I sit on the logged bench, watching the alabaster cascades,make a monstrous sound on its fall,
before flowing gently on the moss rimed stones, charting its own course.
I take courage to let go of my tears, from the cliff of my cheek, unabashedly down to the bottom of my soul, releasing the burden of the emotional upheaval.
My briny tears, cleanse my soul of all the hurt.
A constant companion, my faithful dog, a sole witness to my purgation, wags his happiness to see me move on, to face the challenge with renewed vigor.
By July the monsoon bells ring in the Indian peninsula as the entire country is drenched in the sanguine pearls from the heavens. The parched land finds much respite from the sweltering summer heat sapping all energy from the flora and fauna. The insipid leaves get a glossy green makeover, insects cavort around in trilling conversations, meandering rivers swell with gushing pride, pastoral meadows awaken from their withered slumber, farmers send a prayer of gratitude, children squeal in glee, artistic minds conceive creative odes. Man and nature rejoice under the magical spell of rains.
Wafting petrichor
verdurous euphonic song
monsoon nirvana
When I watch the showers from my window, I realize apart from the sensory delight, there are many things it teaches us.
When the moisture overwhelms the clouds, they let go of their burden, in the form of rain. We need to imbibe the same. When we find it difficult to carry the emotional baggage in life, it is imperative that we learn to let go of it. The more we hold on to the pain, further down it will suck us into a dark whirlpool. So just like the rains, our emotions need a healthy release. Letting go is very vital to heal ourselves.
Every storm runs out of rain – Maya Angelou
At times, the overcast dark clouds and the incessant rain dampens our spirit and thwarts our plans. But in reality, this brooding melancholy doesn’t last forever. After hours of rain, the sky eventually clears up with the sun shining bright and sometimes rewarding us with a beautiful chromatic rainbow. With the same analogy, problems in life however bad they are, will be sorted and life will smile at us. Optimistic attitude is like an umbrella protecting us from getting drenched from the miseries of life.
You can read my earlier posts from the challenge here.
I am sure you all have been enamored by the beauty of the vibrant autumn leaves. The crisp ochre, bright crimson and the mellow yellow paint the landscape with captivating allure. Their colorful charisma beguiles the heart. Poets and artists unleash their creative repertoire, with impressive and befitting odes to autumn.
When everything is a picture of perfection, why do the autumn leaves fall from the trees, in absolute surrender? Deep rooted, with their vulnerability branching out, the leaves sway to their heart’s content, before gently cascading to the earthy bosom in an eternal slumber. They accept the law of the universe with non-resistance, for they believe in it with absolute faith.
Of late, a lot of questions are churning within me as to the greater purpose of life. I am in pursuit of finding the answers to at least a few of them, if not all.
Like the autumnal leaves, I need to unlearn my preconceived ideas and beliefs, to make space for newer and meaningful learnings of life. I need to let go, of all the emotional baggage and scarred feelings that I harbor in the deep crevices of my heart. I cannot fill my cup of learning, if it is filled up to the brim with hollow notions and superficial happiness.
“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh green leaves can grow in their place.” Rumi
In every change from within, akin to each falling leaf, there is a pain that I let go, to make room for conducive growth of new tender green leaves of life.
On a hot summer afternoon, standing in my balcony, I watched my daughter and her friend coming back from school. They seemed to be moving around, jumping and laughing out loud. I wondered what they were up to. As they got closer I saw that they were trying to step on each other’s shadow!! Oh, what fun they were having. They were oblivious to the passer-by’s, totally engrossed in their world and drowning the neighbourhood in their sweet giggles. I enjoyed watching them, until they finally decided to enter their respective apartments.
This set me thinking………….Why in this journey of growing up into adults do many of us kill the child in us? Why do we always have to behave like “grown-ups”? Is it because we are caught in the rigmarole of life or is it that we are more worried about “what will people think syndrome”?? !!
Children are a bundle of creativity and curiosity. Their innocence and childish banter touches your heart. Laughter is their constant companion and they find happiness in small things. After a tiff or a fight with their friend, the very next day their slates are clean. Forgiving comes easily to them. Their make believe games, taking on the role of their brave super hero, entering into the world of fairy tales with their favourite character, they sure know to paint their world so colourful.
I am reminded of the song “Bachpan ke din bhi kya din the, udthe firthe titli banke” !! Which means
O! Those carefree days of childhood , when we flew about like butterfies!!
When was the last time you just let go and were happy to awaken the child in you?
radhikasreflection 