My 2023 yay moment!

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It was indeed exciting to see verses that I had penned over the years on the pages of a book and also in the virtual world. I get nostalgic, spiritual, funny, romantic and just plain creative in these verses. I hope you enjoy reading the poems as much as I enjoyed writing the poems. 
 

Penny The Partying Penguin

 

Penny The Partying Penguin

 

Penny was a ‘party penguin’. She loved to party and lived a lavish life. She had left home to work in an office, where she earned a good salary. However, she hardly saved anything because she was a spendthrift.  Penny sent her parents money but not regularly.   

Soon it would be Christmas. All the Penguins were busy preparing for Christmas, cleaning and decorating their homes and buying tasty treats. Penguin Place wore a very festive look with lights and buntings everywhere. All the penguins were happy and in good cheer, but our Penny was sad and miserable.

She had been to the bank in the morning and found that had very little money in her account.  She could not even buy a little of her favourite fish. As she sat alone at home, big, fat tears rolled down her cheeks. What was she to do?

Penny decided to call her friend Percy. “Oh, Percy! She said, I am in so much trouble.” “My bank account is almost empty and it is Christmas.” Percy felt sorry for her. “That’s too bad, said Percy.” “I tried to warn you many times that you were spending too much money but you didn’t listen to me.” “You must always, always put away some money first before spending so lavishly.”

“I have been so careless,” said Penny sadly. “I can’t go home to Mom and Dad for Christmas, nor can I take any presents for them or Daisy, my little sister.”   

 “It's okay,” said Percy, “we learn from our mistakes.” Percy was a good friend. “I shall lend you some money, to see you through Christmas,” he said. “I am lending it to you and not giving the money to you so that you learn to be responsible.”Penny was delighted. She couldn't thank Percy enough. She wrapped her wings around him in a tight hug. 

The New Year saw a new Penny saving a little money in the bank every month. After a while, she returned the money to Percy. Penny was now also able to send her parents money every month and little prsents to her Daisy. 

This post is part of the weekly Blogchatter blog hop prompt. 

A blogger on a lazy day

 I’m fairly new to blogging but being lazy is not new to me. Bloggers too have lazy days, when they switch off from active blogging.  What would I, a blogger do on a lazy day?

Well, firstly, I would move away from the daily routine of alarm clocks and indulge in forty winks or more.  Once awake, I would head to the kitchen to prepare my morning concoction of spices and powders, sip on it, slow and steady and then cut down exercise time by half.

The lazy day would see me enjoying a leisurely breakfast, reading almost every page of the newspaper and chit-chatting with family. I would decide not to do any writing. 

 Reading and commenting on posts by fellow bloggers would open up new perspectives and help me network with others. What better day, than a lazy day for me to catch up on the aforementioned.

I might want to use the break to give the blog a new look by changing the colour and fonts of the blog while inserting new images. Doing this could possibly attract more visitors to the site.

 "Talk to your plants", say seasoned gardeners, and as a new plant parent, that's exactly what I would do. I would also work on my TBR list, pamper myself a bit with lotions, potions, warm baths and masks, binge-watch my favourite series, listen to my favourite tunes and simply let the world go by.

This once–in–a–way lazy day will certainly do wonders for my creative juices because all work and no play makes a dull boy.  

How different or similar would your lazy day be from mine? 

 

This post is part of the Blogchatterbloghop weekly challenge. 

Gratitude Always

 

Gratitude - Now and Forever

    I could have a complaint for every single day of the year. Would I care to count my blessings? I’m afraid I neglect to.  Yet, if I were to examine my life there is a great deal that I must be grateful for, not only in 2023 but always. As I write this post, I'm reminded of the hymn 'Count your blessings...which we sang so often in school.    

 I walked into 2023 grieving for my mother who had passed away a few days before Christmas 2022. It has been difficult coming to terms with the loss of Ma.  I was blessed to have this resilient and patient woman steering me through the ups and downs of life. Mom and Dad were humble and hardworking folk and I give thanks for them. How excited was I, when my brother came into my life! 

Travel rejuvenates and I give thanks for the mini vacations I was able to take in 2023. Precious sights and sounds are now added to that treasure trove of memories.

The offspring is always on my mind. I’m grateful that they are of sound body and mind pursuing the path that they have chosen. Hubby dear and I  have our differences, but I am grateful for the shoulder he gives me to lean on. 

It’s gratitude and thankfulness that I feel for a friend who has taken me through the process of getting a book published.

I’m grateful to writing platforms who with their prompts and challenges, enable me to hone my writing skills. 

I don’t live in one of those swanky high rises or in a sprawling bungalow but I have a decent roof over my head in a good neighbourhood that’s resplendent with greenery and gardens.  There’s a nice comfortable bed at home and a pillow to lay my head on.

Food has always been on the table, and even when times were rough, I am grateful that I’ve never had to go to bed hungry.

Like many women, I suffer from the "I've got nothing to wear" syndrome. Yet, there is a closet full of clothes, many of which have to be disposed of. 

As for health, there have been ups and downs and I am grateful for good medical guidance that I can fall back on time and again.

I am grateful to the school and college for the education that they imparted and besides academics, I learned many life lessons as well. 

To the few people whom I regard as friends, I am grateful to have you in my life. I know I can count on you in times of stress and strife. 

Life is not without its knocks and punches, but those very knocks and punches may be a blessing in disguise, as the pain makes you strong and wise.

This post is part of the blogchatterbloghop weekly challenge

 

Festive routines that I love

 

I don’t prepare for festivals like my parents and grandparents did. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

I shall rewind to my childhood when the excitement began building up at least a month before Christmas. The spiritual preparation begins a month before with a season of reflection called Advent. The Christmas service in church is held on Christmas Eve and also on Christmas morning..

Clothes – New clothes are a big part of the Christmas festivity. I remember Mom sitting at her sewing machine and painstakingly tailoring my Christmas outfits. She turned out some beautiful stuff. As I grew into my teens and early twenties shopping for fabric with my mom was something that I looked forward to. Once we had decided upon and purchased the fabric, it was time to finalize the style and pattern and get it tailored. The early bird catches the worm and hence the earlier you stood outside the tailor’s door, the better your chances of getting the outfit on time. Today, I simply browse e-commerce portals and pick something out.

 

Christmas cards - Christmas card shopping was another activity that I enjoyed tremendously. Again, mom generally chose the cards and thoughtfully wrote them out. Later, the responsibility was delegated to me. I so loved the activity. First, you made the never-ending list, hoping you hadn’t forgotten anyone. Then you patiently wrote out the cards in your best handwriting, placed the cards in their envelopes, got together the bottle of glue and stamps and prepared them for postage. The season saw me making numerous trips to the letter box and my heart leapt at the receipt of each card- Ah! For the simple joys of life. Now, as instant as Maggi noodles, are the virtual greetings that go to and fro.

Cake, confectionery and Christmas lunch.  – The making of the traditional Christmas cake involves soaking dry fruits and preserving them in rum at least a month in advance. Mom generally did the needful and then a few days before Christmas both parents prepared the batter, pouring in the ingredients and stirring the batter manually with a wooden spoon.  Brother and I ended the process by licking the last of the batter off the spoon.

Mother worked hard to prepare a mouth-watering array of sweets, ranging from the humble kul-kul to the more intricate Chinese pigtails. I don’t remember doing much to help her, except putting my hand to make kul-kuls which required one to spread a little dough on a fork and then roll it off. Again, the parent usually dealt with frying them and dipping them in a sugary syrup.  Kul- Kuls are one of the easiest sweets to make after the dough is prepared and children are often given the task of rolling it off the fork. Neighbours exchanged plates of sweets and it was fun tasting different varieties. The gorging and tasting went on well after the Christmas season.

Sweet making has become a huge business today and I wholeheartedly support the enterprising clan by placing my order for Christmas. However, health does not permit the regular refined flour, sugar and dairy variety and hence I find myself experimenting with healthier options like almond flour, jaggery, and cold-pressed oils which are equally appealing, only one may have to acquire a taste for them which one eventually does. The ordered sweets are devoured by the offspring.

 Christmas lunch includes traditional meat preparations, some salads and Christmas sweets as desserts. The lunch and dinner menu may vary from home to home but it is all very lip–smacking.

 Christmas tree, crib and decorations.  – Dad hung red and white streamers across the living room, while Mom put out her best curtains and cushion covers. Everybody pitched in to decorate the Christmas tree. Christmas cards received were strung up, and Christmas ornaments and baubles were hung all around the house.  the baby Jesus was placed in his crib in a significant space in the living room.  Every Christian household lays out a crib, some simple and some elaborate, with mountains made from brown paper and even a social message.  My neighbourhood holds a crib competition, with each apartment complex coming together to put up a crib as creatively as possible.it is customary for each home to hang up a star outside a window.

Presents – Christmas is incomplete without Santa and presents. The little me faithfully wrote to Santa asking him for a hundred and one gifts. Dad played along, making a show of posting the letter. My sons didn’t really believe in Santa but excitedly opened their Christmas presents.  Adults remain equally excited about the exchange of gifts. Some homes place the gifts under the Christmas tree and the presets are generally opened after the midnight service or in the morning.

Caroling  - Christmas songs or carols as they are known have spiritual significance and add to the festive fervour. It is quite common to see groups of carolers visiting homes, singing their hearts out. Again, my teen years saw me join one such group. Though I am no singer, it was great fun.

 

So, as Christmas draws near, I wish you all a Happy and Holy Christmas in advance!

 

5 things that scare me - Fear and Phobia.

 

Escalators –I have never stepped on an escalator and don’t know when I will or whether I ever will. The concept of a moving staircase scares the daylights out of me. At railway platforms, malls and airports I‘d rather use the staircase than an escalator.

I say an escalator is as fearful as a creepy-crawly alligator

A moving staircase

😅That would be straight out of a Harry Potter.

My friends join me in the elevator

Cajoling me to step on the scary people - mover

I am terrified!

Ha Ha! An escalator to me only spells disaster.

 

Snakes – Snakes may be beautiful and fascinating to some, but to me they are simply slippery, slimy creatures who bring on nightmares even during the day. I fear snakes and I can’t even bear to look at one for long.  Many moons ago, my then toddler brother went to pick up something that he thought was a black ribbon, but which turned out to be a snake. The disaster was averted in time by my ever-vigilant parents.

 

Spiral staircase – A spiral stairway frightens me to no end. Besides the fear of falling through the gap between each step, I can’t take the twists and turns. They leave me feeling giddy and uneasy. A teacher remembers me crawling up the spiral staircase in school when the main staircase was under repair.

 

Cable cars – Cable cars don’t appeal to me. Once again, I am besieged with fright as I wonder,’ What if the cable breaks”! I’ll go plunging down and might meet my creatures. I fear heights.

,Speed – I don’t care for speed. Car and motorbike racing just don’t hold any allure for me. Moderate and steady is more my style. I will even caution the auto-rickshaw driver to slow down if he thinks he’s on a racing track.

 

So that’s me, folks, I am not a very daring or adventurous person. I love to travel but often have to find a way out of these impediments.  If not given a choice, I pray as if my life depended on it and at that time, it would.

Are you a dare-devil or do you too harbour fears and phobias? Do tell. 

 😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅😅

This post is part of the weekly blogchatterbloghop prompt. 

The image has been taken from pixabay. 

A Christmas reunion

 

Teaching and taking care of my parents kept me quite occupied. My social life was nothing to write home about. Not being married didn’t bother me. I occasionally had thoughts about Sam but didn’t dwell on them. Pleasantly plump with wavy black hair and sparrow brown eyes. At thirty - six ,  I considered myself moderately attractive.

Preparing for the Christmas pageant was both exciting and tiring. The day had seen numerous rehearsals, costume – fittings and over-excited nine-year-olds all over the place.

 It was 4 p.m. when I slowly walked out of the school gate and decided to stop for a coffee at the coffee shop at the end of the street. Sitting in the cosy café, enjoying my steaming cup of coffee I smiled as I thought about the enthusiasm of the energetic youngsters. How full of life they were! I drew from their energy and spirit. 

Outside, the snow fell gently, turning the world into a pristine white blanket, while inside the café the aroma of freshly baked cakes and croissants wafted through. Coffee lovers engaged in animated conversations or kept their voices low. I decided to let the world pass me by and enjoy my favourite beverage.  

 I looked out of the window, staring at nothing in particular when suddenly I found a pair of very grey eyes gazing at me. They belonged to a tall, bronzed gentleman whom I believed I had met before. Then like a flash of lightning it struck me – It was Sam. We had been neighbours, growing up together, until my parents moved to Missouri from Delhi. I confess that I did have a crush on him and it was my closely guarded secret. However, life happened and we gradually lost touch.  

Was I dreaming? After an intervention of ten years, Sam appeared out of nowhere. He stood outside the café, smiling. The same boyish good looks, but now a little grey at the temples. I thought I saw a softness in his eyes that I had never noticed before.  Sam had recognized me.

“ Amy!” he exclaimed, entering the café and heading towards my table. “Yes, it is, I said, grinning like a schoolgirl. “You’ve hardly changed, said Sam enveloping me in a bear hug.  “Neither have you, I replied still wondering if this were a dream, that would end abruptly.  Questions tumbled out. We both admitted guiltily that we had neither taken the time nor made the effort to keep in touch, except for a few initial letters. Nonetheless, it was as if the ten years had never happened. Sam told me that he had pursued his passion for travel and worked as a travel writer. He was based in Delhi, nicknamed The Happy Single Wanderer.

I told Sam that teaching little children gave me the utmost pleasure and that was what I had been doing for the past so many years.  I invited him home to meet my parents. They would be delighted to see him. Sam had never married.

All those years ago,

our parents had hoped that we’d take our friendship to the next level. Would we now take a leap of faith towards a deeper commitment or just remain friends? 

 We began seeing more of each other and creating new memories and found ourselves taking baby steps toward a commitment that came 6months later with the ringing of wedding bells.

I now believe in fairy tales and second chances.

 This post is part of the Bloghopblogchatter prompt. 

Image from Pixabay.

Adopt a Holistic Approach to Aging: Age gracefully.

 Ageing is as natural a process as the sun's rising and setting, and no one is spared. Can you come to terms with this inevitable part of life or do you spend your days counting your wrinkles and going on fad diets?

Embracing the fact that you aren’t as sprightly as a twenty-something and have to now take on certain physical and mental challenges would mean that you have decided to age gracefully and holistically. You want to be healthy and happy in these challenging years. Slowly and steadily you get down to adopting practices that help you navigate the inevitable occurrence of ageing. You strive to replace fear with hope. If you have ageing family members, then you help them move from negativity to positivity.

Ageing brings on a number of fears:

·       Declining health

L   Loss of independence

·       Lack of adequate funds

·       Living alone – loneliness and isolation

·       Death of a spouse or another family member

·       Diminishing memory

·       Fear of falling/illness

·       Being in the care of strangers

 

Tips for Holistic ageing:

·       Stay physically active: Your activity must not be restricted to only your daily exercise routine. You need to avoid being sedentary the entire day. Move, move, move! Move as much as you can.

·       Adequate and well–balanced nutrition: Let your plate take on a ‘rainbow’ look as you choose to eat more fruits and vegetables, decrease portions of other foods as well and reduce your intake of salt.

·       Prevention is better than cure: Create a safe home environment that will as far as possible keep falls at bay, see your doctor regularly and get screening done at regular intervals.

·       Adequate sleep: Pay attention to getting a good night’s rest and developing a bedtime routine conducive to sleep.

·       Cultivate relationships: Stay connected to family and friends that matter, virtually, if physically not possible.

·       Work your brain: Continue to use your mind as you age. Reading, writing, and crossword puzzles all nourish the brain and keep the mind active.

·       Nurture a hobby: Maintaining a hobby will add purpose to your life and make you happier.

·       Prioritize skin care:  Use gentler products on your skin, stay hydrated and get regular screenings for skin cancer.

·       Oral Care: Neglecting your teeth not only impacts your smile but also puts you at a risk of gum disease which can lead to other diseases. See a dentist regularly. Lessen sugary treats. 

·       Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is accepting and living in the present moment without judgment. Practising mindfulness does its bit to smoothen the ageing process. It improves focus, betters memory, aids mental health and increases immunity. Meditation, yoga and colouring are some ways to practice mindfulness.

The challenges of ageing may unsettle you. Surround yourself with people you love, do things that you enjoy and never hesitate to reach out for help regarding your concerns. 

 

A World Without Books

 

I for sure cannot conceive or imagine a world without books. Books seek to inspire, motivate, entertain, inform and educate. Without books, it would seem as if a limb were missing. Technology provides us with much of the information we need, but there is nothing to beat the pleasure of leafing through a physical book or getting immersed in one to fulfil your needs. Be it a dusty tome or a brand new book, books take you to another level altogether.

If books were absent from the world:

There would be a certain darkness in the world.

Books preserve knowledge. Today, we can source information from digital media and store the same on digital media, but digital media is subject to loss and degradation.

You would miss out on the pleasures of visiting a book library to pick out a book or simply sitting quietly, garnering the information that you want.

I grew up, as most children are, packing a school bag for the next day, making sure that all the right books were packed.  If there were no books, all we would pack would be a lunch box. On a more serious note, traditional classroom learning would be severely impacted without books.  A classroom sans books would never add up to being a classroom.

 

Wouldn’t we miss the joy of reading bedtime tales or just plain reading to our offspring?

Authors would have to take to other mediums to express their thoughts and readers would consume content, through mediums other than books.

Cultural diversity would take a knock as books often carry narratives about myriad cultures and communities.

 

    A bookless world would therefore negatively impact education, personal development and our consumption of knowledge. The world of technology is expanding by leaps and bounds but it does have its limitations.  

Dedicated To All Bookworms

 Bookmark

You love to read But the day is fraught With chores galore Oh! What a bore.

Then you place me On the page where you left off Coming back to read When your tasks are complete. I may be fancy, quirky or just plain But by you, dear bookworm I am needed time and again.

Straight From The Heart

 

Lessons Learnt Until Now.

 

1.  Change is the only constant.

Our life on earth is not permanent. One day we shall all depart. Circumstances, situations and people in our lives are all subject to change. Changes happen for the better or for worse. We are happy when the change works in our favour and are called to accept, adapt, adjust and accommodate if the change works against us.  Sometimes, though you dislike the change, it is good for you. The change may bring to the fore your abilities and talents, and see you coping in adverse circumstances or simply break you. 

A financial setback has changed a lot of things for me. Yet, it has taught me to count my blessings and be grateful for the smallest of blessings. Hence, as often said, 'change is the order of the universe and nobody or nothing can defeat change.

As much as I would like to live in a comfort zone, I have learnt that life has this knack of making you most uncomfortable. 

 

2.  Mental and Physical health is the greatest wealth.

Never ever take your health for granted. You may be up and doing one day and then awaiting test results the next.  All the wealth in the world cannot compensate for a healthy body and mind. After being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness 4 years ago,I no longer take my health lightly or for granted.  

 I've learnt that I must do all I can to stay healthy, both physically and mentally and then leave the rest in the hands of God.

 

3.  Friendship can be quite fickle. 

One of the most unexpected lessons that I have learnt recently is that friendship may not be all it is made out to be. True friends accept each other for what they are irrespective of status, address, power and wealth. But then again people change, so it’s best I  move out of the way and not break my head wondering why they ‘don’t like me anymore. 'It’s perfectly okay not to be everyone’s cup of cutting chai but to treasure friends who love, respect, and accept me unconditionally.

 

4.  Let gratitude be your attitude.

Complaining about that one black cloud or lamenting the turn your life has taken, gets you nowhere. You’re allowed to lament and complain, but keep it short. I was once advised to ‘make my own way’ and quit playing the victim when life didn’t turn out the way, I expected it to. 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.'

5. Everybody may not be genuinely happy for you. 

I've learnt that sharing your achievements and success with all and sundry may not be a very good idea. Everybody is not thrilled.

 The process of living involves much learning. There's trial and error.  The lessons are not finished. As life goes on many more will be learnt. Happy Learning. 

 

 This post is part of the BlogchatterblogHop weekly prompt. 

 Picture by Martin Hetto from Pixabay. 

Peace, not pieces

 If there was one thing I could change in the world, I would want to wipe off the ugliness of evil from the face of my beautiful world.

Evil takes many forms. War is one such evil that I would love to banish. War arises from the lust for wealth and power. War is so useless and hopeless. No good ever comes from war. This horrendous act creates death, destruction, grief and poverty. The time, energy and money spent on wars could be put to more productive use.  

The perpetrators of war rejoice in their extended boundaries, their enhanced power and wealth but cause a brokenness among their people that may never heal.

I wish I could simply wave a magic wand and create a world that was a haven of peace, understanding and love where people lived in harmony and accepted each other’s differences.

 This post is part of the Blogchatterbloghop featured category. 

Memories so sweet...

 Dearest daddy,

                           Happy Father's Day in heaven! It's been 32 years since you left us and the day was even sadder because you departed on your wedding anniversary. Well, Mom's there up with you now. 

As I write this, the memories come tumbling out. My tall, burly, genial dad sporting his signature crew cut and khaki trousers riding his red and white Lambretta always a song on his lips and a smile for all. Your good humour cheered many. That Lambretta scooter gave me rides to school, church and college. Those were good days, Dad. Ah dad, you had the pleasure of signing the report cards when they were all bright and shining. Poor mom, she was given the dirty work!

You loved your darling wife, son and daughter to bits. To you, Mom was the best chef in the world but Dad sorry to say, your little girl doesn't much care for the kitchen. Ha Ha. By the way, I have inherited your booming voice which works to my advantage and disadvantage. It came in handy when the boys were young. 😆

You taught us well, Dad. Generous to a fault,(in spite of being taken for a ride once too often) you taught us to be humane and honest in our dealings. We strive to live by the values you inculcated in us but life is tough and we may falter.  Spirituality and academics were high on your list of priorities and I am eternally grateful for that. Hell or high water, the daily family prayer had to be recited and we went out to play only after homework was done. 

About that spanking...well, you certainly did not believe in sparing the rod and spoiling the child...Till today, I don't have a clue as to why I shed those copious tears all the way to school in that rickshaw. I was just 3.  The rickshaw wallah was at his wit's end. Post his complaint to you, I never shed a tear. 

Dad your protectiveness which bordered on overprotectiveness irked me immensely then.  When I look back today, I chuckle. However, you were a hands-on dad. You were always there guiding and mentoring my brother and me as we made the transition from child to teen to adult. You introduced me to the world of books and I cannot thank you enough for that. You hollered at me for talking too long on the phone. You were so proud of me, though I didn't have much to offer. 

We missed you at our weddings and you missed seeing all 6 grandsons. Dad, you're in our hearts forever. 

Love you, Dad,

Marietta

 

This post is part of the Blogchatterbloghop prompt. 

He came home early

 

It was a match made in heaven and a fairy tale wedding. She willowy and beautiful,  he tall, muscular and handsome. They had been married for two happy years when he began to get restless and took to golf. He started to participate in out-of-town golf tournaments. Sheena was always left behind but he brought back expensive presents for her." I need some space Sheena," he brazenly told her.   She chatted nineteen – to – a dozen regaling him with tales of how she had spent the days that he was away. And he hung on to every word that she uttered.

She went away on some weekends to her mother’s house in a town about four hours away. She said that she wanted to give him some space and he rejoiced.

Then one day she broached the subject of having a child. He said that he would think about it. “Let’s enjoy ourselves, Sheena." Life went on…

Sheena and Rajiv came across as a very happily married couple. They went out on dates and holidays cleverly planned by Rajiv so that he could live by the adage, “Variety is the spice of life. Rajiv was the model husband at home. He helped Sheena with the dishes, bought the groceries, brought her, her morning cup of tea and generally fawned over her until…

   Sheena found a small diary that had fallen out of Rajiv’s pocket. She recognized one name. Rajiv had even introduced Archana to Sheena at a party. When they were married, he had declared that there would be no secrets between them and had spoken of his past loves including Archana. He had passed them off as mere infatuations.

Then they had their first big fight and Rajiv apologized and asked Sheena to forgive him. Sheena said that she would let it pass but in her heart, she knew the truth. The private investigator that she had hired was doing his job well.

A few days later, they made plans for Sheena’s birthday. Rajiv promised to come home early and take her out for dinner. Sheena went along with his plan but was hatching a perfect plan of her own.

Rajiv usually arrived home at 9 pm but today it was at 8 pm that he began to let himself into the house. The house was in darkness. He called out to Sheena.  An eerie silence greeted him. He groped his way to the switchboard and turned on the lights – Not in his wildest dreams was he prepared for the sight that met his eyes.

As he walked through the house following the trail of destruction, he was overcome with a sense of disbelief and horror. Broken glass lay strewn all over the floor, reflecting their now shattered marriage. Potted plants, the symbol of growth and life were lying uprooted, the soil scattered.Every corner of their home seemed to tell a tale of pain, grief, hurt and disappointment. 

Sheena’s closet was open and empty, Rajiv’s clothes were strewn on the bed and the floor and were stained and marred with spices and sauces, a bitter reminder of the meals she had so painstakingly prepared but that were hardly appreciated.  

Rajiv slowly walked back to the once plush sofa, now slashed and torn and read the note as he heard Sheena’s mocking voice, “Give my love to Archana.” Her wedding and engagement ring besides the note telling him that he was finally free to pursue Archana and many others.

 He continued to sit on the sofa, tears streaming down his face, as he was consumed by guilt and regret. The sun rose the next day, signifying the dawn of a new day but to Rajiv, it was just one of the many pain–filled days that were to follow.

Rajiv desperately tried to contact Sheena's friends and family but they professed not to know where she was. Private investigators came up with no leads. It seemed that Sheena had vanished without a trace. She had planned her revenge to expose his infidelity. He began to receive eerie phone calls and was haunted by her face and voice as he tossed and turned in bed.  He imagined her watching him from the shadows. 

Months passed by. Rajiv searched relentlessly for Sheena, desperate to make amends but in vain. The weight of his actions bore down on him and drove him to the brink of insanity. He became a shadow of his former self remaining isolated and withdrawn. Archana’s phone calls and messages went unanswered.

One stormy night, as he sat brooding and alone in his study, he was startled by a knock on the door. Apprehensively, he opened the door to find a man drenched in the rain holding a letter addressed to him. The man introduced himself as a private investigator. With trembling hands, he opened the letter.

Rajiv,

           Don’t try to find me. I celebrated my birthday by giving myself a new lease of life. I executed my plan perfectly. 

Sheena.

Overwhelmed by remorse, he cursed the moment that he had reunited with Archana. He had never imagined that the consequences would be so grave.

Rajiv never saw or heard from Sheena again and the memory of her revenge haunted him till his last breath when the neighbours called the police to investigate the foul odour being emitted from the flat next door. Rajiv was found in a pool of blood with his throat slit.

This post is part of the bloghop

blogchatter featured campaign.