My High School

 This post was written  for GBE 2: Blog On -- Week #55: “High School”

   

Our High School

   It had been 45 years since I sauntered past the wooden stairs, the assembly hall and out of the front porch of our high school in Nilgris, a hill station in South India to start a new life, college life.  Since then, I’d never met or seen my class mates! So naturally, when  four and a half decades later, our High School Reunion was organized, I was thrilled and appalled!

  I was thrilled at the prospect of going back to our school after 45 years and meeting my class mates. How can I ever forget our school, nestled in the blue mountains, surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees, silver oaks, clean chill air, dew drops on the lush green grass, chirping birds, our school principal, Mr Fox, my classmates- the girls in navy blue skirts and blazers and boys in grey with navy blue blazers and of course the red and grey striped ties? 

  But then, I was appalled that I’m a much older woman at present (signs of vanity)with tinges of grey hair, expanded waistline with maybe a wrinkle or two! Anyway, with oodles of self doubt and uncertainty, my curiosity about my classmates got the better of me and I attended the reunion.

  As I arrived at the school campus, I saw the present students seated under trees and laughing. Was it really 45 years since I too sat with my friends under those trees? Seems like just the other day!

  Anyway, meeting my batch mates and my schoolmates was an awesome experience! What amazed me was the fact that nothing had REALLY changed, in spite of expanded waistlines, grey hair and receding hairlines! Though time had separated us and perhaps time had changed us, I could still see the same mannerisms, the same smile, the same boisterousness and the same zest in them. It was like picking up the threads of yesterday and not of 45 years. Maybe that’s the power of the bond that we form, sharing childhood and early teens!

 

Cotton Candy Puppy

 Here's what I wrote for the photo prompt by Just a little place to write:

 I look around my empty nest, feeling lonely and gaze out of the window. ‘It’s still snowing,’ I tell myself, as I watch the white snowflakes drifting down gently on to the icy white carpet. 

 Suddenly a movement catches the corner of my eyes. I turn to see my neighbor’s small daughter, Amanda running around in circles in the snow, laughing and squeaking in delight!  Curious, I peer closely and notice that she is trying to hold on to something. Is it a snowball? No, it looks more like a cotton candy with sprinkles of chocolate! ‘White and chocolate marble cotton candy? Maybe it’s the flavor of the season! I must taste it, when I go to the fair next time!’ I think aloud.

I put on my coat and go outside to help Amanda retrieve her candy. As I near Amanda, I realize that the chocolate and white vision has life!

Amanda smiles, ‘He’s Ginger! Mom and Dad gave me this puppy for my birthday.’ Ginger seems to be a bundle of energy, sprinting in full throttle, jumping and tumbling! As I move closer, Ginger stops and stares at me, cocking his head! Then he dashes towards me, hurtling himself into my arms.

 I knew then that Amanda and the puppy were going to fill my lonely days with love and laughter!

A Full Circle

This has been written for ...

                  A Writer Weaves a Tale, Sandra's Writing Workshop Hop  

  Our prompt: Write in the close first person point of view.

 A Full Circle

I close my weary eyes in prayer. My tired mind wanders, travelling through the rough and winding paths of my life and dwells on a pretty face, with unpretentious dimpled laughter, twinkling eyes, smooth flawless skin and dark curly tresses falling about her shoulders. She literally breezed into our lives.

   My twin girls, just out of their teens and I were on the beach. What a perfect day it was! The blue sky, the sparkling sea, the salty wind blowing against our faces , our hair tossed about and our sun kissed bodies sprinkled with sand !We teased each other, joked and laughed uncontrollably for no reason at all. I paused to think, ‘Life is good to a single parent like me. My adorable girls fill my life with so much happiness’. Suddenly, a gentle gust of breeze hurled a hat at us and I looked up to see a slim figure, about my age, coming towards us to claim her hat. ‘Hi, I’m Anna’ she said. ‘Please, can I join you? I’m all alone. I’ve been watching you all have an awesome time together’. She went on to add that being an orphan, she had no family, never married nor had kids. Anna was fun and the girls took to her.

   When we returned back home, Anna started coming over very often, showering the girls with expensive clothes and accessories as gifts- a sure way to young girls hearts! Next, on the pretext of teaching them facial make up tricks, Anna started spending time in the room which the twins shared. Gradually I noticed a change in my children. Suddenly it seemed that whatever I did was wrong, my past actions were dug up and criticized. I was responsible for everything that went wrong in the house or with them! I was hurt. Explanations did not matter. I was wrong and that was that! Anna, even encouraged them not to tell me about the boys they were dating as I would be sizing them up! I decided enough was enough and forbade her from entering our house. My daughters looked at me as if I was an evil stepmother. They went back to their rooms, packed up their bags and moved out of the house! I caught a glimpse of Anna’s triumphant look, and it hit me, ‘Oh my god! She’s sick. It’s been her diabolical plan to isolate me and my girls. She’s jealous.’ I wondered how many families she had broken up!

I sat there stunned, trying hard to soak in the harsh reality. Everything seemed so irrational and illogical. I was not even invited for my children’s weddings .I was shattered and crushed .The beautiful weddings I had planned for my children had gone to the wind!

Helpless, distressed and defeated, I turned to God for refuge. I cried and prayed incessantly. I clung on to His hands, clutched the hem of His garments tightly, begging Him not to let go of me. My prayers went unanswered. Why? I heard a voice inside me saying, ‘You would never question if you had faith and trust’. Yes, He wanted me to be stronger and wiser with absolute trust and faith in Him! And slowly but surely, I was molded to be what I was meant to be!

Time flew, now my limbs are weak, my body frail and I am extra exhausted today. As I sit sipping my tea, I hear a car pull up on the porch. I continue to sit, feeling weak to get up. The door bursts open and my children with their kids enter, holding orchid potted plants in their hands for me. Somehow, I’m not surprised. It seems natural. It appears like I am expecting them! They rush to me and hug me saying, “Mom, every day we see you in us as we bring up our children. Everything we do for our kids, reminds us of all the things you have done for us. Thank you for loving us .We now understand your unconditional love and protective care. We are grateful for your prayers.’ They cried and continued,’ ‘Last night we had a bad dream. Please mom, never leave us. We want to make up to you, mom. We love you so, mom.’

 I hug my children, my heart rejoicing. I feel like jumping up in sheer joy! I send a silent prayer to God, ‘Lord, I can never be happier, I am ready.’ God answers my prayer and I feel myself peacefully and happily slipping away into oblivion, held lovingly in my children’s arms. Didn’t I hold them so when they entered this world? Now I’m leaving in their arms! A blessing indeed, denied to many.

Time for Jellybeans

My post for the Wednesday prompt at Just a Little Place to Write
                                                
                                                              Prompt:Jellybeans 

  

     Jellybeans! The multicolored assorted tiny bean shaped confectionery? How I eyed them greedily in the comic books as a child! I felt I was being denied the ultimate goodie as they were not available in our country then. The very word ‘jelly bean’ has a sweet musical lilt to it, is’nt it? I even wished my Tooth Fairy placed some jelly beans under my pillow in exchange for my tooth!

  However, time flew and jelly beans were shoved behind my mind .I have passed middle age and now all of a sudden I’m greedy again for Jelly Beans! Yes, you guessed it! Google’s latest Android OS Jelly Bean for smart phones and tablets! I’m finally going to have Jellybeans! :) 

A Full Circle

This has been written for ...

                  A Writer Weaves a Tale, Sandra's Writing Workshop Hop  

  Our prompt: Write in the close first person point of view.

     I close my weary eyes in prayer. My tired mind wanders, travelling through the rough and winding path of my life and dwells on a pretty face, with unpretentious dimpled laughter, twinkling eyes, smooth flawless skin and dark curly tresses falling about her shoulders. She literally breezed into our lives.

   

   My twin girls, just out of their teens and I were on the beach. What a perfect day it was! The blue sky, the sparkling sea, the salty wind blowing against our faces , our hair tossed about and our sun kissed bodies sprinkled with sand !We teased each other, joked and laughed uncontrollably for no reason at all. I paused to think, ‘Life is good to a single parent like me. My adorable girls fill my life with so much happiness’. Suddenly, a gentle gust of breeze hurled a hat at us and I looked up to see a slim figure, about my age, coming towards us to claim her hat. ‘Hi, I’m Anna’ she said. ‘Please, can I join you? I’m all alone. I’ve been watching you all have an awesome time together’. She went on to add that being an orphan, she had no family, never married nor had kids. Anna was fun and the girls took to her.

   When we returned back home, Anna started coming over very often, showering the girls with expensive clothes and accessories as gifts- a sure way to young girls heart! Next, on the pretext of teaching them facial make up tricks, Anna started spending time in the girl’s room. Gradually I noticed a change in my children. Suddenly it seemed that whatever I did was wrong, my past actions were dug up and criticized. I was responsible for everything that went wrong in the house or with them! I was hurt. Explanations did not matter. I was wrong and that was that! Anna, even encouraged them not to tell me about the boys they were dating as I would be sizing them up! I decided enough was enough and forbade her from entering our house. My daughters looked at me as if I was the evil stepmother. They went back to their rooms, packed up their bags and moved out of the house! I caught a glimpse of Anna’s triumphant look, and it hit me, ‘Oh my god! She’s sick. It’s been her diabolical plan all along to isolate me and my girls. She’s jealous.’ I wondered how many families she had broken up!

  I sat there stunned, trying hard to soak in the harsh reality. Everything seemed so irrational and illogical. I was not even invited for my children’s weddings .I was shattered and crushed .The beautiful weddings I had planned for my children had all gone to the wind!

   Helpless, distressed and defeated, I turned to God for refuge. I cried and prayed incessantly. I clung on to His hands, clutched tightly to the hem of His garments, begging Him not to let go of me. My prayers went unanswered. Why? It baffled me. Maybe, He wanted me to be stronger and wiser, have absolute trust and faith in Him? Yes. And slowly but surely I was molded to be what I was meant to be!

Time flew, now my limbs are weak, my body frail and I am extra exhausted today. As I sat sipping my tea, I hear a car pull up on the porch. I continue to sit, feeling weak to get up. The door bursts open and my children with their kids enter, holding orchid potted plants in their hands for me. Somehow, I’m not surprised. It seems natural. Maybe I was expecting them? They rush to me and hug me saying, “Mom, every day we see you in us as we bring up our children. Everything we do for our kids, reminds us of all the things you have done for us. Thank you for loving us .We now understand your unconditional and protective. We are grateful for your prayers.’ They cried and continued,’ ‘Last night we had a bad dream. Please mom, never leave us. We want to make up to you, mom. We love you so, mom.’

 I hugged my children, heart and soul rejoicing .I feel like jumping up in sheer joy! I send a silent prayer to God, ‘Lord, I can never be happier, I am ready.’ God answered my prayer and I felt myself peacefully and happily slipping away into oblivion, held lovingly in my children’s arms. Didn’t I hold them so when they entered this world? Now I’m leaving in their arms! A blessing indeed, denied to many.

Castle In The Air

I have always wanted to be a writer! Maybe, I was just building castles in the air? It seemed so. Growing up in a country where there were no televisions till I was well into my 20’s, it did seem an impossible dream. Of course there were many good writers from our country even back then, but I had no great exposure to the outside world. Then, all of a sudden, everything changed and by the time I had crossed middle age, I had my personal computer!

    My computer opened up a whole new world of experience and learning opportunities for me. I have met such wonderful people from around the globe, whom I would never have had the chance of meeting otherwise. I’ve got to read their awesome writings, blogs etc and it has been and still is such a wonderful learning experience. So, my castle is being built after all!  :)