Whispering Shadow

She sits there, staring not at her kids but the brick wall that lies before her eyes, wondering. Even though she is not looking at them, they are the only thing on her mind. She asks herself: ''Will their future be the same as my present?" ''Will they come and hug me when they grow older like the do now?'' ''Without them, my life is as lifeless as the bricks in the wall.'' The kids, not knowing what is on hers mind continue playing with one another, gleefully unaware of how she sacrifices her today for their tomorrow. She and the children will all grow older, she growing more fond of them while they grow more distant from her as time passes. With time, the show of affection is replaced by a bond so strong, that its beauty cannot be conveyed in words or physical gestures. It grows. It feeds on their love for each other. Just like a hatchling who discovers his skill of flight, leaves the nest never to return, children would forget their mother...

Have I ever told you I love the first rains of the season? Oh yes, I have, not once , but twice . But nonetheless, today, after having got soaked in the first rains again, I realize why it is so. I do not want to get into the clichés of ''the smell of earth'' or ''the sound of a cuckoo chirping'' or ''the fresh look of trees''. All that adds to the beauty of the moment. That is what you feel through your senses-fragrance, sounds, sights and touch. I find the rains beautiful because of the feelings they evokes within me. The rains are blissful solitude, one of the few elements which can drown out the noise surrounding me. Call me a loner, but over the years, I have realized the importance of being close to one's own self. I love it when nature defines the setting for my date with me. Amidst the chaos of urban living and fast paced routines, I can bring my life to a stand still by getting engrossed in these tiny offerings which nature...