Expansion of Idea - Life is a Wonderful Journey

We are meant to come into life and live it fully through exploration according to our own joy and satisfaction. We are not meant to come into life in order to fulfill our duty begrudgingly and to wait for our destiny whether we like it or not. It is all upon us to make the right choices and decisions to make this life worth living. And what if we do not make right choices… Though we cannot go back and undo them, yet we can still right the wrong by being positive and attentive to our own wants and desires. We do not always get second chances, but still it is in our hand to either keep feeling guilty about what is already done and waste our time crying  and repenting or to right it when we still have time. The decision is up to you my friend.

Remember what is done is done, you cannot undo it. But what you can do is try to make peace with your past. Otherwise memories of past haunt you till your last breath making your life a living hell. Grudges, repentance and jealousy are enemies. Keep them at bay! Don't let them rule over your thoughts. The mind games can be cruel and trust me, they would never let you rest in peace. So let the bygones be bygones. Meditate, relax and try to be happy. Think of happy moments that you had in life and enjoy your life to fullest. Happiness isn't a destination, it is a journey. Remember life does not always give you second chances! Life is a wonderful journey and all you have to do is explore, connect and reach your destination in meaningful and exhilarating way. Do enjoy and commence your journey now before it is too late. 

The Breeze at Dawn Poem By Rumi

The Breeze at Dawn 

-By Rumi

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill

where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don't go back to sleep.

The Guest House Poem by Rumi

The Guest House Poem by Rumi is one of the well known poem that has been recited all around the world. The words of Rumi set chord with your heart and you just enjoy them.

The Guest House Poem 

  - By Rumi 

 This being human is a guest house. 

Every morning a new arrival. 

 A joy, a depression, a meanness, 

Some momentary awareness comes 

As an unexpected visitor. 

 Welcome and entertain them all! 

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows, 

Who violently sweep your house 

Empty of its furniture. 

Still treat each guest honorably, 

He may be clearing you out 

For some new delight. 

 The dark though, the shame, the malice, 

Meet them at the door laughing, 

And invite them in. 

 Be grateful for whoever comes, 

Because each has been sent 

As a guide from beyond.

Story of The Super Hero Earth - The Long Awaited Sandman

Couple of years back, as a part of my freelancing project, I wrote this story of Super Hero Earth - The Long Awaited Sandman for a site. This story was enjoyed by kids very much. I am planning to share the story and the site link here. This was my first attempt to write a story on my own for children. Enjoy the story!

Super Hero Earth - The Long Awaited Sandman

With the strong winds and current, the sand came alive. High and high it rose and assembled in a form of a large monstrous super human. It baked under the sun until it was hard like the Earth.

On Pongo Beach, he wandered endlessly, hard as a rock, looking for an answer to who he was. Confused and unknown of his own identity, he walked through the warm sands, in the glazing sun.

A bit confused on what he was, he sat on the sand! Fishermen ran helter-skelter as they were scared of such a monstrous sight. Being on these islands for ages, these fishermen had never seen such a monster on the beach. They wondered where it came from, "Was it because of the storm?" Some cried, "God help us!"

No one dared to walk on the beach. The super human wondered what was wrong, whether he was really harmful and scary. "No," he said to himself. But how could he convince them that he was just like them and that he wanted to help? He didn't have any answers.

But suddenly, he heard cheers and claps from a distance. He saw a small group of kids rushing towards him. "Aren't they scared of me?" He asked himself. But the kids continued to make their way to the Earthly creature. They came toward him and swarmed him. They all screamed in excitement and laughed with joy. "Our own sandman!" "He's made out rocks!" "No, he's made out of dirt." "He's a super hero!" "Our own super hero is here!" "He could stay with us."

The super hero was overjoyed. Now he knew who he was and why he was here. He's was here for these lovely children who accepted him as one of their own. He was their hero. He knew he was there just for them, to protect them from harm. He decided to exist for these kids, no matter what is to unfold in the future!

Read the original story written by me here www.pongobeach.com

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou is a beautiful poem which inspires the peace and hope of Christmas to light up our holidays. This poem promises to instill faith and belief in people especially children, to lighten up and be happy during Christmas and await goodness of life.

Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem

     by Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes

And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.

Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche

Over unprotected villages.

The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.

What have we done to so affront nature?

We worry God.

Are you there? Are you there really?

Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,

Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope

And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.

The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,

Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.

Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.

Flood waters recede into memory.

Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us

As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children

It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.

Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,

Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.

At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.

We listen carefully as it gathers strength.

We hear a sweetness.

The word is Peace.

It is loud now. It is louder.

Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.

It is what we have hungered for.

Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.

A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.

Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.

We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.

We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.

Peace.

Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.

We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,

Implore you, to stay a while with us.

So we may learn by your shimmering light

How to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.

On this platform of peace, we can create a language

To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.

At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ

Into the great religions of the world.

We jubilate the precious advent of trust.

We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope.

All the earth's tribes loosen their voices

To celebrate the promise of Peace.

We, Angels and Mortal's, Believers and Non-Believers,

Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.

Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.

Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves

And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation.

Peace, My Brother.

Peace, My Sister.

Peace, My Soul.” 

Caged Bird Poem By Maya Angelou

Caged Bird 

       - by Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind,

And floats downstream till the current ends,

And dips his wing in the orange suns rays

And dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage,

Can seldom see through his bars of rage,

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied,

So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill,

Of things unknown but longed for still,

And his tune is heard on the distant hill,

For the caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze,

And the trade winds soft through the sighing trees,

And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn,

And he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams,

His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream,

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied,

So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill,

Of things unknown but longed for still,

And his tune is heard on the distant hill,

For the caged bird sings of freedom.

Phenomenal Woman Poem by Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman

     - by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies.

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It's the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can't touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them

They say they still can't see.

I say,

It's in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need of my care,

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Source: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou -  Phenomenal Woman: Four Poems Celebrating Women