One of the habits have been this one, to upload here daily, not a good example today because of the messed-up schedule, I had to leave early for work, and see supervise some construction going on at our workplace, and make edits in it as needed…
So, this becomes a late night post instead…
Other than this, I have a habit of having or trying new things, that includes food clothes and anything that is unique…
And, if any of those help me in expanding my horizon, by costing little money, why not experience it, in exchange of a few paper, I can attain experience that can be used whenever…
Another one, well these are related to each other, I wake up and drink a glass of water, (kept in silver or copper glass…) alternating them however it seems fit…
And after that meditating for 10 minutes at least, post which I write in my notepad, Whatever/however I feel, before and after the meditating session, what new I learn from it…
Someday, it’s a medley of colors, someday it is chasing the memories of the previous day, other days, it becomes finding the lost sense of self, after tiring myself all day…
BUT, The sense of relief comes in, when things come through, and all things go as planned, rare days, but they cover the days that, hit so hard that it seems there’s no end to them…
At last, the day ends, after asking or talking to those who are close to me, their well-being, calling them and talking to them, if they aren’t doing well, In a sense to help them pass some of the stress or sadness, away from them…
Other than that, there’s a habit of constantly seeking new thoughts and ideas…
Well, The country that I belong to, has very deep-rooted spiritual beliefs, which makes it one of the most populous, religious based countries in the world…
A place like India, which is the birthplace of many religions, including,
Hinduism
Jainism
Buddhism &
Sikhism
There are widespread religious beliefs around the place I exist, A big Hindu temple within 500 meters of my residence, A mosque within the same distance, And within a 10-minute drive, a Sikh temple called a Gurudwara, and a Jain temple too within that, and crossing the gurudwara you’ll find a church too (In opposite directions tho)…
I mean, all the hustling bustling goes on during the day, and by the night, those people who sat Infront of the religious places, begging for money, become the richest as they buy alcohol and other intoxicants, and do it yet again Infront of the said religious place and take rest on the pavement or the sidewalk, when nothing else matters, because they have already eaten their full, during the day…
This is the enabling that religion has done, Of course, when asked it’s said, “They’re not responsible for what goes outside the premises…” like they can’t physically enforce the stoppage of this, by appointing people whose sole responsibility is to deter such people…
But, things like this happen, Again and again, because they just up and move themselves away from the area, the area which they have to “keep clean”, the entire crowd moves, and the same thing happens, a few meters away… (Us Indians and our way to hack anything’s that’s enforced right…?)
Coming back to the prompt’s question…
The things like these, the hacks, the people who become these addicts by the night, the people who among the chaos, become the thieves, snatchers, took a long time ago my faith on religion…
The way, the internal management of a religious place functions, is the same as a business, they do take up cost cutting, the prasad (the food presented to the deities), is used and recycled, for those who don’t take it home, and sold to the same devotees yet again…
Being one of the most religious countries, and praying the G0ds and G0desses, and on the other hand, we hear news of a girls being brutally Rped, people being killed over little things, family disputes making people kill their own flesh and blood, but, on the other hand, this becomes a birthplace of religions, and a hub of spiritual beliefs…
The stark contrast, in what’s told, what’s heard, what’s seen, and what’s reported…
A toast to chaos, and such a widespread nature of ill management of it…
Cheers 🥂
Ashamed Waakiye🤍
A star here, Another there, another one, where it shouldn’t have been, A havan, an offering, and all of it shall go away…
The already G0d fearing, Thinks, “G0d forbid, another problem…” So, they set the appointment, and a priest appears, at the given time…
Taking place of a G0d, Or his minion, he prays and prays, and burns incense, using wood using camphor, creates a place packed with soot, and smoke, a heavenly fragrance it leaves, until its cleared, and things become the same, same as the day before…
The same chaos, the same panic, the same things, repeat the next, and the same problems, become the common, like it was the day before…
I hope this is a safe place, but most of my time is wasted doomscrolling, without even a single thought, it just feels like there isn’t a purpose, there is not a single purpose behind life itself…
It just feels like that I try to snatch time, within all of the limited time that I have left, within these 24 hours in this day…
Just this day, I woke up at 4 a bad dream perhaps, and mindlessly scrolled for around an hour, scrolling reels, some of those give me some happiness, some of them make me sad, but, they bring me up, and throw me down, to keep me in this vicious cycle, Of being constantly hooked, looking at them, one after another, until my phone runs out of battery, Or I drain myself enough…!
The constant need, of having something playing, in this ear, or, having something to see, that bombards with some valuable information, or useless, that won’t help me ever, but, the need, the unreal need of having something playing, maybe a comedy skit, maybe some informative video, to pass the time, or just something that fills the emptiness in the room, making it some noise, or some tunes playing in the background, that deter me from thinking anything/everything, at a certain point of time…
A never-ending rant, that exists within this mind, to leave it and pick it up, making me forget crucial memories, because I can’t seem to remember them anymore, like moments in my childhood, some of them are non-existent, some of them are blemishing, some of them are still there but fading, and some of them come back after remembering hard enough, but, none that is remembered off the top my head…
You’re grateful if you do, and if you don’t, in the same boat we all are…
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
Another scroll, another relatable thing, Even though none of them are, it just passes my time…
As I stared at the clock, it stuck 5:30, it had already been too much, an hour and thirty minutes, scrolling…
But, it’s because there’s a need to replace, replace all things, Everything that surrounds, and this one is the cheapest, because the price is paid, not in the form that is visible at present…
A price that is paid, paid with those forgotten memories, by replacing those happy and sad times, with what brings these short bursts of happiness, becoming an addict to them, waiting for free time, or snatching it from regular schedule, a moment here, sitting on the can, or going out for a smoke break, or going out to eat because you forgot to pack yours, because of waking up late…
Maybe, maybe it isn’t so bad after all, but, the memories that I forget, or I’m trying to, maybe, just maybe, it will help, in eroding the bad ones, Unaware, the good ones entangled together are going away with them…
Well, another day another great prompt it is, my favorite historical figure…
Have you ever heard of Maharaja Ranjit Singh…?
One of the most admired figures even this day in Panjab, with such a leadership that extended from near borders of Afghanistan, Khyber Pass in current Pakistan, to Panjab’s Satluj river in current day Panjab…
The sole leader who had the power to unify Sikh factions, making the land of Panjab a secular empire where the rules of each religions were followed and respected, being a Sikh he was inclusive of all people, including keeping people from different faith in administrative and military positions, which were very important to give to anybody…
The religious sites and their protection belonging to different faiths, to the point he ordered repair of Mosques and temples, Also, The credits of modernization the forces belong to him, hiring European mercenaries and military experts to train the army, Having a special branch called Fauj-e-khas, specializing in close order formation and bayonet tactics…
Having invested in artillery, cannon foundries were built, and field guns were standardized, and that induced fear in the British Raj’s mind, which were also because of traditional Sikh fighters, called Nihangs ; known for their ferocious nature and tactics that brought enemies to their knees…
Training men and equipping them with better arms than the rest of the states, while keeping British rule at bay, And his work and life were mentioned in British curriculum later…
Respecting Hindu sentiments, cow slaughter was banned, and having a corruption free court even though diverse, that had wide focuses, and, living a modest life, He never took the title of Maharaja, But, he accepted himself as the Servant of Khalsa…
Having a court in Lahore that became a center of culture and arts, Also, architectural marvel, Known as, “SHER-E-PANJAB” “LION OF PANJAB”, remembered till this day, with deep respect by Panjabi speakers and Sikhs worldwide…
Imagine being alive at that point of time, to witness all of this…!
Let me take you on a journey to my schooling years and my first crush…
A hot summer day, A new admission she was, A little while later, She entered our class,
She didn't just enter in the class, it was my heart that she came into...
A hot summer day it was...
Fixed seating for girls it was, As she sat in the middle row, right next to mine, greeting everyone around, and asking their names, all of them replied with theirs, as she turned around facing me..
It was magical, she shined, her face glistening, with little specks of sweat, above her lips, and her cheeks, which she cleaned with a handkerchief regularly...
Those eyes, it felt like I took a fall while sitting in that seat, her eyes, bowl of honey, and in sunlight they turned amber...
A hot summer day it was...
As I spoke my name, and she repeated it, within a fraction of a second, something that I carried for my entire life, My name, which wasn't appealing, sounded mesmerizing from her mouth...
As the Roll call began, On answering mine, I just waited, looking at her, shyly, not to disturb her, or creep her out, But, to make her feel at ease....
A hot summer day it was...
As the lectures began, and she keenly listened to all that was being said, penning down occasionally, what she thought was important, into her notebook, on seeing from afar, she wrote in cursive, and that too fast, Impressed beyond the skill, I began, penning down that the teacher said, but, my mind went blank until I looked at her, how she wrote, so beautifully she wrote...
A hot, hot summer day it was...
After a few periods passed, and it was the time for lunch break, all of the friends that I had, came to my desk as we opened up the tiffin, that we brought, staring at the group she asked her bench mate, "What happened...?"
And she just told her to get up, And move to that seat, as everyone opened their lunches, our usual routine, a face popped within the crowd, it was "H", Her bench mate and a good friend of mine, she asked me what did I bring for lunch today...?
Before she could say anything, she pushed in and took a bite out of my lunch, She told me it was delicious, As she slyly picked up my lunch and took it without anyone noticing but me, she took a spoonful and shoved it in her mouth, telling her, how does it taste...? Tell me isn't Waakiye's mom the best cook in the world isn't it...?
As she chewed it slowly, savoring each bite, as the flavors mixed in her mouth and gulped it down, her eyes sparked, it was a common dish that was prepared in every household, but, there was something different about this one, as she took another bite, and then gave it back to me, as I raised my hand to take it from her,
Our hands touched briefly, enough to as she was handing me the box, a soft and delicate touch, as she pulled me closer and told me, they are absolutely delicious...
A hot, hot summer day it was...
As she opened her lunchbox, it was just plain jam sandwiches, as she began eating them in peace while sitting in her seat, I got up and walked towards her, Man, I never get sandwiches when I ask my mom, Can I get a bite, as she handed me a diamond shape that was precut, before making the sandwiches, as I took a bite and told her, it was amazing, as she looked up in hope, Thinking, how can something this simple be, delicious...? As she looked at my face, as I enjoyed each and every bite of it...!
You can have lunch with us, we all share and have what we like from other's tiffin, as she got up and thanked me, as I made space for her, and she began eating with us, from that day on...
A hot, hot summer day it was, And I found someone, who looked like an Angel in a human form...
As she sat in her seat, And thanked me for the lunch and the invitation into the group...
OH, on seventh heaven I was, As I spent the whole day, adoring her, watching her quirks, as she smiled when our eyes locked...
A hot, hot summer day it was, all the while I felt a winter breeze as she looked at me, The best, one of the best days it was...
It’s another one of those great prompts kinda day, what countries I’d love to visit, such an open ended and a great question…
To be honest, the country that I belong to, India, has such a rich heritage, that as each and every state boundary changes, the culture, along with their language, a different dialect from the last one, also, the food with their differing preparing techniques…
Within this country, there are oh so many things to explore, but, the responsibility of work has landed on my shoulders, which forces me to be there, at the place of my work, and due to that I am barely able to explore, explore this country of mine…
The last trip I took, it was to Himachal back in ’22 and nothing can beat it ever, That is where I first saw snow, and it stays in my memories, forever…
I imagine for some of you it might be a common occurrence, but, imagine being a person who saw snow for the first time ever, it was such a heavenly experience, that the flashbacks still stay till this day, and the trip was executed in the last week of December, for this reason, so, me and my sister, along with a cousin of mine, and my best friend and his friend, we all went and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves…
Well, there are so many things left to explore, Karnataka’s coffee, to Assam’s tea plantation Mumbai’s sea, to luscious apple plantations in Kashmir…
There’s a lot to see, in this country of ours, until, I can be free or, make time from the responsibilities that bound me, one day or another…
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
As far as eyes go, a wonder, the wonders of the world, within this country of mine comes to mind…
As the clicking and clacking comes to rest, and the low humming of the devices come to a halt, An eerie silence surrounds me, without a clue, what’s causing this, and what’s the cure…?
This life still continues, so does the work, but the life, that doesn’t…
In a limited time frame, we have to find our happiness, something that makes us happy, something that brings us joy, something that we love from the deepest of our hearts, something that we can’t live or survive without…!
But, this day still continues, as commute takes away another 45 minutes, and for those 45 minutes, I stare past these buildings, These high rises, a place…
A place, a place without, the constant need to be available, available round the clock, at the disposal of the bosses, at a single phone call, but, a few moments away, Away from all this…
I hope this new week, that all of you started is blessed with positivism, and a learning experience that helps you develop, (In a positive direction…)
Also, today’s prompt, comes at a time when all, literally all of us think about it almost all of the time, also, for those who brought us into the world, our parents who also deserve much needed retirement and peace, in their ever-running life…
Well, there are many who have a dream of having a buttload of money, and with that having all of the riches, all of the things needed in this life, waiting for your disposal, but, of what is the worth those things, which only come in your life after all you have done is struggle all your life, spending time away from your loved ones, in order to spend the last few with them…?
Instead, I’d rather have a house that has a family, my family in which there are people who I can call mine, my children and their children, and we live in a big house all together..
In the evening as I return to the home, I am wished by my grandkids, and their happy faces which make my day much better, as my children and their s/o’s return from their place of work, I’m there present at home, and wait their return…
All of us, have dinner, as we are sitting, on a table that is big enough for our family and the Grandkids too, as and we are done with the dinner, we go out and take a walk in out garden Infront of our house, as I am in the arms of my beloved, as I stare into her eyes, and the moon, as we sit on the bench when we feel a bit tired, and the walk home as we are surrounded by the kids that call us Daadi and dada( Grandma and grandpa)…
Isn’t that one of the life’s best treasures…?
Having a home full of people, waiting for your return, instead of earning everything fast and crashing hard early, but, building a life that is enjoyable even till the very end…?
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
With a wish, that originated from deep within, A dream to exist, exist to see the faces of those, who will call us, Call us their grandparents…
As we progress, go beyond ages, And from that we learn, learn the meaning, As we look at happy faces that shine, shine when they see their grandkids…
All of the worries, All of the pain, Appears to subside, vanish into thin air, as soon as they are seen, or their happy faces are remembered, and their sweet laughter comes to these ears…
A wish, a wish it seems to be, Making this life, this sad miserable life worth surviving…
After battling fever, the intense body pain, that went up to my head, and down to my toe, like a continuous flow of blood, this day has brought peace, and with it, a sense of relief…
SO, here I am answering, yet again a prompt, that forces to think, think beyond, time and the world that we live in…
One of my favorite moment, is reliving the day when I met my first crush after a long time, like 5 years long time, when I forgot all about it, by pushing it in the back of my mind, and forcing it with responsibilities and problems of the family, until, that day…
The day I saw them, traveling all alone, with an extreme look of dread and tiredness on their face, I was boarding the same train going the same direction as they were, I gently said to them, “Life has had you by the neck hasn’t it…?” I already had an excuse planned as I wore an earphone in the right ear, if they thought, I was making fun of them, but, on seeing me, those eyes shined up…
They raised their hand, and asked me, how I’ve been, after telling them I’m well, and on asking if they were doing good..? they gave me a spin, does it look like I’m doing well, A wrinkled white shirt, which was coming out of their back, and a face that can only be described, by intense stress, pain and tiredness…
So, I asked them, for a coffee, because the shop was right next to the platform, (Delhi residents know what I’m talking about…) So, we sat down, ordering two, and on asking if they needed something to eat with it, After I already ordered a brownie slice and two pre-packed cookies, and as we began discussing things…
Family and their well-being, the people they’re still connected to, the work life or its balance, which I felt was nonexistent, or something that was new in their life…?
After a while, our coffees came and we began sipping it, and then I realized, The dream that I had, way back, like years back, came true that day…
We are sitting together, having coffee, discussing our present and the near future, thinking all of this was a dream, I pinched myself on my thigh, and guess what, it was a reality, where we, my high school crush and I, were happy, sitting and having coffee…
And they brought a brownie, steaming it was, and with a dollop of French-vanilla ice-cream, as they remembered, didn’t you make brownies once we had a project together in a group, and you brought it with you to a common friend’s place…?
Oh yes, I do remember, The taste of it still lingers on my mind, even though they were not warm, but, they were to die for, I think, Almost all of us remember the taste, because it was something that was not popular back then, but, like really, it was something else…
As we began taking a bite, and finishing the coffee, telling each other our hardships and good things, as we got up, she headed towards the counter to pay for it, unknown I had already done that, (just like I used to in school time…)
As we headed out, Handing her a tissue, to clean the corner of the lip which had some chocolate from the brownie, as she took it and began cleaning it, looking just as beautiful as the day i last saw her in school…
As the train came and we boarded it, Telling her, the station I am supposed to get down is just the next one, and she stays a few stations down the line, thinking I didn’t have anything to do, I told her, I’ll drop her off to her station and catch a returning one…
Shyly she agreed, as we talked about things we loved, before we could begin another conversation, her station was here, as she pulled me with her hands around my arm, as the train was about to close, as we walked down the steps and, I watched her go, turning often, and waving me bye…
After she disappeared from my sight, I began my journey back home..
One of the most favorite moments that I ever had…
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
And, just like that, I saw, A familiar face…
A memory, a few years that were spent together, were lived within a few seconds, in which it was all happenings, all were her memories…
Some were happy some were sad, As we relived them once again, and another dream of mine, a coffee with her, without any disturbances…
There were none, none that would disrupt our peace, our time, as we discussed, tiredness of the whole day, just whooshing away in thin air, as we drank our coffee and shared a brownie…
The way back home, looking into those eyes, I saw something that was still there, a memory and a spark that we shared, unknown to it, she shared her details, as she tapped her phone to mine, and within a moment, we were connected yet again…
A luxury I can’t live without, Hmm, it really got me thinking, what are the luxuries that I own and use on a daily basis…
Then the question comes, what are the things that you consider luxuries, do you consider a car or a bike to be luxury, or do you consider a laptop or a phone to be a luxury, do you consider the roof over your head to be a luxury or you consider all of the above things that are basic of the basic things…?
Where I’m from, having a roof over your head is a luxury, but, having a car or a bike isn’t;
having a laptop or a phone isn’t a luxury, but, having enough money to eat daily is a luxury…
What do you think the division of power is? when one side is dying to barely afford 3 meals, and the other generate many times as waste,
One side doesn’t get even the basic of necessities, like water and a place to bath and relieve themselves, but, The other has all of these things readily available at their disposal, whenever they want to;
This type of thinking that sees a stark difference and is willing to make an observation, and an effort to expose those who oppress and keep them in conditions similar, even after working many times compared to others,
This becomes a luxury in my case, As I see and try to make an effort to those who suffer unnecessarily, by helping them, those who want to be helped, and show a genuine need and want to be helped, to be pulled out of this cycle that their generations were trapped in…
A luxury that comes when a silent observant being, sees and processes things differently, when others, they just go and lower their head or avert their eyes to not see, all the wrong that goes on…
MAYBE YOUR LUXURY AND MY LUXURY DIFFERS VASTLY, AND THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US…!?
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
A wish, in hope a child, from a family that isn’t well off, imagines…;
A room, an entire room full of toys, as he stares into a passerby’s home, a family that is loving and caring, he imagines, Is all of this his fault…?
Is this his fault, being born, born in a family that works so hard, yet, earns so little, is this his fault…?
Is this dream of a room, a room as big as his house, in which four others live, is this his fault…?
As he sees the crib, in which the child probably sleeps, as big as the broken and unkempt TV stand that we have, which doesn’t even cover a third of the room, Is all of this my fault…?
Being born in a family that’s ridden with debt, a child, another one, that they brought into this world, to curse, to push into something, that isn’t even remotely as close as living good, where diseases are widespread and making past 10 is a blessing, is, is being born, being born in these conditions, in this situation, my fault…?
The prompt still going crazy as usual, but, this one has me look into the old usernames and the alternate sites that I went through, being a sort of different name and a different vibe that I brought there…
One of the sites that I uploaded my content to, shut down this year in April, and I began writing on it late ’22, so almost 3 years of my content was there, and there I went by a name that was randomly given to me, on adding my details, and that name still sticks to me, As people who became close to me, still call me by that name…
Whereas, this name, Waakiye is much thought on, decided with care and thoughts that go beyond normal, A single word that has multiple meaning beyond languages, It’s meaning much different as we travel across borders, and get a different meaning each and every time, Hence the considerations before coming at this..
The real name that I carry, From birth, there’s no such thing as pure and serene as that, so, there’s no changing that, and the name that you all recognize me by here, Stays on forever…
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
A word, a name, that lives forever becomes the game…
For years upon years, I tumbled, and got humbled, within a few years, I found myself, A name with limited excel…
A presence of which I became a seeker, and traveled far lands, caught within these walls, called the mind…
So I sought, one day, the writing, these lines, these sentences, these (Waakiye)…
They’ve been, and will be, from the very beginning, till the end of me…
Waakiye 