An appreciation long due..

While I cook and throw a tensed stare at the wall clock, I remember how I never truly appreciated your efforts to feed us on time, Ma!
It hits me now how you were always a human and never a machine, but we expected you to be the later.
While I cook and wipe off sweat from my forehead with my other hand, I am reminded of the times when we would sit in the comfort of ac and you'd be preparing meal for us just one room away, all alone and all drenched in sweat. How easy the realisation is coming to me now, after all these years, when it's all happening to me.
While I cook and feel strain in my leg muscles within an hour of standing, I remember how you would keep standing and running for hours, dexterously handling all the kitchen chores.

I could always see how happy it made you to look after us.
But I hardly noticed that it tired you out too!
And why not? You made everything look so easy; and we took everything for granted.

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दिलचस्पी न दिखाई कभी सूखते पौधों को बचाने में,
आज व्यस्त हैँ वो लोग सभी, पर्यावरण दिवस मानाने में!
सोचा ना एक बार कभी कूड़ा करकट फैलाने में,
आज व्यस्त हैँ वो लोग सभी, पर्यावरण दिवस मानाने में!
आँख मूँद लगे हैँ जो अनवीकरणीय संसाधनों को जलाने में,
आज व्यस्त हैँ वो लोग सभी, पर्यावरण दिवस मानाने में!
प्रकृति की अवहेलना कर आज भुक्तभोगी हैँ हम, जो कोरोना से जंग जीत लगे हैँ इसे हराने में!
नादान फ़िर भी है मनुष्य, जो असफ़ल है महामारी के कारणों को समझ पाने में!
बनावटी आवरण से निकल भलाई है पर्यावरण के महत्त्व को असल में समझ पाने में!
अंतर्मन में झाँक पर्यावरण संरक्षण हेतु सतत प्रयासों की शपथ ले हर मनुष्य,
जो व्यस्त है आज पर्यावरण दिवस मानाने में!

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कट रही, सिमट रही, ये ज़िन्दगी पलों में उन,
जहाँ जीने का सलीका भूल दुख को गले लगाना हम सीख गए l
खुद पर भरोसा भूल आत्म शंका पर यकीन रखना हम सीख गए l
उम्मीद से नाराज़गी यूँ हुई, किस्मत को कोसने में सुकून ढूंढना हम सीख गए l
करेला न भाता था जो बचपन में, जुबाँ उससे भी कड़वी रखना हम सीख गए l
बीते पलों की नाकामियों के बोझ तले द्वार खड़े मौकों को बंद दरवाजा दिखाना सीख गए l
जहाँ स्कूल कॉलेज की परीक्षायें पास कर, ज़िन्दगी के इम्तेहान में हम कुछ यूँ उलझ कर रह गए l
कट गए, सिमट गए, यूँही ज़िन्दगी के साल कई l
चल, मन के इस पिंजरे से आज़ाद हो कर, लिखें बाक़ी की कहानी कुछ नयी l
जाग रही उम्मीद कहीं अंदर, कह रहा अब अंतर्मन मेरा l जीने का सलीका सीख ले इस पल मे जो, सार्थक हो जाये कहानी उसकी, ज़िन्दगी का विजेता वही l

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UNFILTERED, FROM THE SOUL..

You know it when your life and lifestyle both need serious introspection and 'filters'. Writing about filters, the first thing that comes to my mind is the saying that 'your vibe attracts your tribe'. One who is always whining, complaining and regretting is the one who is stuck and unable to get past the problems that have already happened and already in the past. Such persons seldom attract genuinely concerned opinions, as mostly who flock at the instant to listen to the melodrama and flee the next moment never actually care.
And before you realise it you have had already started repelling people, because, let's be honest, everyone is looking for a fun company and not a whiny one.
So, just pause your attention at this very moment! Take cognizance of the kind of thoughts originating from your mind. Make one time settlement with your past and peace with your present, and continue doing so for all times to come. Live free from regrets, complaints, bitter memories.. and open your soul's gates to a happier place.

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You are astronomical in the reaches of your soul. You are microscopic in terms of physical existence.
You are everything the universe is, and yet nothing but a speck of dust in the universe.

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इंसाफ़ के तराजू पर, पैसे की ताकत का डंडा अक्सर एकतरफ़ा बैठता है !
बापू तेरे देश को यह हुआ क्या, यहाँ न्याय आज बहुत ऊँचे दाम पर बिकता है !!

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AIIMS rules out murder in SSR case.
In this great country of ours, justice is a luxury, a privilege not meant to be easily available to the common man. Rapes and murders are swept under the carpet with threats and bribes.

हर चीज़ बिकाऊ है यहाँ !
अरे ओ, आम आदमी, तू न्याय जैसी महंगी चीज़ क्या ख़रीदेगा!

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बर्षों पुरानी इमारत जमींदोज़ करके,
आज फ़िर कोई अपने सपनो का आशियाना बनाने चला है!
उस बिल्डर मे छुपा वो बेटा न जाने आज कहाँ खो गया,
जो बचपन की मीठी यादों का सौदा मुनाफ़े से करने चला है !

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Your favourite season might be Winter.
But you have it inside you to survive and cherish all the seasons equally and live on.
Life is the same. Your favourite person is the Winter. Life doesn't stop when Winter is gone.

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Oh dear, is it mere a roleplay?
Together we laugh, together we fight, and at times whine.
But then you concede that you aren't destined to be mine.
Oh dear, isn't it just a roleplay?
Together we have breakfast and lunch, together we dine.
But you know that without me you'll do just as fine.
Oh dear, are we only pretending to be in love,
to fill empty lonely spaces in each other's life?
You know what they say, "You must have been ignoring the signs."
Oh dear, why are we doing this roleplay?
Isn't it difficult for you to say one thing and do another?
This is heavy; might have been better if we had never met rather.
Dear, would you tell me a trick to delete every piece of you from my memory?
Did you ever consider me anything more than someone temporary?
Roleplays are mere escapes from the reality as we know it.
Must bring down the curtains now before sanity takes another hit.
Oh dear, let go of me, once again.
Not wanting to come back, alone I'll cry my heart out in the rain.

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