My name is Bond…Ruskin Bond

 

 

I don’t quite remember when I began reading books written by the legendary author Ruskin Bond but I took to his writing like a duck takes to water. The simplicity of his writing appealed to me tremendously. I continue to read his work and eagerly wait for a new release because at ninety the man is still writing. The celebrated author turned 90 in May this year and said that he would continue writing for as long as possible.

Mr. Bond, quips, “Just like old soldiers never die, they just fade away, old writers never die, they simply go out of print." Born in Kasuali on May 19th, 1934 Ruskin Bond in a career spanning 60 years has penned novels, essays, poems, short stories, and some spooky stories that are loved by adults and children alike.  He wrote his first short story, ‘The Untouchable’ when he was just 16.   The Illustrated Weekly of India serialized Mr. Bond’s first novel, ‘A Room on the Roof’ and another legend, cartoonist Mario Miranda created the illustrations for the same. The Hindi movie Junoon is a screen adaptation of his historical novel, ‘A Flight of Pigeons.’

Ruskin Bond considers himself lucky as he could pursue his passion and earn a living from it. His writing reflects his deep love for and deep connection with nature. His works centre around themes of nature, love, friendship, loss, loneliness and the complexities of life and human relationships. His early childhood days were spent in the cities of Jamnagar, Dehli, Shimla, Mussoorie and Dehradun.  At30, he decided to move to Dehradun to be a full-time writer. He lives in Mussoorie with his adopted family.

The prolific author has been the recipient of numerous awards for his contribution to literature. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award in 1999 for his book, ‘Our Trees Still Grow in Dhera.’ Besides being awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys prize in 1957 for his book, ‘The Room on the Roof,’ he is also the recipient of the Padma Sri and Padma Bhushan awards. The fame he enjoys has left him untouched and he remains a modest, humble and warm human being.

His latest book, ‘Hold onto your Dreams’, which he has published at ninety is a testament to his enduring legacy. When asked, “What is the one dream that you are holding on to?” he replied,

“The one dream that I hold on to is the dream itself because I’m still dreaming. From 9 to 90, I’ve held onto dreams. There are one or two that are to be fulfilled and made real. So don’t stop dreaming, no matter how old you are and how much you have achieved, because you can always do things better. You can write a better book, find a piece of music, a better song or a better painting. You could always be better, so hold on to your dreams.”

Taking a cue from Ruskin Bond, I shall continue to dream and you too do the same. I can't name any favourite books because I've enjoyed everything which I've read. 

This post is my entry to Blogchatter's July TBR challenge. 

It's Your Ikigai That Matters

 It's Your Ikigai That Matters...

Create a vision of what you desire,
Then strive for the success you want to achieve.

Let your passion be your driving force.

Don’t be haunted by past mistakes and regrets.

Life is never hunky dory.

It’s a chaotic world

Your mental peace is precious.

Competition creates challenges,

It’s your ikigai that matters

Nurture it, it’s good for your body and soul. 

This post is part of the weekly blogchatterbloghop prompt. 

Two little birds are Chirping on my sill today.

 

Two Chirping birds

 

 

The alarm clock failed to ring and wake me at the usual hour but I was awakened from deep slumber by the sound of incessant chirping. I rubbed my sleep-laden eyes and turned my head towards the window…

There perched on the sill were a crow and sparrow in animated conversation. I was annoyed that the alarm hadn’t gone off but couldn’t help smiling as I watched these two. I decided to listen in.

Carl the crow – (cawing loudly) “Good morning Sally, how are you today?”

Sally the sparrow: “I’m good. I’m still rejoicing over my lucky day, which was yesterday. I found a birdbath filled with water. I’m so grateful to the humans who care for us, especially during this hot summer. Besides, the bird feeder around the corner was full of tasty tidbits. Praise the Lord for Avian lovers.”  

Carl the crow- Good for you! It’s good to begin the day on a positive note.

Sally the sparrow: “Absolutely. However, I don’t understand these humans. As soon as they open their eyes they grab their phones. As if their phones are running away!”

Carl the crow: “They live in their phones. Period.”

Sally the sparrow: “Their phones are getting smarter by the day and the smarter the phone, the more expensive it gets…Crazy! We could write books on humans and their quirky habits.”

Carl the Crow: “Ha-ha! So where are you off to, today?”

Sally the sparrow: “Just tree hopping. I plan to visit some friends I haven’t met for a long time and catch up with them.”

Carl the crow: “That’s great! There is nothing like good old–fashioned chit-chat. Good for the soul.”

Sally the sparrow: “What are your plans for today?”

Carl the crow: “I might take a peek into the garbage cans and then I plan to collect some more twigs to build my nest and make it safer before the rains commence.    

Sally the sparrow: “That reminds me, I too must secure my nest. I also wanted to travel a little before the actual downpours. Maybe fly to the other side of the river and do a bit of sightseeing. I believe it is greener and quieter there.”

Carl the crow – “Then do it, dear Sally! “You must”.

Sally the sparrow: “Thank you. I must be off now. My friends will be waiting for me.”

Carl the crow: “See you soon. I’m waiting to hear about your travels.”

 

The conversation brought to mind the simple but profound moments of life. Birdsong may not be just birds chirping, but a symphony of life’s dreams, joys and sorrows. So the next time you hear birdsong, listen in and imagine what they must be saying.