Villain : When I'm My Own Enemy

 

 

It’s the villain in me

That sets me back,

That forces me to give up

Or give in.

 

I see the darkness,

Not the light.

I see hopelessness

Not the flickering flame

That may be in sight.

 

She steals my courage,

Leaves me trembling with fear.

How I wish

I could put up a fight,

But I choose to let the villain stay.

 

This villain

She’s controlling,

Not accepting,

Resisting inevitable change.

She introduced me to overthinking

And negativity too.

I can’t live my life

Allowing this villain to rule;

I’ve got to let her go.

 

She still visits,

But I’m trying:

Choosing to be the person

I want to be.

Writing my own shining story.

 

I'm participating in the weekly Blogchatter Bloghop challenge. 

Light: The Bright Side

 

 

I’m something that you desperately miss during a power outage. If you’re a bookworm, be it natural or artificial light, you can’t do without me.

I’ve been around since the beginning, ever since God said, “Let there be light.” I travel fast, faster than you running to catch the last bus. You humans adore both the natural and artificial me. I’m in the functional light bulb, tube light, and streetlamp. It’s the gorgeous me in the chandelier and lamp.

You love me dressed in gold at dawn and in weaves of silver at night. I live in the stars. It was I who guided the three wise men to the stable where the little babe Jesus was born.

I can shimmer like auroras, glow like fireflies, and strike like lightning. You’ll see me twinkling on the Christmas tree and in the steady, tranquil flame of a diya. In fact, Diwali is also known as the ‘festival of light’ because I symbolise good and drive away the darkness of evil. How do you love fireworks? It’s just me strutting my stuff. Plants love me and use me to make their food. You are constantly advised to feast your eyes on the natural me when you wake up and not glue yourself to your phone. I’m so important when you click your selfies and pictures. Good luck with that!

Lighthouses fascinate you. Well, it’s me guiding the ships to safety and informing you that your home is dusty. You, humans, also love making a crack at me when you say, "Don't be a tubelight.” I don’t feel offended; I can take a joke.”

Then again, I don’t just physically provide illumination; I’m also used metaphorically, and that’s quite a feather in my cap—I stand for positivity, hope, truth, and guidance. I may also be used to describe a romantic interest or someone you love dearly.

And how I love this little quote by Marianne Williamson,

“Light is to darkness what love is to fear; In the presence of one, the other disappears.”

So I’m always busy, dispelling darkness in your rooms or reporting for work at dawn, painting breathtaking sunsets shining down from the moon and stars. When I dance on the waves, the ocean sparkles.

And the rainbow? That is definitely a showstopper. I collaborate with a few raindrops and some sunshine, split into seven shades, and stretch across the sky, looking so stunning that you can’t take your eyes off me. Naturally, I lap up all the attention I receive.

Have you ever hummed this cute little song?

This little guiding light of mine

I’m going to let it shine

Let it shine, all the while

Let it shine….

I’ll always be shining, racing and creating beautiful pictures and patterns and used metaphorically. Enjoy me, but don’t waste me.

 

 Has there been an occasion in your life when my appearance or disapperance has upset you or put things in order? 

This post is part of the BlogchatterA2Z 2026 challenge. 

Freedom Speaks.

 Freedom

 

I’m freedom. The dictionary defines me as a state of not being held prisoner or controlled by somebody else.”

(A few years ago, I penned the following lines on freedom.)

Oh! To be free

Just to be me

To say as I please

To stay or to leave.

 

To hold on, to let go

To say no.

To learn and to discern

To marry or to live alone.

 

I live as a hope in the hearts and minds of those shackled by the chains of oppression and injustice.

Children longing to be freed from the horrors of war and other evils hanker after me, longing to live as children should.

 

I’m sought after by women denied their rights and subjected to inhuman treatment.

You’ll hear my name whispered in prayers, poems, speeches and songs of protest.

You’ll get a glimpse of me every time the oppressed dare to think of a better life.

Nations have borne long struggles to make theirs. 

I’m often bruised, beaten, buried, silenced, or delayed, but I grow stronger when you summon the courage and come together to speak up against any cruelty or injustice that you may witness.

You must never give up, never lose hope, and continue to fight for me, and I will rise like a phoenix and be yours. Everyone is entitled to me. 

 

Where does freedom show up in your daily life? 

This post is part of the Blogchatter A2Z challenge 2026.

December: Nostalgia, Reflection And Hope

 December

 

The countdown to December starts in October. In other words, the countdown to Christmas begins then. For the Christian community, December is synonymous with Christmas. It’s party time and a period for family reunions. The preparations for the festivities begin in October or even earlier. Many thus wrap up December on a joyful and hopeful note, looking forward to a brand new start in the new year. 

If I walk down memory lane, I’d find myself back in the little cottage that I lived in with Mom, Dad, and Brother. Mom prepared a fantastic array of Christmas sweets and savouries almost single-handedly. I so vividly recall dad stringing up the red and white streamers across the living room ceiling, the excitement of arranging the crib and decorating the Christmas tree and the can’t-wait-to-open presents.’ The best curtains and cushion covers were brought out, and little me faithfully penned a letter to Santa for quite a few years. I don’t remember attending the church midnight service, most likely because of the harsh Jamshedpur winters, but we did attend the Christmas morning services dressed in our brand-new, shiny Christmas clothes. I also recall the month-long school vacation and carolling as a teenager. Basking in the winter sunshine and downing cups of warm beverages, wearing thick sweaters—these are winter memories that I hold dear.

Post my marriage in 1995, I’ve been living in Mumbai, where Christmas is celebrated with great fervour, but winter remains just a nip in the air.

Well, December to me is not just about winter and Christmas. Personally, I view December as a bittersweet month that invites you to reflect on the year gone by, focus on the positives, and let go of the negatives. You express joy and gratitude for every blessing received during the year, while the month gently nudges you to clear out the clutter and chaos and move into a bright new year, hoping for the best! 

As I count my blessings, the high point would be the travelling that I was able to do, my health remained pretty stable, a few windows that I needed to desperately open have opened, and I know that life will not stop throwing curveballs. I hope and pray that I'm able to negotiate them in the New Year.

This is my entry to the Blogchatter Weekly prompt.  

What does December mean to you? How do you like to close your year? 

The Wonder Years.

Children are the spring in your step and the sunshine in your day. Bubbling with curiosity and mischief a child will keep you on your toes. A child will love you unconditionally and will ask to be loved in return. The sound of a child's laugh may thaw the most frozen heart. Take away the online or video games and children will indulge in physical play as if their life depended on it. One of the best memories of my childhood is play time. From Hide and Seek to the boisterous  Kabbadi, I played and played well.

There was cricket and football of the gully kind. Awesome play and awesome childhood.  I was quite fascinated by cars as well and dad indulged me with a battery of toy two and four wheelers.
Children love receiving gifts.  Receiving gifts is a big part of childhood. The expectations and then the exclamations when the gift is opened. So much thought goes into those annual letters to the granddaddy of gift gives -Santa Claus. My letter gently went through the window and landed on the patch of garden, to be picked up my mom or dad in my absence.  It was ritual I followed for many years and loved every moment of it.
 My husband was wise enough to record the childish prattle of our sons on tape which serves as a great stress buster even today. Every time we listen to those mispronunciations, quips and bad grammar we are off on a nostalgically delightful trip, from which we never wish to return. The boys are now 21 and 19.
Tantrums notwithstanding, children bring love, joy, innocence, hope and trust in the otherwise complicated adult life and jaded world.  There is no place for envy, malice distrust and anger in a child's world. A child has so much to give. It is rather sad to hear of children being exploited, used and abused. The perpetrators of crime against children must be meted out the severest of punishment because where there are children, there is hope for mankind.