even possible.

But it seemed like that BECAUSE

there were so many amazing blogs out there.

Come on a tiny tour of the treasures that April unfolded:

I can't possibly mention ALL the links I clicked on in April, 

so I'll stick to the ones I found myself visiting every day, 

despite exhaustion and a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes.

Housework suffered and I gained SIX bloody pounds!

Those were the only negatives of April.

Let's move on to the good stuff then:

From stars by Sage to Eva's postcards and Phillip's envelopes 

I travelled to far off countries (on my bucket list) like Ecuador --thanks to Emily 

and Maui with Courtney

Keith rambled on about Amble Bay. I almost had an ice-cream with him.

Yes, all this from the comfort of my kitchen chair--

that's the magic of blogging.

IF you can forget the bloody pounds you've piled on.

And that ice-cream was NOT even real!

There was so much to learn and admire in April:

From Wendy's odd objects which came packed in the bubble wrap of  her funny commentary

To Sara's herbs which made Deborah and I want to tumble in lilac.

The same rolling in lilac Deborah mentioned jargogle on the day of J 

and I found myself in a state of yagiment--how can I use this word that reminds me of googly eyes in a jar? 

I haven't done any writing this week--so yagimenting continues -- but the good kind:)

I found out that there's "A day to celebrate your first kiss"--who knew it even existed? 

messymimi did.

Toni found me and when I visited her I found Frank's tree--I'll be going back to see more, I'm sure.

There were weird stories all neatly complied under the title WTFs to keep your creative juices flowing--although not always in the right direction--if you get my drift.

We all love stories and when they come in the shape of recorded history, one gets pulled into the narrative. Kristin rekindled my desire to find out about my family's history. Both sets of  my grandparents were refugees of the 1947 partition--when India was carved into two and Pakistan was born. They made India their home where I was born. 

Words are my wine, I'd said when I started this challenge.

Some people have the gift to turn their words into balm and salve our souls with them.

Thank you Susan Scott, Beth Lapin and Deborah for sharing your insights in April.

Then there were bloggers who turned into friends in a matter of few posts.

Jz, you know who you are:)

I've saved my favourite discovery for the last--

My soul mate

happened to come along into my life this April.

He goes by the name of Elliot and you can find him here, right Sue?

I bid you adieu

with a sigh.

I'll miss you guys.

But the EXTRA pounds won't go anywhere if  I don't get my butt out of this chair and on that yoga mat.

So, for the sake of a leaner me (summer is not too far away, you see) I'll leave you with a BIG THANK YOU and these lines:

"I would live all my life in nonchalance and insouciance

Were it not for making a living, which is rather a nouciance."

by

Ogden Nash

Till we meet again

in Thunder, Lightning or in....

Oh! No! the fingers are on a roll. 

HELP! 

Need to get to that treadmill---soon.