Wednesday, 20 December 2017

Triple sanity rantings

1: So what was that all about?
2: What are you talking about?
1: The mosquitoes.
3: What mosquitoes? I wasn't paying attention at all.
1: Well, what were you doing 3?
3: Was thinking about the flies. Now, tell me about the mosquitoes.
1: We got to ask 2.
2: Nothing more.
1,3: What do you mean?
2: The mosquitoes died.
1: Was it sudden?
3: Was it stroke or heart attack?
2: (long sigh) Murder. Chemical warfare. With the black ‘Hit’

_______________
1: Are we writing today?
2: Nah. We are too happy for that.
1: (days later) At least today?
2: Nah. We are too sad for that.
1: (days later) At least today?
2: Nah. We are too busy today.
1: (days later) At least today?
2: Nah. We are too lazy.
1: (days later) At least today?
2: Nah. It's sabbath.
1: (days later) At least today?
2: Nah. I forgot the storyline.

_______________
1: So, how about we buy a new dress?
2: Don't we have many already?
3: What? There are some awesome new arrivals!
2: Did you visit Amazon?
1: I didn't. 3 did.
3: It was Facebook. Not me.
2: (sighs)
1: So, how about we buy a new dress?

________________
1: Are we writing about this new boy in town?
2: New boy? Which boy?
3: There is no new boy in town.
1: Oh. Is it?
2: Wait a minute. Haven't I heard these exact words somewhere?
3: Me too. Me too.
1: Have you?
2: Wasn't that a song we read long ago?
1: (gives a sly laugh)
2: You cheater!
3: But it's nice.
1: I wonder if they copyrighted it.
2: So, what's the boy's name?

_________________
1: How about we write about black widow?
2: How about we write about humans?
1: A human black widow?
3: She didn't marry again?
2: Who didn't?
3: The black widow, of course!
1,2: (sighs)
2: How about highly treacherous humans?
3: …with super powers too.
1: That would be awesome!
2: That would be out of genre.
1: Darn your genre!
3: How about kangaroo? 
1: Kangaroo who became a .........
3: Joey?
1: Yes. That's it. Time travel.
2: How about something new and exciting?
1: How about our conversations?

________________
And so… here we are folks!
Have a great day.

P.S: I named it sanity so that you wouldn't have any doubts as to it’s regard.

Thursday, 23 November 2017

An Angel

A light ever so bright,
And a kind of white.
Gives something dark,
Darker than the murk!
And ends up dying,
With all wax drying.

Will my candle glow?
Until the day I blow?
Oh my dear, it hurt!
A candle with the heat!  
Why would it burn,
Like it is a furn?

Why should a rose be
The one with the thorns?
Why can't it be free
Of all these horns?
Are they to pierce the one
Who will forever love?

Yet, we all are humans;
The ones with the souls.
Souls that are hollow,
Waiting to be hallow.
Yet filled with love
That makes us a slave.

My heart skips a beat;
Who would've thought?
If thou art an angel,
With such good heart,
Why should you, be the one,
The one of the death?


Dedicated to the angel of death.

Tuesday, 24 October 2017

In the name of Holiness?

Greetings in the name of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! It always gives me great happiness to write about Christianity in my blogs.

Hailing from India, a country of many gods and goddesses, I have often seen Church ministers and believers (for many generations) try to prove themselves holier than the other religions. While the notion itself is not wrong, it often leads to practices that aren't mentioned in the Bible. I have discussed about a few below. Please do read and leave me your valuable comments (it would be much appreciated).

NWJ-Not wearing jewels:
I would first like to clarify that there is no such thing in the Bible. This is a tradition that is believed to have been borrowed from Buddhism. Women and men are forbidden in Churches to wear any jewel of any kind. When the Bible itself has got numerous references of even saints wearing them, I don't understand the necessity of such a thing. Many Churches deny even the holy communion or baptism to the “jewel wearing” women. They are given no part in the Church activities too. (It is an Indian tradition of women to wear gold jewellery). I find it way too much. When God Himself has given them salvation, who are we to deny them baptism?
I often find little girls who love trinkets being told that they will land in hell. If that is to be true, even great saints like Abraham, Isaac, and Job will not find a part in Heaven. Telling your kids to be modest is good. Actually, the best. Please don't mislead them at a very young age.

No Makeup:
I believe that you could visualise the Churches which do not allow women to wear even jewels, will certainly not allow them to wear makeup too. I still remember my sister (when she was ten) being condemned in Church for wearing a lipstick. Adding a dash of colour to your face won't add up to your sin list I believe.

The white Sundays:
Somehow, Indians are so colour specific; from the yogis who have saffron attire to some famous hindu temples having uniforms of black, red or yellow. Eventually, the Churches started following a white Sunday code. I don't call it wrong. I just find it being unnecessarily stressed. It is good to be different. But if people are not willing, please don't compel them.

Hairstyles:
Would you believe me if I told you that I got scolded in my childhood by a pastor because I side parted my hair and plaited it?
Around two decades ago, my mom was diagnosed with lupus (an autoimmune disease). After lots of prayer, she recovered from her deathbed by God's grace. And, most of the believers accused her that her sickness was because of her hairstyle. (She should have worn it in a bun instead of her usual plaiting they claimed).
Till date, most of my cousins (who happens to be pastor’s kids) aren't allowed to even cut their hair. They are being told 1Corinthians11.6 (For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.) that it is disgraceful.
Thankfully, plaits are not considered as sin in Church nowadays. But loose hair is still a sin. Hope it will change sooner.

To be continued...

Thursday, 28 September 2017

To Hankerland

     It was pretty much like any other day. I sat at the ice cream parlour near my house. It wasn't a fancy parlour like those you see in the cities. But it had ice cream. The necessity of life. You see, I have a sweet tooth. My craving for ice cream has been daily quenched at this very shop. I took a scoop into my mouth. I did not devour it immediately. I let it melt inside my mouth. Oh, what fun! I took another scoop and let my eyes wander outside.
    I, being a nature lover, was thrilled to watch the clouds race by. They formed various shapes, animals, mystical creatures, why, I even saw a tree! I watched how the golden arrows of the Sun pierced each cloud. I was amazed by the reflection and refraction of the rays. How wonderful it must be to be a Sun, with all the planets revolving around, I wondered. The clouds literally seemed to glide by. Every one was different from the other. Some white, some grey, some dark, some high, some low, some wispy, some fluffy, some smoky, some feathery, some heavy nimbus, some stratus, some cumulus, why, some even had a purple lining! I felt as if I walked through a museum of clouds. Lost in thoughts, I nibbled my ice cream joyfully.
       In the middle of my fifth ice cream, Teena, a girl from my school came and sat near me. I have never talked with her before. You see, I am not very good at talking with people. Now, I was in the situation to talk to her out of courtesy. One cannot simply ignore the person sitting next to them. Especially, when one knows them.
      “You live nearby?” I asked.
      “You never knew that before?” she asked quite sharp.
      I gave an awkward laugh. I was getting slightly annoyed. She was now standing between me and my cloud museum.
      I started sky grazing again. This time, I decided to ignore her completely.

      “So, you are now in Hankerland?” she asked. Now, I sensed an enthusiasm in her tone.
      “What is that? Neverland 2.0?” I asked.
      “Haha! Maybe.” she said.
      After a few moments of silence and ice cream nibbling, she continued “So you have never been there before?”
      “No.”
      “I will take you tonight.” she said and left.
      Only after she left, I realised how quick she ate her ice cream. Only after sometime I started wondering what she meant by taking me tonight. The more I thought about it, the more it felt awkward.

       It was dusk. The Sun rays came peeping through my window. The Sun was now a beautiful orange ball. The sky was cloud free. I watched through my window if Teena came. I somehow had only little hope that she will come. But still I got ready and got permission from my mom by telling her that Teena will be taking me to her house.

      The next morning I couldn't shake off the feeling that Teena was stupid enough not to ask me where my house was. I went early to school that day with hopes of having a conversation with her.
      “Hey. You didn't come yesterday night!” I accused as soon as I entered the classroom.
      “You didn't see me in your dreams?” she asked indignantly.
      “Dreams?” I felt like talking to a psycho.
      “Yeah! That is how you go to Hankerland.” she replied with her tone still cool. “What did you think? We could fly there?”
      “Huh?!” I stammered.
      “Tonight be careful to watch out for me in your dreams.” she said.

      I got ready to go to bed that night. I still felt funny about Teena.
     Soon I was sound asleep.
     Sure enough, I had a dream. A weird dream. I was somehow in the sky. Walking in the sky. As if walking on an invisible floor in the sky. I was afraid to look down. Afraid that I may fall down. I kept on asking myself aloud ‘Where is she?’
     Sooner, I started cloud watching. They were quite at a distance from me. Felt like seeing distant mountains and not my regular cloud watching. I started walking along the direction which somehow I felt must be right. After sometime, which felt like hours, I noticed that the clouds changed into pastel pink. What a girly flavour I thought. I reached an end after hours of walk. It ought to be the end. There was this wall. The wall that blocked me. What was this wall anyway? Why was it here?
     “So you came tonight?” I recognised Teena’s voice.
     She started climbing the wall. She climbed with ease too. The more she climbed, the more inclined it became. Now, I had this invisible urge to climb it. I climbed after her. Even the wall seemed to extend for miles. I was surprised that I was feeling sane even in my dream. Teena explained that it happens all the time in Hankerland.
     “Is Hankerland pastel themed?” I asked. I couldn't see any sun. Only cotton candy mountain like clouds. And everywhere I turned, it was all pastel coloured. And I was getting tired of this. It seemed too girly.
     “We are yet to reach Hankerland.” she replied. “You got tired of the rainbow, huh?”
     “What rainbow?” I asked.
     “Why, the one we are climbing!”
     “Oh! So it is a rainbow. I thought it was some forbidden wall.”

     At last the so called rainbow ended. Well, it looked somewhat like a rainbow from this side. In front of it, there a huge cherry tree that blocked the only way in between surreal cliffs.
     “Look, we are now at the entrance. We have to act crazy in order to enter in” she said. “roll your eyes and run around in circles pretending to chase a tail that you don't have.”
     We both did and the huge tree moved.
     Beyond it, the was land at last. Moss covered land. This place was now in a creepy green colour. The rocks there breathed bubbles. Yes, bubbles. Like soap bubbles. And I saw many other crazy things too.
     “Welcome to Hankerland!” she cried at the top of her voice.
     Soon we were deep inside the land. It seems like Teena was the ruler here in Hankerland. And Hankerland is only a part of the larger mainland. She has apparently created it and made it this crazy.
     We passed through many curious lands and of course, people. We even passed by her castle and all the soldiers were half human and half goat. I wondered why would she create such a thing after all?
     We at last arrived at a fountain. It looked too murky. She scooped her hands, took some and drank!
     “Yikes!” I cried. She laughed crazy and pushed me into the fountain.

     I woke up as I fell. I was happy. Happy for all my dreams I had that day.
     I don't remember getting ready to school that happy.
     “Hey Teena! I saw you yesterday night in my dreams!” I said.
     “I know.” she replied calmly.
     “You pushed me down, you idiot!” I asked indignantly.
     “That was all chocolate lemonade. Whenever you feel afraid in Hankerland, the dream will end.” she explained.
     “What kind of a drink is that? Chocolate lemonade? It sounds too gross.”
    “Believe me, it tastes great!” she said.
    We sat in silence for sometime. “Don't you have any interesting creatures there?” I asked.
    “Like what?”
    “Maybe dragon or dinosaur or maybe even trolls!” I said.
    “Trolls?”
    “Trolls fighting. Like two sects of trolls fighting.”
    “But why would the trolls fight?”
    “I don't know!” I replied honestly.
    “You can create your own Hankerland.” she smiled “With trolls fighting.”
    “How is that?” I asked.
    “It’s so simple. Think out well how you would want your place to be. Like, the details of flora, fauna, demography, geology, etc.. Don't forget to make a way! Or you will never get there!” she said.
    If I had heard it for the first time, I would have taken her for nuts. But, not now. Not after visiting Hankerland.

    It had been years, since this all started. Teena no more lives in our town. I don't have any sort of contact with her. She left without a goodbye.
    Still, everyday we meet. We meet in Hankerland. Teena never grew up or changed. She is still the crazy teenager when I first met her.
    Now, I have my own land. I call it Neverland 2.0, Alwaysland.
    Today, I have completed my Alwaysland novella.
    I turned to the first page and wrote, “In the loving memory of Teena, who taught me how to dream.”

Sunday, 20 August 2017

Are we living under stimulation?

So, when was the last time you wondered if we are all under stimulation/manipulation? My very recent experiences led me to believe this cent per cent.

First of all, I need to confess that, I do not have an amazon app in my mobile nor a facebook app. I also cross my heart and say that, I have never bought anything (be it big or small) from the amazon app.

The origins: so how did I get caught up in this idea?
I came across this weird youtube video, where a fellow (complete with the setup of matrix) explained how the internet giants (like facebook, google, amazon) were earning money in spite of their free of cost services. His point was that, they were manipulating the advertisements and making us buy their products and apart from that, they are collecting all sorts of data about us to manipulate us more and make us buy more. Weird, huh?

That was what I thought right after watching the video. But, within a few days of the incident, amazon offered the “great Indian sale”. And I (using google chrome) browsed a few earrings (once again, I want you to note that I did not login to my amazon account). Then, I closed it and after sometime, I logged into my facebook account. Surprise of the surprise! Facebook showed me the very same earrings that I browsed and asked me to buy it. Shocked, I closed my fb tab, deleted all the cookies in my mobile, searched for a type of paint, again deleted the cookies (and for the first time, I cleared my search history too). Content with all my precautions, I visited my facebook page again. There gleaming like a giant, stood the very first advertisement showing the exact type of paint I searched for! I literally took sometime to gain my own self back.

There has been many a time, when I got surprised by the smartness of facebook. The way they show the friends I may know, the way they take care if it's my birthday, the way the show the posts my besties liked! Huh? They know my besties? Wait a minute, what gain do they get by making the website/app so user friendly? I takes money, employees, time, etc. isn't it? Nothing is free in this capitalist world, is it?

I am also way too unsure about this profile guard, as long as the screenshot option is available. Come on facebook! Give better protection facebook! Still today I'm thankful to my father who did not allow me to upload my photos online.

Coming back to the google boy. Very recently, I searched my name online and this google boy made me a creepy offer. It offered to notify me whenever somebody searched my name. I kept myself on the other side and thought. I search about someone (maybe someone in my class) and that someone tends to have a very unique name. I get too much info about them (If you don't believe me, go browse! It gives even the comments and likes made almost in all the websites.) and the worst thing is, they get to know somebody stalked them online. Way too creepy!


When was the last time google boy asked you politely for your phone number citing safety reasons? Here is a little experiment. Get someone's number (whose phone number is linked to their google account) and save it in your smart phone. Surprise! You get to know their mail id, their profile photo gets saved in your mobile, their number gets saved in your google account and what more (I seriously don't know!).

This is as far as what I observed after I watched that video. Will get back if I notice more.

Have a nice day! 

Sunday, 11 June 2017

Saturday, 10 June 2017

A reflection (Biblical analysis)

Hello friends, family members, subscribers and viewers!

It is my greatest pleasure to share with you what has been one of the greatest dilemma in my life for the past few years. 

I have been sometimes in situations where I have begged God for His guidance and received no answer. Such situations have torn me apart wondering where I have gone wrong.

It also left me with the question "Does God's silence necessarily mean that He is unhappy with you?". This question also reframes itself into another one. "Does God's speaking with you (or through you) mean that He is happy or satisfied with you?"

I am no Bible expert nor is my life experience great but still I thought of sharing my views. It would be more appropriate to deal with the second question first.

Does God's speaking with you (or through you) mean that He is happy or satisfied with you? Let me make my point very clear. God's talking with a person or through a person does not mean that he is living his life according to God's word. That is not a indicator with which we can measure one's righteousness or way of life. Remember, God can even speak through a donkey!

Let us wade through a few instances from the Bible.
1. Balaam son of Beor
        Balaam continuously disobeys God, yet we find God talking with him. (Not once or twice, but many times). He knows for sure that God is not pleased with him, yet he continues with his evil ways. He pays little head to God's warnings. The worst part is that, he knows how to please God and how to make Him angry. He became the sole cause of the death of twenty four thousand people. (Click here to read the portion in Bible.)

2. Mighty man Samson
        Just because a person is being used by God mightily does not mean his life is righteous or his ways are pleasing to God. Just like Mary and Joseph, Mr and Mrs. Manoah (Samson's parents) receive the glad tidings of their son's birth from up above. So, shouldn't his life be all high and up-going?
       Judges 13.25 reads that, "the Spirit of the Lord began to move him". God does amazing miracles through him. But all that he does is, he keeps going after women. His prayer life was an irony too. He prays only twice in his lifetime. The first time he prays to God to grant him life and the second time he prays to God to take away his life. And God answers both his prayers. Even to the very end of his life, he did not care about his life's purpose.

3. Old prophet of Bethel
      If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13.2
     In 1 Kings chapter 13, we read about a prophet from Judah, who comes to Bethel and prophesies against Jeroboam. On his way back, he meets an old prophet of the same place (Bethel). This old prophet lies to the former and makes him disobey the commandment of God. Yet, God speaks to the Judah prophet through the same lying man! 
    On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7.22-23.
   This verse sends a shudder down my spine every time I read it.

Now, back to the first question.

Does God's silence mean that He is unhappy with you?

1. The example of Job
     Just like every Christian minister, I decided to take the classic example of Job. We find him in a completely torn state of mind and body wondering what went wrong. He cries desperately that his righteousness went unnoticed by God. In vain he tries to prove his friends how his hands were clean. 
     At last he comes to a conclusion that if only he could talk with God, he would advocate his cause. Not until the end of the book God responds. 
I will say to God, “Do not condemn me;
Show me why You contend with me.
Job 10.2
But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to reason with God.
Job 13.3
How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Why do You hide Your face,
And regard me as Your enemy?
Job 13.23,24

2. Gideon, the Abiezrite
      When the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, he questions the very presence of God among them as He hadn't delivered them then. It is more wonderful to know that, God used the very same person to deliver them from the Midianites. 
The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”   Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”
Judges 6.12,13


3. King David 
       Such a situation can occur even to the anointed king of Israel who obtained the favour of God. When his enemies oppress him, he cries to the Lord, "Why have You forgotten me?"
I will say to God my Rock,
“Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
As with a breaking of my bones,
My enemies reproach me,
While they say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?” Psalms 42.9,10

O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble,
Why should You be like a stranger in the land,
And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
Why should You be like a man astonished,
Like a mighty one who cannot save?
Yet You, O Lord, are in our midst,
And we are called by Your name;

Do not leave us! Jeremiah 14.8,9

So, let us not be deceived and lead our lives in a way that is pleasing in the sight of God! Have a good day!

Friday, 2 June 2017

Some People's Perspective

After reading my last article about my high arched brows (click here to read), my cousin got inspired and offered to share her own struggles. In her own words...

Greetings readers! It has been my pleasure to share my "noodly" experience with you!

You all might wonder what would be that yummy thing. But unfortunately it is not so😯.

I was born with the hair that is unevenly thick throughout it's length. So it always has it's own twists and turns. Each strand of hair fights with other (irrespective of their position on my head), giving a tangled look (this tangled look is not the perfect hair what you have observed on the so called tangled movie). Well, it is more or less similar to what Merida has in the Brave movie.


Every morning, it is like a war between my brain and my hair. Brain says "You can handle her." and hair says "Try it!" and gives a sarcastic laugh. Somehow, I tie my hair applying all hard labour, energy and time. Yet like a naughty child it disobeys me. As I write, I remember Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldi aka princess Mia from 'Princess diary'


Here comes the most beautiful part. The moment I step out, all focusing eyes turn towards my hair as if I am an alien to this 'nothing-is-unusual-earth'. Some stare with an ultimate look of confusion, thinking how on earth could she live with* such an untamed hair. For some my hair becomes their entertainment (I am least bothered as I bring some sunshine onto their faces🌞). Some come up with their bossy ideas to teach me "The principles of hair management". Some noteworthy points are
  1. Use the so and so hair conditioner as it makes your hair super silky and smooth.
  2. Wash your hair thrice a week (not more, not less, exactly thrice) to keep it tangle-free.
  3. Pour some millilitres less than a litre of coconut oil to make it look straight (even after I follow this exactly, people ask me "Why is your hair so dry? Show at least few drops of oil to your hair" with a pity voice).
If possible, I may author a book on the same topic in the near future and please do buy it and be benefitted (all necessary actions will be taken to make it available in your nearest bookstore😉).

My most embarrassing hair situation? It occurs almost everyday. And more than once daily. Whenever something accidentally gets on my hair, the 'something' falls in love with my hair and my hair in turn refuses to let it go! Well, this situation may not seem to you that embarrassing, but wait till I quote some incidents.

Once in my high school, my friends were playing with tiny paper balls and accidentally one landed right on my hair! I being ignorant of this fact, passed the entire day with the ball on my hair and my friends came up with the wicked idea of repeating the same incident everyday. They started getting very innovative and ended up with paper rockets, paper bits, confetti, pen caps, and all possible stuffs!

Icon of sympathy? Many have thought aloud while watching me comb my hair, "Thank God! My hair isn't that bad!" (What? You feel so content by making me fret for my hair?) Alas! It is not over yet! The very same person, with the sole intention of soothing my wounded soul, comes up with a brilliant idea! "Why don't you go and have your hair straightened?" I maintain a poker face and ignore the great idea. (Well, if I haven't straightened my hair till date, will I not have a strong reason behind it?)

As steel wire? It is one of the wierdest comments that I have ever got. My brother was like "Guess what? I have found the best sustainable substitute for steel wires! IT'S YOUR HAIR!" (I'm on my way to get my hair patented! LOL!)😂

There are even admirers! (No surprise, that's my mom and my sister😆)

Such such are my experiences regarding people's perspective of my hair!

There are a few reasons why I haven't straightened my hair. First of all, I love the natural "me". Next, my noodly hair gives me faux voluminous texture even though it is not so. Finally, my hair has become a sort of trade mark and i don't want to change.

I can specify certain remarkable celebrities who had bushy whirly-curly hair at their childhood and then decided to straighten it as they thought that they might look better with that (I write this not to criticise them but just for an additional info).

Michael Jackson


Sasha Obama


Taylor Swift

The classic example of unruly curly hair who forever remained with his usual beautiful hair!

Sir Albert Einstein

Hope you guys enjoyed reading the post! Bye till we meet in the next one! Have a wonderful day! 

Monday, 29 May 2017

High arched brows

Hello guys!

Happy to meet you with another post! Today I thought of dealing with the stereotype that most of you didn't even know that it existed. Yes, you read the heading right. High arched brows. 

Just like the discrimination of skin colour, accent, body shape, height and other numerous things, I have often encountered with this high eyebrowed discrimination. Yeah, I have got high arched brows. While some girls (yes, little girls) compliment me for my eyesbrows, most of the grown ups view me with a suspicious eye. Well, hate at the very first look (some grow out of it as they get to know me and some don't).

I realised this mainly when I joined my college right after graduating school. I studied in the same school for almost the entire of my childhood, and nobody cared how my eyebrows shaped my face. The first few days in college was too horrible. Students (except a few) just refused to talk to me. It took almost months for them to blend with me. And the very first thing they told me was, "Never thought you would be so jovial and easy going", "Thought you were so arrogant", "You are so childish and you don't look like that" and things like that. 

Eyebrows shape the face. But that doesn't mean that they shape one's character. I know that high eyebrowed people look like "straight to the business". But maybe they aren't actually so. 

I downloaded the above image from the internet. I hope that you would explain what I try to say. The high arched (both soft angled and sharp angled) look different from the rest don't they? While others tend to soften the look, these sharpens the look.

As I grew up, I found this discrimination mainly among educated people who claim that "face is the index of the mind." I find them very judgemental. 

Let me get to the base point. Not all high arched browed people are bad and not all straight or soft or semi circled (or whatever you name it) are good. Even from my own personal experience I can quote various examples.


That is one of my favourite quotes from Harry Potter. We are what we choose to be. Choose wisely. Never judge other by how they look. 

Unfortunately, this stereotyping occurs all around the world. One can find lots of websites explaining how to stereotype people based on their appearance especially their face. This can also be seen among illustrators and designers. Let us take the famous example of all times "the Disney". Just look at all these villains.









Well, the list may go on. On the other hand, good characters are portrayed with all types of brows. Hmmm. Isn't that injustice?

It is my humble prayer that one day these kinds of stereotyping would end.

Have a good day!
---------------------------------
If you have encountered any such stereotyping or prejudice, let me know in the comment section below. 
---------------------------------
You may also like What is in the colour? (Click the topic to view)

Saturday, 27 May 2017

Hate due to misunderstanding (Biblical characters)


   Hello visitors, subscribers, family, friends and fellow bloggers!
   I'm very glad to meet you all in this post. I thought, today I will deal with the topic that ails my heart every Sunday. The hate of Biblical characters who absolutely do not deserve it. I have often seen Ministers speaking ill of those and spreading the unnecessary hate to the entire congregation.

Esau
   I would say that he is one of the most widely misunderstood characters. Well, he sold his birth right for stew. But he regrets for it afterwards (I think he did not understand it's value at first like Jacob did). Remember, he never goes and asks it back. I find it quite genuine.

   Jacob cheats his father and gets his blessings. That makes Esau angry (I believe that any average human being would get angry at such a situation). But when Jacob leaves, he never goes aftet him and he even embraces him when he comes back and treats him with all due respect. Isn't he such a good big brother?

Mary
   I have often seen many ministers who proclaim against the worship of Mary, speak ill of Mary. Come on, if she wasn't that good and holy, God wouldn't have chosen her in the first place! Both Mary and Joseph lived a righteous life in the eyes of God. And Jesus Christ did take care of them. Many argue the opposite with reference to the verses mentioned below.

   Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.” Mark.3.31to35

   Remember, Jesus compares the crowd to his mother and brothers. Doesn't that show, how much He respected them? Even while hanging on the cross, He asks John to take care of His mother.

Eve
   Many including learned scholars say that sin came into the world because of women (yeah, they do not specifically say Eve)! Come on, if we see it in the same manner, shouldn't we say that sin came into the world because of theq snake?

   Many great pastors do not respect women saying this as an example. Isn't that complete absurdity? Weren't women the staunch followers of Christ? Did not many a woman's tears invoke great miracles in the past?

   Women received their dead raised to life again. Hebrews 11.35

   See, the verse specifically mentions women. And only women. Kudos, ladies!

The prodigal son's brother
   This is one of the recent misinterpretation I have heard. Praising the prodigal son (of course, due to his repentance) and speaking ill of his brother. Isn't that so irrelevant? Doesn't the father consider both sons equal?

   Just because the elder brother stood outside during all the feasting and dancing doesn't make him a sinner. Remember, what the Father says. "All that I have is yours."

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Hope you all found this enlightening! Do comment below if you know such Biblical characters misunderstood. And click on the reactions below!

Have a wonderful day! 

Saturday, 20 May 2017

Dreamer's paradise episode 2

     She sat idly on her chair facing the arched window and stared into the complete darkness outside. The room reflected her present state of mind: complete chaos.

Click here to continue reading episode 1
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      Olina got up in the middle of the night. With great difficulty, she had trained herself to get up exactly at 2:30am. She got out of her and stretched herself. Moonlight was streaming in through the open window. A gentle breeze blew through her chestnut brown hair. She tied her hair up into a ponytail and switched the night lamp on.
      She took a can of soda from the refrigerator and walked to her desk in front of the arched window. She had set it ready before she took her trip to her slumberland. Her diary 'Dreamer's paradise' was waiting for her.
      She glanced outside her window. It was brighter than the night before. It was cloudy too. Summer and cloudy she thought vaguely. Bad combination. Brings a lot of thunder. 
      She recalled her dream. A smile spread across her face. Goats she wrote. She had grew up in a farm along with goats and chickens. So, whenever she thought about her childhood, her dreams were filled with goats and chickens. Today it was the goats. Grotesque Goats she wrote. Whenever her parents sent her to look after the goats, she used to call them so. She found the "G" combination interesting.
   
      Nothing worth mention happened the following week nor did she dream anything. But almost a week later, she got up in the middle of the night, perspiring. She had been in her dream again to the downside of the bridge. She woke up with a jerk. She did not do all her night rituals. She just got up and rushed to her desk. Again, she wrote the downside of the Nicosal bridge. I went searching for Sleepy Brown. I was afraid that he got caught. Caught in what? I do not know. But I was afraid. She put her pen down and stared outside the window. For the first time, I got near it. But it wasn't there. Instead, a little guy, bleeding so profusely was lying on the ground. He begged me to save him from his predators. I said "I will take take you home, little guy! Please don't cry!" As I reached to take him in my hands, I was jerked away and my dream dissolved and I got up perspiring. She cocked her head and read what she wrote. She drank some water and pondered about it. Then, she had a wonderful idea. I'll sleep again she thought I may see the little guy again. She did not even remember what the little guy looked like. All that she remembered was that, his voice was too gruff. She went back to her sleep. She did not even keep her diary back in her cupboard.
       She woke up late that day. The sleep had been dreamless inspite of all her hopes. She lazily took her diary back to her cupboard the first thing in the morning. As soon as she opened the cupboard, she screamed.
       "Come on lady! How long will you sleep?" a white bandaged creature called.
       "What are yoooou doing in my cupboard?" she stammered.
       "Did you not leave me here? Did you not say I would be safe here?" he said.
       Now, Olina's memories began to return. As soon as she took the creature, she returned to her room from her slumberland and nursed him and put him in the cupboard.
       "What are you staring at? Gimme something to eat. I'm starving." he called.
       Olina's mind snapped back into her room. "Yes. Yes." she said.
       She watched him as she poured corn flakes into a bowl. He was not more than half a foot high. Most of the features were similar to humans except that some were elongated and some were shortened. His clothes were too shaggy and unclean. His had a merry face which now looked too tired.
      "What happened back there?" she asked.
      "Not sure. Something chased me. Big and dark with red hungry eyes. I thought of ducking under the bridge, but my dress got caught in a bush and it injured my legs so much that I couldn't walk but had to drag myself along the bridge until you came along and saved me. Thanks to you!" he said.
     Olina added some milk and dried fruits and passed the glass bowl to it.
     "So what are you?" she asked.
     "What am I?" he asked back in a slightly curious tone.
     "I mean are you a pixie or a elf or a brownie or a goblin or what?" she asked.
     ''Not sure. Never heard of any of those things." he said. "Goblin is a good name."
     She laughed at him. "No. All those are magical creatures."
     "Oh! They do magic?" he asked so innocently.
     "Actually, I do not even know if they exist or not. I have never seen someone like you before. So I thought you might be one of them." she replied earnestly.
     "Hmmm. Sounds interesting." he replied.
     "So what are you called as?" she asked.
     "Alas! I do not know. No one has ever called me before." he said. "What are you called as?"
     "Olina Faye." she replied.
     "That is so good to hear." he replied.
     "So, do you like the name, Jiang?"
     "Jiang! I am called Jiang! Jiang! Jiang!"
     "And let us say you are a pixie. Taking into account your pointed ears and... long fingers." she said.
     "Oh! I'm a pixie! Oh! I'm a pixie!" he jumped all over the place.
     Olina felt like having a fussy toddler home. As she cleaned the bowl, she heard him give out a big burp.
     She hastily sewed a few fabrics together and made Jiang a dress. His own dress was terribly torn. She also made a small bed out of her books in a corner of her cupboard for him. He happily started sleeping.
     Making sure he was asleep, she called Chelsea. "Chels, you are not going to believe what just happened!"
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To be continued