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#Ysmw #001
Tag: writing
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Dinner with Loved Ones: Healing Through Memories
Daily writing promptIf you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
There was a family tradition that used to take place earlier in our family,
we used to get together,
have drinks,
cook our own food,
some it was store bought,
and it only required heating it a little bit..But,
it was like once maybe twice a year kind of tradition which used to take place at our residence,
but people used to come from faraway places,
even from neighboring states,
a day or two before…We used to have music,
and used to hit steps after getting a bit tipsy,
but,
all in everyone enjoyed to their fullest,
there would be people sitting in the corner eating and drinking,
talking to each other,
I would occasionally check on them and get them anything they needed,
and they’d thank me for it,
and the smile would stay on my face the entire night…Until,
the latter half on ’23,
after battling for an entire year,
and losing at the end,
the life was never the same,
all the point of get-together became a sham,
there was no happiness whatsoever,
all the sense,
essence of happiness or get-together was lost,
as he left us…So,
I’d invite my now deceased father,
and revive the long-lost tradition of having the grand dinner once again,
Or teach us how we could continue without the loss of someone so dear to our hearts,
where all of us would get together,
and enjoy to our fullest,
once again,
yet again…Cheers 🥂 (Happy weekend)
Love Waakiye 🤍
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What Improves with Age? Discovering Taste, Wisdom, and Confidence
Daily writing promptWhat do you think gets better with age?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
There are a few things that get better with age,
that I can think of,
at this very instant…Taste…
Your preferences become more filtered,
instead of the crude and in their raw versions they were before;
You acquire taste in various fields like,
Music, fashion, food and art,
and these choices become yours,
because they are acquired through trial and err,
and they now show a great part of you…Wisdom and a vision for perspectives…
As you grow and work,
you gain skill,
an insight into seeing the bigger picture,
even the missing one which you have to create to achieve that level,
But,
that does mean giving up on things that are unimportant at that time,
which can cause you to feel left alone or isolated,
because things like these aren’t visible in the early years of life,
and if it were,
you’d most probably spending much time alone contemplating them,
by planning ahead from an early age…Controlled grip on emotion…
As you age and get reality checks,
setbacks that make you realize your position,
In life and in society,
capping your goals and framing your life within a few things that were within your reach,
you start to understand and have your views on things,
and when you come to know the actual reality of those around you,
the different way they are bound to you,
some just like you…
then you gain control over your emotions and built a stamina for it,
which makes it harder for you to take an unnecessary fall,
which can be made on early deductions…Foods and beverages…
There are certain things,
certain foods and drinks that become your acquired taste,
like fine wine and pairing it with specific cheeses;
Taste of truffles is one of them,
it feels weird at first and after consuming it often,
it becomes a taste that suits your palate…Just like wine,
the taste of good whiskey is acquired through many trials and errors,
you try expensive whiskey and drink it using some ice and little water,
and it doesn’t hit you back like the cheap ones usually do,
their buzz is consistent and not something that becomes a high or low within a matter of few minutes,
But,
that doesn’t mean it’s good for you;
Anything and everything in moderation is better…Awareness of self and boost in confidence…
With age,
one becomes adamant on their rules and regulations that work for them,
all of the outside judgment is ignored,
and one becomes more comfortable in their own skin;Which in turn builds confidence,
by not having a constant pressure of surroundings,
and growing at a pace that seems comfortable for self,
which sparks this feeling that’s-
“MORE ABOUT KNOWING LESS ABOUT PROVING”
with that being said,
these are the things that I think,
get better with age,
What about you,
do mention them in the comments below…!Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye🤍
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Exploring Global Music Genres: My Personal Playlist
Daily writing promptWhat is your favorite genre of music?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
Intro…
Have you ever heard a track and went,
I don’t know what they’re saying but,
it feels good to listen,
so,
you end up having a few of them in your playlist,
and one day when you’re scrolling your downloads,
you find it yet again,
and revisit those old memories…?Travelling west…
That’s how I discovered “Nancy Ajram”,
A Lebanese singer,
“Jamila El Badaoui”,
A Moroccan singer,
And,
“Nai Barghouti”,
a Palestinian singer,
composer and singer,
with such talent that is nowhere to be found…!Finding these rare gems…
These discoveries for a person sitting in India,
is not possible unless a random one of these come on your recommendations,
but,
for that you should have heard them in advance or have someone tell you about them but,
it never happened to me,
it was always finding out on my own,
hearing it someplace,
like the background of an instagram reel,
or,
a soft tune playing somewhere,
that’s how I found out about the legends “FAIRUZ”,
And “ABDEL HALIM HAFEZ”…Returning to my roots…
But,
that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about my culture and the origin of my being,
Panjabi folk singers like “Lal Chand Yamla Jatt”,
and “Alam Lohar” “Ashiq jutt” “Amar Singh Chamkila” “Asa Singh Mastana”
and their female counterparts,
“Noor Jehan”, “Surinder Kaur”, “Narinder Biba” and “Amarjot”…Not forgetting the new Skool singers who are carrying the legacy forward that we got from our ancestors,
“Arjan Dhillon”,
“Sidhu Moose Wala”(Rip LLSMW🕊️),
“Karan Aujla”,
and many more who are working hard to bring up the level day by day..So,
you see my genre focuses on my mother tongue,
with exposure from around the world..About Bollywood…
I don’t like Bollywood that much because most of it has become a copy and paste from other cultures,
but occasionally,
there will be tunes that stay on my mind forever,
and they come back to me after a while reminding me to listen to them yet again,
and break my stereotype yet again…Towards the end..
That’s it for the day,
hope you guys have a nice weekend,
and listen to some nice tunes along the way…Your Recommendations…
Is there something that you recommend,
do let me know in the comments…Cheers🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
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Crafting Authority: Daily Learning in Writing and Life
Daily writing promptOn what subject(s) are you an authority?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
Well,
when the topic of authority comes in,
I like to think it this way,
one can never master a skill,
no matter how much time they spend on it,
but,
a level of expertise comes in,
after dabbling in a single field…After spending around three years,
and writing at least half a million to quarter of million words,
and given countless of them to writers and individual organizations,
it’s safe to say there’s some level of authority that I have been blessed with,
(On this),
But,
even saying this feels wrong to me,
because there is so much yet to be done,
so much yet to be achieved from this,
and coming from a background that has nothing to do with this,
makes it hard as the way has to be paved as I walk on it,
for someone to follow the same…The field that I’m working in other than this,
makes it polar opposite,
Working in an industry where I learn new things each day,
and return home drenched in sweat and covered in a layer of soot,
but,
even there,
the learning continues on,
and it happens on the daily,
a new way to achieve results quicker and cheaper,
this tussle continues each day,
tomorrow too,
and the day after too…
So,
the struggle continues each day,
both ways,
But it’s a good life,
that continues perpetually…Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
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Layers of Romance: Emotional Depth in Love and Writing
Daily writing promptWhat’s your definition of romantic?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
What an open-ended question this one is,
without a context,
without any relation to how we are supposed to work,
romanticism in the sense of a literary writing,
or romantic in a relationship sense…?But,
that’s the cue to work around the topic of this day,
and we will go ahead anyways…My definition of romantic (or romance) in a general sense isn’t clouded by the want to just get in bed with them,
but,
to understand them,
the things that they like,
the things that they hate,
the way they grew up,
and from that understanding,
what shaped them the way they are,
or how they respond to an action or a cue,
which they like or don’t,
helping me to stay clear off the things that haunted them in their past,
all the while helping them come to terms with what they were in their past,
isn’t something that is going to affect their present;Also,
showering them with gifts,
taking them out on their days off,
and exploring new places with them,
as we walk hand in hand,
traveling with them maybe using the public transport every once in a while,
and gifting flowers,
and dropping them home or near it,
how the relationship is at that point of time…
See how I didn’t talk about having or getting your physical needs met here,
because that’s how it is initially,
taking it slow and knowing that in some cultures,
things like these take place after marriage,
and that’s acceptable,
but,
when things are forced,
and they are coerced into doing something that they don’t agree to,
or like,
would naturally mean that you’re there only to satiate yourself,
and then drop her after the sun rises the next day…Due to that,
this path becomes extremely tricky for both,
where one has to make sure things are mutual and in agreement,
with proper boundaries set…Whereas romanticism in literary sense comes in when things like these are experienced and a person who loves to write pens his real emotions and feelings,
about how they are truly, madly and deeply in love,
with the said person,
to the point they write (Of course in some hidden sense),
about their love,
their feelings,
which can be mutual or one sided,
but,
portraying an image in a sense that’s appealing to read,
and can be experienced by those who are around them,
without even being in a relationship to call it something that they themselves dream of being in…So romantic aspect is much needed in life,
where a person exposes themselves,
layer by layer,
in a sense to a person,
they intend to spend the foreseeable future with…That’s romanticism for me,
to you…Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye🤍
All alone they were,
After a long time they were finally together,
There was deep longing in those eyes,
And a want,
A need that needed to be expressed,
But,
Who would make the first move…?
The first move,
After a span of three months,
These months,
Akin to years spent apart,
Seeing only each other,
And talking like strangers,
Whenever they had some time on their hands,
And these hands,
Waited,
Waited all of these days,
Waited these weeks,
Waited all these Months;
Now,
These hands,
Were in those,
Where they belonged…
A bottle of Merlot,
And two glasses were there,
A third of the way,
Maybe a sip was taken,
Before things took a turn…
From kissing the back of her hand,
To her shoulder blade,
And from there,
Those pink supple lips,
He stared at himself,
Her face tilted,
Eyes half closed,
Waiting were these lips,
For a sweet little kiss..
A known flavor coated his mouth,
Her born lippy lip balm,
The strawberry kind,
Those eyes; glowing,
Overflowing with emotions;
“Cannot tell you how much I waited,
Waited for this day..”
As those eyes shined,
As she stared into his… -
The Importance of Gratitude in Friendships
Daily writing promptHow do you express your gratitude?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
Another day another good prompt,
There are a few instances where I take help of those who are around me,
and,
If I do,
I do let them know that I’m grateful for that…Often,
it happens that they talked to me,
when I was feeling low,
or,
If i was in the need of something and they came in like a savior and handed me the thing that I needed,
or,
swooped me out of the bad situation,
by telling a simple excuse,
knowing I was feeling agitated,
and when we are out of that situation,
I usually thank them for it..Just the happening of last week,
I picked up a friend of mine from the nearest metro station that was to my workplace which I visited during my day off,
and we went from one cafe to another in search of good coffee,
and when we were done with the first one,
we had latte and a filter coffee with some brownies,
But,
we didn’t like the ambiance as the shop was packed and we had to sit outside,
So,
we went to another one,
had a cold coffee,
they ordered a lemon iced tea,
and we ordered some snacks to go with it,
And after having it we went to an art gallery,
and looked at these beautiful paintings,
as the artist themselves invited us in,
to look at them,
and they were one beautiful,
Of course,
we couldn’t take any pictures,
but we really thanked the artist as he walked us through,
the paintings their expression,
and what message it conveyed…And after thanking him and getting to know his schedule,
we told him that we will send some art enthusiasts his ways,
one of them who paints as a hobby,
another one who does this as her profession…After we were done and they waited for their uber to come pick them up,
I told them to sit,
and later I dropped them off outside their home,
and they thanked me and as they were going,
they reminded me of how much of a good friend I was,
and they’re forever grateful that I came into their life…And they told me to drop them a message as soon as I arrived home,
but,
I got late as I had to pick up essentials,
and they got worried for me,
as I texted them,
that I was happy that we could spent time together today,
and they were too,
wishing the same for the next week,
and I told them I hope they’re free next week too,
so we can spend time together…Just these little things,
spending time with loved ones,
exploring things and new places,
which makes them happy and gives me exposure,
broadening my horizon,
all the while being a better person and thanking anyone who becomes a part of this life,
My life…Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍
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Overcoming Doomscrolling: Finding Purpose in Your Day
Daily writing promptHow do you waste the most time every day?Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
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…
“An Echo Without a Voice“ -
Reliving My First Crush Experience
Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
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...
Cheers 🥂
Love Waakiye 🤍 -
Exploring India ‘s Rich Heritage and Beyond
Hey…
I hope all of you are doing well…
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…
“MONOTONOUS CHAOS”
Waakiye 