Memories

                              MEMORIES.


  The Other day, I remembered a certain tree in my home-town. This tree I would never forget because of it's outstanding and astonishing features and location. As a child, growing up with siblings and occasionally visiting the village, this tree was always  one of the landmarks I looked out for in order to ascertain how close to my compound we were. Whenever I  beheld the tree, then, only then would I be sure that we were home.
   The tree had a way of making me scared and then leaving me in awe as a child. We called the tree ''Apu'', I do not know even now if it has an English name.
     Apu is (as it still stands) a very huge tree, it's roots run deep and spread out wide above the ground, spanning quite a distance, it's trunk  and stem are humongous.
     I remember Apu and with it comes flooding in all my childhood days spent in my home-town. We usually travelled at Christmas, Easter and any other occasion that would require going to the village. Christmas! Such a wonderful time. Whenever the last month of the year drew close and Christmas day approached, there was a certain kind of excitement that rent the air in my household.
    I always felt so happy at the prospect of travelling to the village. There was the excitement of having the extended family members around: cousins, aunts and uncles. There was the pure joy of looking forward to freedom. Freedom!  (chuckles) Freedom, yes, because back then as a child growing up in the city with siblings, our parents never let us go outside to play, we were mostly confined to the rooms, balconies and any other space upstairs.
    So you can imagine the sheer joy of a child who could now roam the vast grounds of a compound, play games that were otherwise impossible  for her, outside! There was also the freedom to go out and visit(even though my siblings and I had to sneak out sometimes)   You have no idea how overwhelmingly exciting it was to finally get to visit friends in the village who by the way reside in the same city as you but who you never get to see until Christmas.
       I remember also the early morning cold that had us all shivering and covered up in sweaters, it also had us shying away from doing the dishes as the water was always too cold for such venture. There was also the breakfast "ceremonies"where we sat on any available space to eat and talk about any matter that arose .The early mornings were my favourite time of the day.
     Those times, dear times, times that would always be remembered and cherished. The "Apu"tree still stands tall, I wonder sometimes if it would ever fall. One day, I am sure, when it's cycle closes.

Mamas!

   As I was going through my sister's music album on her mobile phone, {without permission by the way) I came across a playlist that bore the title "songs the kids like'' and this brought a smile to my lips.
  And so this write-up is dedicated to the Mamas. Is there anything they would not do for their kids?. Things as small as creating a  playlist for their kids.(chuckles) This is not a feminist thingy, nah, I am just saying what came to mind when i saw the heading of that playlist.
   There has been a lot of articles and stuff praising motherhood and all, well, I think the matter can not be over flogged. Sometimes it amazes me, the things these mothers can do just to keep everyone and everything running fine.
  I remember growing up, getting ready for primary school each day. The chaos that went on in my house with my siblings and i bumping into each other trying to find our individual school apparels ranging from our school uniforms, school socks (this was usually the most difficult to locate) to our school shoes. All the while wondering and wishing it was our mother that would be going for the day's school run because then we would be sure of getting to school in time.
   Mamas! Making sure every child's hair is neatly combed or brushed, making sure every child had their writing materials, yes and not forgetting the break time  snacks for school too.
   Always there to console whichever kid that needs it, there to help out with school work and all; there to buy treats whenever the occasion arises; there to encourage and praise a child over a job well done; there to answer questions that troubles each little heart as best she can; there to show the little ones how to tell their right from their left.
   And in all these, they try their best to be fair to each child , giving them equal chances and opportunities trying to make sure one child is not preferred over the other. And in all of this,they are to stay sane!!
  Mamas you rock! Keep doing what you do!        

The Different one.                                                             

She goes on her way 

filled with thoughts,

thoughts of herself.

Anyone who sees her

would think;

"she is too full of herself".

She goes on her way

filled with thoughts,

thoughts of how she

could make herself acceptable.

Acceptable to those who she 

looks up to,

to those whose  poise 

leaves her in awe.

The very ones who see 

her and wonder;

''who does she think she is 

anyway''.

She goes on her way,

struggling with her thoughts,

thoughts of when she would

be accepted,

when she would stop feeling

different.

But Alas! she would

never be any other thing

but different.

Different is she.

Wherever she goes,

she stands out,

from no effort of hers

for nature has made her so.

She would soon come to

realise,

that she needs to be

different.

For you see,she needs 

to go through life, different

in order to make 

a difference.

 

   

The Call

                                                         The Call
                           

                                                    Here we sit,awaiting
                                                    the call.
                                                    The call that would
                                                    change it all.                                        

                                                     While we wait, we
                                                     do nothing,
                                                     we do nothing but
                                                     dream.

                                                     We dream of the sunny
                                                     days that we await.
                                                     The comfortable times
                                                     we hope to have
                                                     when the call comes.

                                                      While we wait, we
                                                      do nothing,
                                                      we do nothing but
                                                      chatter away.

                                                      We chatter on, about the
                                                       treasures that we hope
                                                       to acquire
                                                      when the call comes.

                                                      We sit, in wait
                                                      We squat, in wait
                                                      We bend, in wait
                                                      We forget

                                                      To stand, in wait
                                                      To walk, in wait
                                                      To work, in wait
                                                      For the call
                                                      never comes
                     
                                                      Unless the channels
                                                      to us are accessible,
                                                      unclogged,
                                                      active,
                                                      receptive.