Women are surely from Venus. They are beautiful, delicate, exquisite creatures. They are soft and elegant. They bring a sense of beauty and subtlety to the homes they occupy and nurture. They are caring and giving. Their presence bring a wonderful balance to this harsh world making it more peaceful and well kept.
Let us then celebrate women in general as well as some of the women who lead their lives in the public eye, not only for their achievements but also for their beauty and grace.
Princess Grace Kelly , Queen Rania, Maharani Gayatri Devi ,Princess Diana, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis -all in clockwise order Author-Arundhati Roy, Painter-Amrita Sher Gil and Authors-Anita Desai and Jhumpa Lahiri, all in clockwise order
Actress, Audrey Hepburn and Indian actresses, Saira Banu ,Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh, all in clockwise order Tennis players, Maria Sharapova ,Steffi Graf, Karolina Pliskova , all in clockwise order Models , Cindy Crawford ,Mehr Jesia ,Helen Brodie, all in clockwise order
What is this thing that we call ‘ life’. It is perhaps a process. It is a journey into the unknown, the depths of which we cannot fathom. It is a journey, the ways of which can be described only as an aftermath. The way is either disastrous and sad or fortunate and happy. However it is, we must all tread on it. It presents different hues to different people. No one journey is similar.
Life has offered me an array of possibilities. I have gone into the realms of happiness and sadness with equanimity. I have embraced both; happiness with glee and unhappiness with a bit of annoyance but to a lot of extent with grace. Success and failures have adorned my journey of life at varied times. Life is a torture in times of trouble and it a comfort in the good times.
Love arrived in my life to fulfill me. It has made me secure. It has etched a feeling of being safe with my loved one by my side. It has overwhelmed me in a good way. I must say that it is totally, totally beautiful. I have waited for it for years. It’s been a long wait. But finally it has come into my life and has taken it over. It’s a good feeling. It’s a wonderful state to be in.
The other day I came upon an old diary of mine and opened it. There lay in it’s pages my thoughts of the days of yore. Thoughts I had penned when I was studying in middle school. It contained my take on the characters I saw in movies. Recollections of the past times hit me. I realized on that day that I had written every word on that diary without being aware at the time that it gave me a release from the thoughts that occupied my mind. Giving voice to my musings was a pleasure. It freed my mind. And oh! the excitement when a couple of my articles got published in the Sunday edition of the daily newspaper that we bought.
I fully understood the thrills of writing as I reached my adult stage. Writing has allowed me to express my thoughts and ideas in an uninhibited manner, in an unabashed way without a feeling of fear or a sense of shame. What an enjoyment to skim the thoughts from my mind and give it the form of the written word. What a pleasure to catch an idea or a character floating about and give it coherence through the written word and ultimately the form of a story or a novel.
What are the thoughts that occupy my mind every time I think of my loved one. That he is loving, caring and generous. He is the one that has opened new vistas of thinking into my ideas of love and of life in general. My fears for the future has diminished for he advocates that life is to be lived in the present. For he feels that we get this life only once. I have now taken a more optimistic view towards life.
I am admonished by my loved one when I pester him for new photos of him. As he feels that your beloved should be quietly retained in one’s heart and not in some device. I love when he lovingly admonishes me. Oh, I just love so many of his traits. I absolutely love his voice when he sings to me. And I love it when he reiterates his love for me.
The twittering, chirping birds are a delight to watch. They move around in flocks or alone. Some move in pairs of two. Some of them would sit in trees and the male and female birds would indulge in amorous gestures showing their love for each other. Some of the birds would jump about in the bushes searching for and eating seeds and an occasional insect.
It’s wondrous to hear birds singing in the morning as also their chatter in the evening. It is amazing to watch them building their nests. One wonders where they learnt to stich and sew like a skilled seamstress.
Birds are not to be caged for our entertainment but should be allowed to fly away in the open sky where they belong and are happy .
Big droplets of rain dash against the window panes. I come and sit by the window and watch the rain drop by. I love the rains. I have loved it since my childhood. Childhood memories take me to an evening when I had reached home from school and it had started to rain. I can distinctly remember the smell that emanated from the parched earth on receiving the first rain of the season. There is also the memories of picking up of flowers, strewn all over the wayside by gusts of wind and rain, while walking back from school. And what to say of the small paper boats that I and my friends made from pieces of newspapers and floated them on the puddles of water formed by a heavy shower of rain. What fun to get wet in the rain during the summer season.
It is always lovely to spend a lazy evening watching the rain outside sipping tea and eating snacks and making small talk with friends and family. It can also be spent reading a book or watching a movie. Memories of my loved one come by as the rain pours outside. Scenes of rain are often depicted in films and in paintings and often creates drama in them.
Amongst the different types of paintings, landscapes are one of my favourites. I look at these paintings from a layman’s perspective. Someone who does not understand the intricacies nor goes into the details of these paintings but is still fascinated by them. I simply love the mix of colours used to make a particular setting come alive. The careful use of colours creates so many moods for the various landscapes painted that it brings forth different emotions in different people. While searching the internet for landscape paintings, I came across some paintings which I absolutely liked and am sharing them with you.
The use of vibrant colours in this painting gives a lively impression. As if the trees, the stream, the rocky mountains are thriving with life.
A lonely stretch of a path amidst the greenery is soothing to the eyes. It looks as if one can tread on it and also enjoy the scene.
A residential setting brought to live by a play of colours, reddish brown and green.
A lonely bridge sits over a river among the trees. So very realistic.
An isolated hut in nature’s abode. Looks inviting.
Reflections on a pond of the outline of a house partly hidden by trees gives an amazing effect.
Flowers in full bloom against the backdrop of mountains is a visual treat.
We haven’t met so far, my love. Yet, I wonder at this strong attraction between us? What is this liking? What is this pull towards each other through the vast distance that separates us? The only answer that I get after my musings is that we are very much in love.
I feel happy and secure because of you, my love. You have given a new meaning to my life. For the first time in a relationship I feel safe. As if you will be always be there to hold me through the travails of life. Thanks dear for understanding me and being there for me. You are precious .
Your sweet words ring in my memory. I read your messages again and again for it gives me such pleasure to go through the emotions that your words evoke. I hold on to them. Your voice over the phone makes my days more livable for then l feel so very close to you.
How best to spend Valentine’s Day and the month that it belongs to other than by listening to some songs dedicated to love. Songs that express so beautifully the devotion to the lover, the beauty of the loved one, the pain of the beloved and the angst of separation from one’s sweetheart. Here are a few of the love songs that I love. They have given me pleasure. They have soothed my nerves. They have lightened up so many of my evenings. They have filled me with the idea of love so that I seek love everyday of my life. Love seems real and attainable because of them.
Song sung by Bryan Adams
The first song that has stayed with me over the years is sung by Bryan Adams, “Everything I do, I do it for you.” So beautiful – it beseeches one’s lover to search for love and find it within one’s heart. To seek love in the lover’s gaze. It reminds the beloved that every one of his actions is for her only. The poignancy of the song touches me every time I hear it. I am just taken over by it.
Sung by George Michael
“Careless Whisper” expresses the angst of losing your loved one and the realization that the dance of life would not be possible -” I’m never gonna dance again. Guilty feet, have got no rythm”. The lilting tune just mesmerizes.
“Don’t turn away, I need your love ’cause you are the only one I have been dreaming of. Don’t turn away, don’t close the door. For you are the only one I am hoping for. Come hold me tight, I need your light. Come and take me to the place I long to be “- Song sung by Goran Karan.
This song I had heard recently. It’s one line “Be my shelter when the angels disappear” is my favourite. The tune is absolutely beautiful.
Song sung by Celine Dion
The song describes the attributes of a lover and the gifts that he bestows on his lady love. It is simply wonderful to hear it.
Song sung by Ed Sheeran
The song brings back the nostalgia of the youthful days. It’s simple and sweet.
Song sung by Christina Perri
This song signifies the courage gotten from one’s lover to enter the pact of love. It is infectious.
A piece of cake adds that extra zing to a cup of tea or coffee. There are the simple cakes and there are pastries. Pastries are of different flavors and different colours and tastes. Black Forest, White Forest, Red Velvet, Butter Scotch, Chocolate cake are some of the different pastries.
People also make sponge cake, cupcake, cheesecake and brownies.
Cakes are baked to celebrate special occasions like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas.
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