A warm red flower
holding on to a bare branch
waves autumn good-bye
Dear readers,
I hope you've all been well and happy and healthy.
I've been away from this world of blogs and blogging for sometime now. In fact, being away has become more frequent than being here.
Why?
There have been a lot of reasons.
I've travelled a lot this year: some journeys were about getting on planes while others involved sitting on my mat and closing my eyes. Some journeys took me to taste new food and wine in wonderful places like South Africa and Bulgaria, while others required me to prepare food in my kitchen in Doha, pack it in large containers and drive to a hospital to share with friends I've made less than a year ago.
As an empty-nester, my life is sprouting new roots and shoots and nourishing the ideas that I had put on hold while I was raising my family of a son and a daughter. As an empty-nester, my home has filled up with ideas that were once lying dormant, wrapped up under layers of excuses. They are now free to walk in the nude in any part of the house at any time without raising grunts of disapproval or ridicule or disbelief or lack of confidence. They're blossoming now. Some are higgledy-piggledy while others are thriving with a life force of their own. Life is being lived with gusto and pauses as the heart pleases.
Departing from a grid of routine or a matrix of people/situations/habits/compulsions can be challenging at first. But hang in there. Trust me.
The song that lies in between the lines of lyrics, in the space between the end of one note and the beginning of the next, will reveal itself to you if you let it.
Four decades of life lived, perhaps a couple more to go, I find myself needing less of everything. Perhaps, it's the blessings I'm thankful for: the blessings of having enough.
Perhaps, it's the age.
Perhaps, it's time spent on travelling within.
Perhaps, the Universe has presented kindred spirits in my circle because I'm ready now.
More and more, I feel, less and less is needed.
Less of talk, more of action.
Less of sharing my words, more of listening to others.
Less of accumulating, more of enjoying what I already have.
Less of planning for the future, more of loving the living of the now...this moment...right here...this exact one...this one ...when my fingers are touching the keys of my laptop and words from my heart are pouring out on the screen...this exact moment...it's here now...gone now...
And that is all.
Lesser, fewer distractions.
More and more of birdsong, poetry, hand holding, kisses, hugs, shared jokes, tears rolling down cheeks with gratitude and/or laughter.
Hence, this today: my first haiku: a form that uses the bare minimum of syllables to capture a moment in time.
Love
Arti
I hope you've all been well and happy and healthy.
I've been away from this world of blogs and blogging for sometime now. In fact, being away has become more frequent than being here.
Why?
There have been a lot of reasons.
I've travelled a lot this year: some journeys were about getting on planes while others involved sitting on my mat and closing my eyes. Some journeys took me to taste new food and wine in wonderful places like South Africa and Bulgaria, while others required me to prepare food in my kitchen in Doha, pack it in large containers and drive to a hospital to share with friends I've made less than a year ago.
As an empty-nester, my life is sprouting new roots and shoots and nourishing the ideas that I had put on hold while I was raising my family of a son and a daughter. As an empty-nester, my home has filled up with ideas that were once lying dormant, wrapped up under layers of excuses. They are now free to walk in the nude in any part of the house at any time without raising grunts of disapproval or ridicule or disbelief or lack of confidence. They're blossoming now. Some are higgledy-piggledy while others are thriving with a life force of their own. Life is being lived with gusto and pauses as the heart pleases.
Departing from a grid of routine or a matrix of people/situations/habits/compulsions can be challenging at first. But hang in there. Trust me.
The song that lies in between the lines of lyrics, in the space between the end of one note and the beginning of the next, will reveal itself to you if you let it.
Four decades of life lived, perhaps a couple more to go, I find myself needing less of everything. Perhaps, it's the blessings I'm thankful for: the blessings of having enough.
Perhaps, it's the age.
Perhaps, it's time spent on travelling within.
Perhaps, the Universe has presented kindred spirits in my circle because I'm ready now.
More and more, I feel, less and less is needed.
Less of talk, more of action.
Less of sharing my words, more of listening to others.
Less of accumulating, more of enjoying what I already have.
Less of planning for the future, more of loving the living of the now...this moment...right here...this exact one...this one ...when my fingers are touching the keys of my laptop and words from my heart are pouring out on the screen...this exact moment...it's here now...gone now...
And that is all.
Lesser, fewer distractions.
More and more of birdsong, poetry, hand holding, kisses, hugs, shared jokes, tears rolling down cheeks with gratitude and/or laughter.
Hence, this today: my first haiku: a form that uses the bare minimum of syllables to capture a moment in time.
Love
Arti
***************
Wishing you all joy and good health
jokes that tickle
daal, chawal and pickle
to make your weekend restful, happy and spicy.
Thank you for being here today and for reading this post.
photo was clicked in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town in June 2019
Less IS more... except in love.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you, glad to hear you're thriving.
*shoulder bump*
Ah L.O.V.E....it's so more-ish:)
DeleteCheers for the *shoulder bump* Jz. I feel like dancing now.
Hari OM
ReplyDeletethank you for letting us know you are transitioning well from one form of motherhood to another. I do hope that you WILL continue to share your words, for you string them together like pearls. Sending love and pranaams, YAM xx
That is such a lovely compliment Yamini. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will share for sure.
DeleteHugs and much love. xx
Arti, a friend Vidya introduced me to your blog! It has been so much fun to read. More of birdsong to you girl, more of kindred spirits, and more such words which bring joy to us readers !
ReplyDeleteP.S: I will take a papad instead of pickle, but other than that, a spot on wish !
Hey Anupama. Welcome:)
DeleteI'm visiting my blog after a few days' gap. Reading your comment is making an already gorgeous crisp autumn morning even more magical. Thank you for stopping by and for your warm words. Have a lovely day.
Ha! What a apt haiku to complement the phase you were in! We grow in different ways in each phase of life. Our current quarantine predicament has forced us to realise that less is more in many ways
ReplyDeleteThank you Namratha. I read this post again after seeing your comment.
DeleteSo grateful for this thing called blogging--for the connections we can make and for the journeys we can take despite the lockdown.