My Seven Deadly Sins

This post is for "WEEK #59 (7-1-12 to 7-7-12): The Seven Deadlies: Pride, Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, Greed, Lust'

     I am guilty of the seven deadlies ! Well, not exactly me, but the writer in me! It's like this.Till recently, my writings were limited to blogging and I have just started writing prompts and 1000 worded fictions. I know..I know..I am a late starter.Anyway, the writer in me harbors all the seven deadly sins!

1. Pride: When I wrote my first 100 word prompt and published it, I was vain ! I am at par with all the Booker awardees, am I not?
2. Envy: I am envious of the awesome work done by all those writers out there.Why am I not able to dish out writings like them?
3. Gluttony: I have an inordinate desire to consume as many writing tips as possible since I have just embarked on this new writing journey.Surely this gluttony is pardonable ?
4. Lust: I do lust after the words, letters and sentence formation I am yet to master!
5. Anger: I am angry and absolutely cross with myself for not starting to write earlier.
6. Greed: I have an avaricious desire to acquire more and more writing skills .It is greed,right?
7: Sloth: I waste a lot of time playing online games like FarmVille and Solitaire instead of creative writing. Is playing these mindless games slothful?

There..there..I have confessed! Am I purged now?

Flying Away

This 100 word post is in response to the picture prompt by Faith Fiction Friday.
We should always be ready for 'take off' to fly away to our eternal home!
While our home is in heaven, we have a responsibility here in this beautiful world God created for us.We have to live the life we were meant to live, within the parameters set by God.
He has commanded us,'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'Mathew 22:37-39
God has gifted us the ability to love,have compassion,show kindness ,be caring and to live in peace and harmony.Use them!
Above all,realise the power of prayer and forgiveness!
Remember Jesus had said, "I have given you an example, that as I have done, so should you do."(John 13:15)

Inspiring Scenery

This 100 word post is for Faith Friday Fiction prompt...

I gazed at the awesome calm scenery and reflected that it has so much meaning for me! I saw the huge rock in the forefront,the uneven rocks,the stream and the colourful trees. Jesus Christ is the solid huge rock I lean on!
The uneven rocks remind me of the rocky path Jesus tread while carrying the cross for me !
The stream reminds me ,“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.' (Isaiah 43:2).
The trees tell me that a man who delights in the law of the Lord is "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."(Psalm 1:1) When the Lord lives within you ,you will see God's manifestation all around you!

Fairy Circle

This post is for the Creative Writing Wednesday prompt! And this picture is the prompt ....



 I danced away all night! My friends and I swayed round and round on the lush green grass with gay abandon under a starlit sky . We danced till our dancing shoes were worn out ! In the wee hours of the morn ,as we were about to leave ,we glanced back and saw that the grass on which we had danced in a circle was now a trampled ring of brown grass!Mushrooms  had sprung up encircling the dance ring ! As my fairy friends and I were flying off to our home,the Pixie Fairy Land,we laughed gleefully at the thought of humans looking at our fairy sprinkled mushrooms, in absolute awe and wonder and calling them 'Fairy Circles'!

Two Days Ago

      The prompt for week 57 of our GBE 2 group is "Two Days Ago".

Two Days Ago…

  I completed re-reading ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ by Baroness Orczy. The last time I read the book was 44 years back when I was in junior college .It was the first novel I had read! Till then, I was into Archie's comics and believe it or not, Phantom comics!

  My novel-reading journey started when I was introduced to novels by a class mate Savithri , who was a voracious reader. One day, I had accompanied her to our huge college library and as she was choosing her books, I stood there all lost amongst the racks and racks of books. She picked up the 'The Scarlet Pimpernel’ and told me that when I was done, I would be hooked to reading! Was she right? Indeed, yes! Baroness Orczy was followed by Daphne du Maurier, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters. It was then, I was sure that I wanted to major in English literature in college as I was all at sea in science and maths. I realize that I'd been a slow starter at reading but then, I’m glad I did it finally!

 Coming back to ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ , the book is about Sir Percy Blakeney, a Georgian British society fop who leads a double life as a dandy and as the Scarlet Pimpernel, a superhero who rescues French aristocrats during the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution. Since Baroness Orczy put pen to paper, the Scarlet Pimpernel has been a source of inspiration to many twin life superheroes like Bruce Wayne/Batman, Clark Kent/Superman, Zorro and Phantom. I was so taken in by the 18th and 19th century royal settings and their genteel English language that Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer became my favorite light reads!

But then, reading classics is a delight and a league apart! They have stood the test of time .They began by surviving and survived by being fun to read. They have enchanted and entertained readers for decades! Moreover, I love to come across the many words that are no longer used!

 One of the saddest effects of modern society with distractions like video games, TV etc, has been to take young people away from the joy of reading great literature. Survey shows that youngsters of today prefer glossy magazines and contemporary best sellers to classic novels and favor watching the movie version of the classics to reading the books.

Why talk about the youngsters? I love the new chic lit novels as well,especially Sophie Kinsella and her shopaholic series!

If I Had To Live My Life Over

     For GBE 2 Blog On" #56 If I Had My Life to Live Over...

  

 I have often griped and grumbled about wanting to live my life all over again, as I yearned for a quality life! 

Now the big IF has given me a chance to do just that! I close my eyes and gleefully reflect on what I would love to change!

I think about…

My parents and siblings.

    NO, I would not exchange them, for all the treasures in the world.

My education.

  I was never a class topper, but I’ve managed to scrape through school and college. I am still learning .So I guess that’s fine!

My husband.

 In spite of being short tempered and a workaholic, he’s loving, caring and responsible. So maybe he’s ok too!  :)

My in laws.

 They have always been there for me! Great!

My children.

They are God’s gift to me. I love them so. If they have turned out to be, headstrong and short tempered with definite views, I blame it on the family genes! 

My friends.

 We enjoy our own space but together times are fun times.

Charity Work.

As president and member of social organizations, I’ve pitched in my bit!

DONE.

It’s an eye opener! It seems that I would not have my life any other way!

Well, not exactly! I would have loved to travel, holidayed at exotic places with my children and wish they did not grow up so fast. (Ranting of an empty nester?) A major craving – Wish I had lived in the big city near my siblings instead of a small town!

      Anyway, life is not a bed of roses and I’ve had my huge share of thorns. But the fragrances of roses have eased the pain of the prickly thorns. The prickly thorns have taught me patience and compassion, putting my trust and faith in God completely. I’ve  learnt to never give up on my hopes and dreams! The difficult situations I had to face, the puzzles in life I had to solve gave me strength and wisdom too. I am what I am today because of the prickly thorns! 

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!