How one NGO is improving the lives of the poorest of the poor in India’s cities.
By Benjamin Ezekiel Holzman
(Appearing in an upcoming issue of the End Poverty Now Journal)
One doesn’t normally think of a construction site as a playground, let alone a home – yet for millions of children in India, life within the confines of a construction site is a daily reality.
NEWS BULLETIN: TIMES OF UNDERWATER INDIA
“Extra Extra Read All About IT”
“BMC starts its own water-bus called FLOATUS”
Yes you heard me right. The BMC, in a most revolutionary way, has taken the BEST services to an entirely NEW Level. Come FLOATUS- the new, lightweight Water Bus service that floats on water. It is rumoured to be able to carry the weight of 200 passengers without sinking an inch.
On the other hand, scientists at the Indian Institute of Science are experimenting to device a form of fire called FIRANI which would light under water.
For more details, Turn to Page 2
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NEWS BULLETIN: The UNDERWATERGRAPH-UK
Sunstick causes a RAGE!! Mass Buyouts all over the world
Reporter:
We all knew that the Fashionable Kate Middleton left her own legacy cosmetics brand. But now her daughter and heir apparent to the crown has launched her own lipstick called Sunstick. This revitalised new brand brings in qualities of the Sun. Through cutting edge solar absorption research and through solar vehicles orbitting our galaxy, this new lipstick provides the skin some much-needed vitamins to stay young. It is claimed that even though this is a lipstick, it is edible in small quantities and provides the body some much-needed Vit-D. Since the earth was submerged 50 years ago, people have been parched for Vit-D and this lipstick has it all in for you.
We spoke to the cosmetics company, Elizh and the company claims that this research can change the world. “Staying underwater has its own perks but lets admit it, we all miss that lovely bronze tan. Sunstick is the NEXT NEW THING. We are working on SunScreen, the essential lotion our grandparents remember about!!!”
Well, All I can say is the world awaits for Elizh to work its way through and give the world what it badly needs!!
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NEWSPAPER FLASH: SYDNEY WATER-HERALDS
SHARK ATTACKS CAUSE PANIC AMONGST CRICKETERS
Reporter
The Indian Cricket Team which is visiting the famous turning underwater pitches Down Under have complained of shark attacks. There was panic in the Dressing Room as Great White’s roamed freely outside even though Cricket Australia’s Ricky Ponting assured the Indian Captain, Dr. MP. MLA. Er. CA. CS. CWA. MBA. Filmmaker. Param Vir Chakra. aka GOD Sachin Tendulkar that there was no threat inspite of the pitch running right through a shark ground.
Sachin Tendulkar, at a ripe age of 100 shows the spirit one needs int he dying game of underwater cricket. “He has been there for so long! Every title ever known to man has been given to him for his vast and rich experience. We will take his word and then face the Australians”, quoted a youngster.
This is not the first time there has been a panic among a group of people. The Great Water Hole, the worldwide phenomenon when holes appeared on the ground and the whole world was submerged, caused the Great Barrier Reef’s wildlife to spill across the country thus endangering some lives while enchanting others.
Scuba divers, now out of business are selling goggles to everyone and the BCCI has purchased 300 goggles from them to be used this series and also in future overseas matches.
The status of whether the match will go on will be known in a few days.
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The Environment-Economy debate will go on. Pages will be written and workshops wasted still people will not get the point. It is inevitable. When the smell of green notes overshadows the smell of a flower or freshly showered earth, I suppose we deserve an apocalypse.
Lets just hope that we can really “invent” some of those things i mentioned above to cope with having to live underwater.
Maybe we should read about those Great Whites. I have no intentions of being devoured by one anytime soon!!!
Cheers!!!
Saturday, January 21st
Papa!!
Can you hear me Papa?? Papa Where are You? They told me you’ve gone but I don’t believe that. You can’t go. You didn’t say goodbye. I was just finishing off my exhibition in Jehangir when i got the call.
Papa, I… what happened then?? At that time?? They told me you were trying to help someone. And that you we
re carried away. Oh Papa. It isn’t fair that this should happen. You were simply helping a civilian stuck and they mistook you for Police and shot at you. Papa, I didn’t even get to see you once. I wish..wish i’d been there, to intercede, to stop it somehow, to save you. Keep you forever. Oh Papa!!!
Monday, March 4th
Papa, I didn’t even get to complete my phone call the other day with you. I didnt get to tell you so much. About how my exhibition went. It was beautiful Papa. 50 Oil Paintings i made. About Darjeeling. About Kolkata. About our home. About You. It was a success. Many sold. There is a re-exhibition.
Wednesday, April 16th
Papa. You pushed me into this even though i never wanted to give myself a chance. Where i am now is because you believed in me. Papa, I’ve got photos to show you. I did the paintings, i did the exhibition. I did paintings for corporates. I’ve been published about. I’ve got to tell you stuff. Now please come back.
Friday, May 7th
Papa…I’ve even started gardening. Keeping your roses and lillies like before. They miss you too. I’ve even painted some of them. Papa your room is full of my paintings now. PLease come back na.
Papa, the whole house is filled with guests. They keep coming and giving me their sympathies while i brew tea for them. But you’re coming back. You said so yourself na papa. Then why are they here. I dont like it. All these sad people in one place poking around where its not required. You’re totally fine. I just met you yesterday.
Monday, June 6th.
Papa, I’m painting from home now. I’ve relocated back to Darjeeling. I frequent those tea gardens and that st
all you go to everyday. I think you’re teasing me by not coming and saying hi when you’re just around the corner.This is not fair papa. You’ve been playinh hide and seek for so long.
Thursday, August 29th
Papa, they think I’m mad. Just because i talk to you and i can see you. Papa but isn’t it true that you talk to me. There is so much you tell me. Everyday. About your experiences. I know you’re around coz you’ve used some of your cologne. And your clothes look fresh and pressed when you meet me.
Sunday, October 1st
Papa, they are taking me away to an asylum. Papa, mum agrees with them. She thinks i am mad too. They are taking me papa. where is this place….papa do something. I’m being locked in a white room. They are putting some jacket on me. Papa..Can you hear me Papa?? Papa where are you…papa this is not happening..
papa..do something….can you hear m..!!
So the first thing we did was we climbed up the path and up ahead of the Archaeological Museum. And then when we went up and saw the whole Imperial Courtyard lined with army men!!!! In Turkey, every young man Has to join the army for atleast a year. The logic is that this will make the Men a Little (=Read LOTS) smarter and sensitive (=:P) and also develop patriotic feelings. As well as get everyone to compulsorily do community service.
And just then we saw…!!!!???
What did we see?? That remains to be seen in another Story, Stay Tuned.
Now Continued!!!
The Topkapi Palace gate was large and imposing. I looked back on the crumbling palaces I’d seen in my travels and wished we would care about our history as much as we cared about money. India would have a lot more visitors then for we’ve got a cultural heritage worth the envy of any country.
The gate led us to the main courtyard where we looked at the huge grounds split up into a star. We walked into a room which in Indian Palaces is commonly known as Diwan-E-Khaas (or the room where the Sultan held meetings with the priests and noblemen). In Turkey though it was called the Imperial Council.
And as we entered..whoosh!! The ceiling stunned us. Such beautiful gilded paintings and maintained so well!! Plus there were spots demarcated as to where the Sultan sat and where the Council sat. We were 4 of us sharing one audio guide and so we had to pause for a while to catch on to all the information we were being told.
The council hall has multiple entrances both from inside the palace and from the courtyard. The porch consists of multiple marble and porphyry pillars, with an ornate green and white-coloured wooden ceiling decorated with gold. The floor is covered in marble. The entrances into the hall from outside are in the rococo style, with gilded grills to admit natural light. While the pillars are earlier Ottoman style, the wall paintings and decorations are from the later rococo period. Inside, the Imperial Council building consists of three adjoining main rooms. Two of the three domed chambers of this building open into the porch and the courtyard.
We do not have many photos from what we saw in other parts of Topkapi. The reason being, we passed the Imperial Treasury, The Jewellery Room, The Ancient Relic Room.
All these rooms had items precious to the National Heritage of Turkey which is why we were not allowed to click photographs.
The Imperial Treasury contained relics from the Byzantine Age. Also there were articles of daily use by the Ottoman Sultans. The collection we see now consist of gifts of ambassadors, enthronement gifts, and purchases of the Sultans themselves.
There were shields and armours encrusted with pearls and precious stones. There were fragrance holders and goblets made of gold with rubies and emeralds. Queens would be proud of their jewellery boxes so carefully preserved.
Even the Peacock Throne of Emperor Jehangir which was stolen by Nadir Shah and lost in time, was preserved. I don’t want to be biased to India but amongst the other jewels, our Indian throne shone through. The pearls were set so carefully and evenly. It was a delight to look at it. Of course i was happy it was preserved in Turkey and not in India.
This website was one that gave excellent descriptions of the Treasury Room relics.
http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/topkapi.html
There is a huge line getting into this exhibit. It is a hugely popular exhibit. At the entrance of the exhibit is the Ottoman Symbol for prosperity and money.
the huge rush for getting into the Treasury Exhibit
I’ve yet got the Room of Ancient Relics and other points to do. But that remains yet another part of the journey!!
Stay Tuned
Day 4: 13th April
This was the day when we finally visited the Topkapı sarayı. This Palace is a spectacular example of the Ottoman exuberance as well as the passion the Turks have to conserve their wealth and monuments.
As soon as you enter the Topkapi, there are two paths, one which is called “Valentines Path” which is a path that leads a little into the grounds where couples can generally practice some PDA and an uphill road leading to the palace.
A note about Istanbul: This is a city that has a lot of walking involved..lot of uphil walking and climbing. To check the museums and especially to feel that you got your money’s worth, you’ll no doubt check every tourist attraction thoroughly which means considerable walking. If there are any plans of visiting Istanbul soon then work on your fitness…you will need to!!!!
Back to the Sarayi.. (=Palace in Turkish). We had to climb on a cobbled road that had some marble columns at the side on the grass. Cars could be driven inside though. On the way to the Palace, the Istanbul Architechtural Museum presents itself.
The Istanbul Archaeological Museum is something that presents itself in 3 chapters (=Trilogy ishtyle)
1.Archaeological Museum (=arkelogi müzesi)
2.Museum of Ancient Orient
3.Museum of Islamic Arts
Beyond the gate, the road continues still forward to a large ground with paths and gardens. There you can see the gates of Topkapi Sarayi
Now In Our Professional Opinion (=Oops oh crap copied the wrong stuff out of an Office Doc!!!)
Back to the point..what i was saying is this place merits a full day. They charge TL 35 to get in and it doesnt make any sense to rush it. There is So much to see!!!
Now i know keeping up with the typical Indian Itenerary (=I know we tend to Run, Daud and Race…oops someone’s movie list spilled over!! I mean we Indians tend to run across a country in 2 days and be proud of that!!) , with a travel agent, this would be done in say 2 hours but believe me there is so much more to the Palace. Not only are you seeing an important part of Turkish history and tradition but also has a Stunning Treasure Room.
Topkapi Palace was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. Initially constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, and expanded upon and altered many times throughout its long history, the palace served as the home of the Ottoman sultans and their court until the middle of the 19th century.The Holy Relics of the Prophet Muhammad, and the imperial archives continue to be preserved at Topkapi.
Following the abolishment of the Ottoman monarchy in 1922, Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum on 3 April 1924, on the order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Alrite for me to give you the coup on Topkapi Sarayi I’ll have to split it up into
1. What we could Photograph
2. What was Hidden from the Camera
As per the Literature that the Topkapi Sarayi Muzesi gave us, it was divided into
1. Main Palace (=TL 20)
2. Harem (=TL 15)
But we didnt end up going to the Harem 
we indeed were running on a tight schedule. After Topkapi we had to go to the Bosphorus for our cruise which meant we were having a pick up from the Hotel.
Like all other Turkish Monuments there was a full closet of information here. Which will be decoded and presented (=Sigh some disadvantages of working!! It does affect the language!!)
So the first thing we did was we climbed up the path and up ahead of the Archaeological Museum. And then when we went up and saw the whole Imperial Courtyard lined with army men!!!! In Turkey, every young man Has to join the army for atleast a year. The logic is that this will make the Men a Little (=Read LOTS) smarter and sensitive (=:P) and also develop patriotic feelings. As well as get everyone to compulsorily do community service.
And just then we saw…!!!!???
What did we see?? That remains to be seen in another Story, Stay Tuned.
Day 3: 12th April 2011
I suppose i ended the last note at the point when we just edged past the Galatasaray Lisesi. And after the yummy snack we picked up. The rest of the walk was filled with plenty of fun and lots of memorable photos. The walk ahead also had a lot of buildings with beautiful carvings and intelligent lighting.
In the midst of a chaotic shopping boulevard there was a black gate and inside lay a pink building which exuded calm and serenity. That was Church of St Anthony of Padova. We didn’t know it back then but we do now thatit is the biggest Roman Catholic Church in Turkey. It seems this Church was built by Italian settlers in 1725 but later was demolished and then rebuilt at the same site.
The building was designed by the Istanbulite Levantino Italian architect Giulio Mongeri, who also designed many other important buildings in Istanbul and Ankara; such as the Maçka Palas (which houses Armani Café and Gucci) in Nişantaşı and the Neo-Byzantine style Karaköy Palas bank building in Karaköy (Galata), Istanbul; as well as the first headquarters of Türkiye İş Bankası in Ankara.
The inside of the Church was dark with a lot of purple lighting. It was said at some time that the reason so many rulers used to robe themselves in Purple was that the colour was considered Royal. (=Not bad, explains why i love purple, maybe i was a ruler in some pichhla janam…hmmm Raaz Picchle Janam Ka..Anyone??…Anyone???)
Alrite back to the Church. There were people lighting candles in little tranches on the side a la Mount Mary Church in Bandra. In all it was a very good feeling to go there.
Oh i forgot to mention about the incident while we were snapping oops clicking pictures of the sign saying “Istanbul Shopping Festival”. Like the mad photo clickkers we are, we went on snapping and then suddenly this guy walks up to me and says “Thank You”… forget the fact that he was a decent looking Turkish dude but i had literal question marks floating over my head a la Archie Comics Style.
Then i realised that he had seen me hold the camera and had posed. (=Who does that…….we only click pics when our cams are aimed….forget it)
As we walked deeper and deeper looking at a restaurant to grab a bite, the tummies kept growling louder and louder. There were bakeries, shops with beef kebaps and roast meat with lovely smells (=Again vegetarians please value your senses and stay away from the by lanes)
Then was the prank stop . Ah this roadside stall was the best memory from the whole trip. There was this great stall which had stuff like Magic Ink, Fake band aids, swords you could push thru your head etc along with the standard supply of bugs, beetles (=More keedas for people who already have a lot of keedas 
). Thats how i get a photo of me with a nail through my finger and the funny disguise.
The stall owner was cool enough to pose with us for a picture with the stuff he has on display. (=Turkish people are really nice!!! Makes me want to go back!!) The stall opposite to this one had something for me!! Earrings!!!! Awesome ones, rock bottom price after a lot of bargaining!!! (=Bargaining is always nice!!! And funnn to see the other person’s expression)
Finally the perfect dinner opportunity presented itself in the form of BBQ Chicken. This is the place that looked really decent and I thought would have good food. Turned out the food was delicious (=For once i won’t comment on the food!!) Plus the waiter was helpful.
Totally refreshed we touched Istiklal Caddesi again when we trudged our now tired feet to the part of the Boulevard where the Consulates started. And what a Grand Procession it was!!!!! Holland, Russia, Sweden in a row with their Palatial Consulates with superb lighting. I could just imagine working in a place like this. Which opened out to a Shopping Boulevard 
Finally the road curved and we reached the end of the route (=Or so we thought we didn’t explore further). There the tram services started to take us back to Taksim Square (=Where we’d seen the doggie with the Fashion Jacket!! I’m telling you,, we should drop what we’re doing and invest in grooming care for pets!!!)
The return journey to Taksim was fast, not to mention the slight delay because a drunkard got into our tram and was subsequently thrown out by the driver. The fare is not much and the ride pleasurable. Photos were clicking as we passed the big malls and the Clothes Stores and the Perfume Depts!! Also there were a few mosques that we passed. (=All done with brilliant lighting.)
And then finally a cab got us back to the Golden Horn, Sirkeci to 202/203 and to thus put a close toDAY 3
(=Phew they just keep getting longer don’t they!!)
sTAy Tuned for Day 4′s Masti
Day 3: April 12th 2011
This is the place we went to after we finished with a massive tour of Turkey via Miniaturk. After Miniaturk, we got some chocolates for the road and debated about taking a bus/cab to our next destination.
Every Country has one of those lanes filled with shops with gorgeous clothes and accessories which males think is their worst nightmare…(=:P Imagine, a credit card war…one chick trying to outdo the other…with the poor dude running behind wid a dozen bags!!)
Located in the historic Beyoğlu district, it is an elegant pedestrian street, approximately three kilometers long, which houses exquisite boutiques, music stores, bookstores, art galleries, cinemas, theaters, libraries, cafés, pubs, night clubs with live music, historical patisseries, chocolateries and restaurants.(=Believe me the chocolates are GOOD)
Soo this is the slightly more posh area (=Equated to umm say Walkeshwar with a shopping boulevard or Pali Hill etc etc).
When we took a cab from the Miniaturk we could sense that as we drove from Istanbul suburbs to the business boulevard and to Taksim Square.
There is only ONE way you can see IstiKLAL Caddesi, and that’s by tram…you can walk but that’s peasant like…live life King Size…Take the Tram
But like i said…”Hungry people don’t make good travellers and neither do they write “
So we went to BURGER KING!!!! Umm vegetarians will not find some good grub in Chain stores like Mac/Pizza Hut/Burger King/BBQ Chicken…Its like they roam with signs saying “MEAT EATERS ONLY”
But..bUt and BUT…roadside stalls will gladly make u a doner with vegetables and fries so don’t lose that smile 
Alright the best part for us was that the Istanbul Shopping Festival was on which meant that a lot of shops were selling great stuff at super good discounts. Discount =Indirim in Turkish and in some places it was Big= Buyuk Indirim or Small = Kuchuk Indirim (=Damn cute na!! My cousin couldn’t stop laughing when we said that)
The first thing you need for shopping, Cash….which we changed in the change office. It was quite an interesting Change Office because the had old Turkish notes framed in the wall and had mentioned the exchange rate of the Turkish Lira vis-a-vis the USD and there were times when the Turkish economy was in a bad state and the exchange rate was 500TL for $1.
There was Accessorise, the uber cool store with accessories too expensive for people to buy..This one though had bags and chappals made in China and Stoles “Made in Mumbai, India” That was such a proud moment, seeing those 4 words
We stopped at a Store and picked up a pair of jeans for my sis. That shop had the most awesome discounts with a lot of clothes going for under Rs 300 While we walked we saw the Greek Embassy. We realised that this street had buildings which were very well done with a lot of delicate carvings. We were also to realise that this street had many more embassies and also one of Turkey’s most famous educational Institutions.
You won’t believe how crowded this street is. There are so many people who use the boulevard, all of them who are really pretty. Oh one of the things i forgot to mention that at the entrance of Istiklal Caddesi there was a giant shoe, made of many many shoes..it was a party slipper actually 
There are several by lanes which lead us to many different spots i guess but we didn’t explore them. Also there were a lot of carts selling Kestane!!
But the best of the lot was the chocolate store that we went to which had been there since 1924..(=Talk About Old). It sold the yummiest chocolate with pistachios and hazelnuts. Plus there was white chocolate too!!! MMM..we did buy some btw!!
Next Up was..
Galatasaray Square is located at approximately the center of the avenue and is home to one of the finest educational institutions established in Turkey at the time of the Ottoman Empire;originally known as Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu now known as the and today known as Galatasaray Lisesi.
We suddenly came to this square where the boulevard widened..we looked and in front of us weremajestic iron gates and a huge, really huge palatial structure which is the Galatasaray Lisesi
There we saw a shop selling Simit (=bread with sesame). it not only has simits but a whole range of breads and pattisiere (=Yumm) and in all sorts of sizes with the most awesome glaze and chocolate drops!! And the icing was drop dead delicious looking..i said LOOKing,,we didn’t end up eating any though. There were also a range of sandwiches with varied fillings. A yumm stop.
A little ahead of it the boulevard continued again with an array of shops and Embassies of different countries, each with a more magnificent castle as their own. Also there was a church, some food, some wacky stuff, a ride back, and the night view…
But that’s of course another story
Stay Tuned!!
The One That Got Away
There was a sharp pull in my right foot as I ran to catch a train. The more I pulled, the harder it became to go ahead. Until I stopped. And let that train go away.
As I ran towards the platform, waiting for another one, it pained me that I had let that train go away. That I was late for class is a given but the whole system of running from one place to another was taking a toll on me.
The more you push yourself headlong into the world, the more it tries to bounce you out. They didn’t come up with ‘push or perish’ for any specific reason. Our whole life it’s been, push yourself to get better results, push others to make your way to the top, push your point to win an argument, push so you can get your work done fast without worrying about the consequences.
A very wise man once said to me that the world expects you to be like the moon and show only your bright side, the one lit by the sun. What everyone fails to realise is that there is always a dark side, a flip side, the back side that nobody sees. It’s become such a routine really. Sometimes it feels like we’re playing very well cut out roles in someone else’s Iliad or Odyssey.
I wondered how it came to be this way, all of us acting different lives everywhere. Putting on a face at work, pushing through the week with glassy eyes and then pushing through the weekend dreading the week ahead.
When we were small, they told us about values and ethics and how to be a good girl/boy. And the minute we started dreaming, they wanted a share of that too. It’s like the whole world is out to tax every bit of your happiness that you must share. Even though your arm is twisted, you have to smile.
All my life at least, I’ve been told to grow up. To take on responsibilities and to do things simply because they should be done. Even I haven’t spared myself some downgrading critique when I didn’t come up to someone else’s words.
When did letting a train go become such a crime? When did we start taxing smiles and exempting anger, moodiness and arrogance? How did we come to function like “adults” but instead displaying the most childish behaviour everywhere? And then we complain of meltdowns and curse ourselves when sometimes we just can’t help crying for no reason at all.
Indeed I’ve come to realise that life is what slips by when we push to stay in the train. Maybe those few minutes looking at yourself in the mirror weren’t so bad. Maybe I can cut myself some slack if I fall asleep while watching TV. Maybe you can just laugh at your mistake instead of wanting to kick yourself.
Maybe letting go isn’t so bad after all. Maybe, in a hidden way, we all hope someone helps us let go and grow up after all!
Walk Alone but Walk Strong!!!
Dear Mama,
I know i know its been a long time since i’ve written but these beastly schedules!!! I know you’re keeping very well. I think about you every day you know, remember those holidays at the beach when i used to build those castles and you got me the good ol’ chocolate ice from Mr Jones’s stall. I wish i’d get a break like that or that we could go to the beach together. Work’s been keeping me busy these days. I’ve been getting to learn a lot of new things. Its a little stressful but i wake up in the morning remembering your smile and that keeps me going.
I really wish you could see my apartment now. I’ve got some new stuff you’d like. I also finally got those paintings up which you’d kept in the attic all along as a memory. I thought that you were being funny keeping random bits of paper with my name and some random lines representing art, But now i see your point. These random bits remind me of you!!
Work is going good albeit a little tough. There are a lot of times when i remember those anecdotes you’d told me when i was growing up. You should see how I’ve changed from your “small cutie pie” to an “urban working woman.”
I wish i could tell you everyday about what happens, how the neighbors keep fighting or how my cooking is going by. I wish i could tell you how much i miss you when i need to go shopping. I wish i could hold your hand. There are times when i wish i could go inside the frame and hug you tight and never let you go.
There is so much i want to tell you. And so much of it i do tell you, through my letters. I miss your fragrance, that favourite perfume of yours, those pies you used to bake, those parties you dressed up for. There’s so much you’ve missed being a part of. So much i want to show.
I’m rendered helpless though. I know you had to go. I know you were in pain. I know it was for the best. But I can’t help wondering why the world’s sweetest, most understanding and accomodating mom who cooked the best food, took me to the best places for holidays and listened to my every rant and rave..had to go.
I could never even tell you how much I loved you when i held your hand that day. Words failed me as i looked at the serene smile on your face, as i saw life leave those eyes, to travel into a world of their own. I just knew that you’d left behind the world a much better place. And i loved you for that.
Waiting for a pat before i sleep
Loads of Love
Nina
(Dedicated to a mum who left behind a beautiful world, whose smile made a family smile)
The sudden darkness in the sky surprised her. After two months of summer sunshine, the blue sky had become an ally. She’d been occupied with work and seldom got to see the sky in element. Sometimes it surprised her with its vivid colours and always seemed to acknowledge her presence. The quiet gray was disconcerting.
She shrugged and pulled her bag closer. It looked as if she was a visitor, with her black bag and white sneakers. The crowd pushed her trying to make their way, in time to reach work. She leaned against the railing and watched the sky, curious. The more she saw it, the calmer she felt. The canvas above was in monotones of grey and white. It somehow seemed to colour the buildings around as well. Everything looked centred and in tranquil despite the obvious rush in front of a railway station.
Suddenly there was a breeze. She couldn’t help but smile. The breeze turned to droplets soon after. The first showers!!! There were screams as people rushed to protect themselves from the rain and mud. The earth rejoiced, and leaves danced.
She looked at the watch annoyed. It was time for her to go. A new day in office awaited her. Pulling her bag closer, she walked. It seemed that a hand was pulling her back. She’d always enjoyed the rains. A part of her ached to let go of all the trials and pressures and just spread her arms for a while.
Try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the feeling. Leaving her bag with a guard, she went and faced the sky. Little droplets scattered here and there welcoming her. The winds blew at her wet face sending shivers down her spine. She spread her arms out and gave the widest of smiles. She felt as large as the sky. Somehow she’d been waiting for this moment. At some deep level she felt healed. As if the raindrops and the gentle breeze were welcoming her back. From a frenzy of deadlines to a peaceful world. From being preoccupied to noticing the sky and smiling in pleasure. From holding back to spreading her arms out to give out all the love she could. Oh she could feel the sky spreading too, responding to her smile. She’d not felt this way for long.
After what seemed like an eternity, she turned and took her bag. There was a spring in her step and a wide grin on her face. What a welcome this was. What a celebration it was!
We are always in too much of a rush. Running to complete deadlines, holding the load of the world on our shoulders. We never realise there’s nature calling us, welcoming us back from that stressful part to the part where we just spread our arms, smile and rejoice with nature. This is who we are, celebration is a part of us. Look out of the window the next time, it might be your calling to rejoice, your welcome waiting!!!
