All for Good Karma

I've been counting the lines on the back of my hand 
Again and again and again. 
They say every seven years all the cells in our body are completely replaced 
It's my only solace 
To know that in seven years even my body will be a stranger to you.

I've been lighting candles 
That went out,  perhaps as a sign of prayers that won't be answered
and apprehensions that were yet to find peace
But I light them, hoping that someday there will be someone
Who'll see my flame go out
And rush to cup their hands around me
Patiently waiting for me to be bright again.

I've been buying books 
The kind you can touch and caress 
In bookstores around the cities that we met in 
Amidst the empty aisles I leave notes 
Of hope. 
Wishing, that you find them before it's shut down
Before it is completely replaced by 
a version of itself it doesn't fully recognize.

I've been giving in forms I only learnt now 
In between learning to breath fully
I try to find meaning 
In the stories of people I'll never truly know
And I'm dying to tell you that a girl went to school today 
Because I spent a night sending emails to friends and acquaintance alike
Asking for my trust in humanity to be restored 
But I'll tell you, I'm done with believing

I've been wishing on shooting stars
and waiting for the clock to strike 11.11
But I've been doing that for too long now
I don't think it works. 
I don't think I really know the difference 
Between what is real and superficial anymore
And superstition is better than faith.

I've been building paper birds 
Because a 1000 of them,  are more than 2 and with each I tie a wish for you 
And from afar you can't really tell if they are paper or flesh. 
If they are happy or sad. 
From this far you can't tell anything
And I'm letting them go for good karma
But this time I won't wait by the window. 
They'll just fly in whenever they please 
This time more real than before.

And the Winner is...

My blog completed 4 years this June and i decided to have a giveaway this year as penance for ignoring my blog for long periods of time. A very big thank you for all those who took part, and all those who have encouraging words to say on everything I write. This blog has been my 'go-to place' for the last 4 years and I couldn't be more thankful.

I have met amazing people, read some beautiful things and learnt and grown I believe as a person first and as someone who writes later. 

A very BIG THANK YOU if you are reading this. It is a lie, if someone says they write for themselves, because else it wouldn't be up on the internet. So I write for connections I make through it, for the pleasure of being able to express and share and sometimes that word of praise that can keep me glowing for days!

The winners of the giveaway are:

Congratulations Guys! Please check your email and send me your address! :D

Chance Meetings

Like most of my grandeur time commitment promises my blog everyday month is already running out of creative juices. So here I am, being technically correct. You know, technically. But not absolutely. So here is a story I had written a long time ago, but it was never posted here, though it was shared on Darlings of Venus. So here it is technically for the first time! Yay? Okay I'm horrible I will try harder. But atleast it has fewer grammatical errors this time? Yay? Nay? 

As penance I wish to offer some goodies at my 4 Year Blogoversary Giveaway. Heehee.

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Leaving all the unhappiness behind she was going to New York, to get some perception. To fall in love the Carrie Bradshaw way, to find a way back to her happier bubbly self again. She was early for her flight like always, always so organised, always so in control. She was never late for anything
*Flight no 8547 to New York leaving at 14:00 hours has been delayed by 2 hours, the inconvenience caused is regretted*
As the announcement echoed around the airport, Sia let out a deep sigh and cursed her OCD for bringing her so early to the airport. She had 3 hours to kill now before the check-in would start. She called her mother to let her know of the delay .

"Amma the flight is going to be late"

"I don't know why Amma."

"How can I come back home, what do you mean why do I want to go anyway "

"Seri seri, Bye Amma. I'll miss you too "
Sia looked around for a book shop to engage her time, what she spotted instead was a cafe, she decided settle there and exploit the free Wi-Fi while she waited. Just as she was about to sip her coffee and open Cosmo Online on her laptop, a lady came upto her and asked if she could sit with her, as there was no place in the cafe. Sia gave her a warm smile and asked her to have a seat. Sia never let go the chance for a conversation.

"So you're going to New York too?" Sia enquired.

"No, London. My flight is in an hour, these delays." the lady said with an annoyed expression.

"Oh great! I'm Sia and you?"

"Krishna Pai." the lady replied already troubled with Sia's questions.

Sia went back to her reading and suddenly she had tears rolling down her eyes. Krishna was taken aback when she saw Sia crying." 

What's wrong ? " Krishna asked more out of politeness than interest.

"Well I just read a story online and it made me miss my ex -boyfriend. We broke up last month." Sia said still sobbing.
"Oh." Krishna said with complete lack of interest now.

"How are you so insensitive, the least you can say is, it'll be okay?" Sia said a little hurt.

"No, it won't be okay because you have chosen to cry over it and not move on. You hurt yourself, no one else is or can be the reason for your pain."

"Err." Sia had now stopped crying and was amazed at how rude strangers can be.

"I'm sorry, see I have seen a lot of  pain in my life so when I see teenagers crying over silly breakups and unimportant fights it angers me." Krishna said a little calmly now.

"Like what?" the ever curious Sia pestered.

"My 2 year old son has EB. It is a skin disease which occurs in 50 out of one million, even less most of the time. My child cannot go out and play like normal kids. He cannot hug or cuddle with me without feeling immense pain, he cannot enjoy a shower without crying his eyes out. But yet he smiles when I call out to him, he laughs when we fool around in front of him and he tries to accept his pain everyday. He is my hero, he smiles though all he feels is immense pain. There is no cure for this disease, but I'm hoping there will be one, pretty soon. My husband left me because he couldn't handle all my attention being devoted to our child and he couldn't afford all the hospital bills. He didn't want to be responsible for something his sperm created. So here I am, I have quit my job and now am putting all my time into getting my baby out of his misery."
"I'm so sorry." Sia said

"Why are you being sorry? Don't sympathize with me, I wouldn't want to have it any other way. I love my baby and he is the best child any mother could have asked for. No matter what and he's an angel." said Krishna with a motherly smile.

"I'm sure he is, so is he in London?" Sia asked not knowing what to say next. When in doubt, ask questions was her motto.

"No, he's here in India with my mother for some days. I'm going to meet a few doctors about his case, maybe his condition can be controlled." Krishna explained.

"Oh, I hope it works out for him. God bless him." said Sia with a wry smile.
*Passengers of Flight no 96541 leaving for London at 15:00 hours are requested to enter the boarding area. Thank you*
"Ok thats me, bye dear. Take care." Krishna said as she put on her coat and and flung her handbag on her shoulder.

"You too." is all Sia could say.

Just as Sia was pondering on everything Krishna had said she noticed something on the floor that had probably fallen from Krishna's bag. It was a visiting card:

Krishna Pai

Lawyer

B.A LLB , PHD in Human Psychology 

Contact no : 32313456

Sia kept the card in her bag and for a moment smiled, maybe she would meet Krishna again someday.