Grateful By Ketaki S. Vaidya

The preparations used to start a week before with cleaning and dusting the home the curtains would change to new ones and the wooden chairs would turn into foam Grown ups would start planning budget for gifts and bonuses cause expense but kids would be busy in planning some fun because budget never made any sense The kitchen used to get busy and messy with the cooking of savory and sweet cooking together was so joyful and the idea was festive and neat I remember looking at the lantern lit lanes while walking and chatting with friends there used to be only lights everywhere till the place where the range of sight ends Diwali involved rising very early for detailed and special bath early morning noise of fire crackers and majestic diyas lit path meeting with friends and family exchanging sweets and gifts all stress would just melt down  and mood will have rather dramatic shifts The world used to feel like one family unde...

I read about you in scriptures. so tried finding you around I could see you everywhere  I saw you in the sun shine In the tree and in vine In the fresh monsoon shower In the blooming garden flower You were everywhere in the sky in the wings of birds when they fly I could hear you every where In the sound of waves of ocean  In the blowing wind's motion In the dancing trees'  song in the rivers flowing for long In the baby's laugh so sweet In the happy bird's tweet I found you in the fragrance of flowers in the smell of dirt after rain shower in the aroma of mother's cooking in the ripened fruits while plucking You were always there everywhere In the light and in the darkest hour In the noise and in the silence you were the one without an end How can I hold something that can't have a measure with my tiny mind which looks for closure So I mixed up your five elements and created an idol the way I l...