Castaway! - with/without Internet?

Look who is writing? A blogger on a topic called 'A world without Internet.' Ironic jest it is. But, is it not possible to exist without Internet connection? Now, that we are used to everything that Internet offers, our response always tends to be a 'No'. But, life in the yester-years did exist without Internet. And probably then, life was more peaceful. Our grand-parents can corroborate this statement.

Generation-gap, as we call it, probably also stems partly by Internet, partly by hunger for identity and partly by westernisation. Our grand-parents find us always on TV, mobile, tablets and laptops while they spent their youth in playing 'real' games, doing physical activities, spending 'real' time with family and friends and doing household chores. This gave rise to values and principles towards being cultural, religious and a family oriented-person. But, today's men and women are more career-oriented, spending time with friends and family is more of a waste of their time and resources, and every man and woman who has an aspiration to make his/her career is hungry for identity. 

As a result, we have taken refuge in Internet. 

• Wake up in the morning, check your Whats-App, Facebook and the innumerable social networking sites as a dreary routine.
• We need a food recipe, Google it. On a second thought, do we think of calling up our parents or in-laws?
• We need quick tips on child-care. Google it.
• We need answers for some questions on a particular topic of study. Google it.
• We need to buy some groceries, apparel, spectacles, jewelries, visit an online store.

And the list goes on. This has reduced our 'real' time with the world. 

Now let us imagine that we have no Internet for probably a year. I surmise, that our life would be as follows:

• Wake up in the morning, take sometime to awaken yourself, probably make a small prayer.
• Get to the kitchen, make a cup of coffee.
• Read a newspaper.
• Get ready and go to office. Many minutes saved as a result of not spending time on Internet.
• Do your work 'productively'. Well, no Internet, right?
• Get back home, spend time with your family. We start to realise that these moments are precious.
• Have dinner talking to your family.
• Get a good night's sleep.
• On festivals, personally invite families for a get-together. Probably you will end up knowing a family member very well to be a friend.
• We need a recipe, we get in touch with the nearest person we can talk to and start connecting with that person on this note.
• On weekends, get out for an outing with friends/family or get out for shopping.
• Also, we can reduce the youth getting access to 'unethical' sites and turning into reprobates!

And, in the end, maybe we will wonder that this is happening in 'real'. Providentially, we would have gotten better with our social skills, communication skills and would have had a lot of memories in life! It take a while to ensconce ourselves to reduce Internet usage, but it is necessary that you are not discovered in a bog of virtual life all the time!

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. This week's WOW prompt is ‘A World without Internet'.

Comfort zone

photo by Francesca Woodman

It is like you had been here just a few moments ago. This loss is slowly settling within me. I know you are gone. But, your afterglow still lingers here. I just wish that you would just leave. Goodbyes are always strange. I am numbed, drugged and in a trance. I smile when I think of how my life was dependent on you. Saints say that your happiness is within you, and is independent of anything materialistic. How could that have been possible? All my life revolved around you. My happiness is annulled by your absence. I am stuck in a time and space warp. This is an alien-like experience to me. But, thank you for bringing me out of my comfort zone. There should be a first time for everything.

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 303

Sleep

I slept hugging you
Never thought motherhood would
Be this beautiful!

My dear child, my life,
The whole world thanks a mother
But I will thank you!

I will thank you for -
Making my life beautiful,
Bringing in sunshine!

Written for Haiku Horizons: "sleep"

Good woman

Image Credit: http://magpietales.blogspot.in/

No matter how much she may hide
And try to be the woman you dream of,
The rebel in her gets out for a ride
For a carefree and a good laugh,

She does not want a life of remorse,
The seeds of revolution in her are sown,
Do not reign her like your horse!
You cannot keep a good woman down.

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 302

Spend

Lavish posh weddings
Bucks spent on flowers
Colours, lights and food.

What shall I tell her?
Welcome or farewell at once,
To the bride in red?!

Written for Haiku Horizons: "spend"

You and the roses!

photo by Ed Ross

You only see the red petals

But not the blood on the thorns

As the pain insinuates and settles,

I stay and take the bull by the horns.

Yes, I stay with problems longer

You get to see only the rosy facade

Everyday in the mirror I face her

Against the stream, I struggle and wade.

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 301

Real

Through your hazel eyes
I searched for the real you
And then I knew you.

You may get angry
And throw me the harshest words
I will forgive you.

I am just your means.
One fine day, I might be gone.
But time will teach you

Written for Haiku Horizons: "real"

Insignia of silence

Silence. I wish! There is so much noise and information outside you that you are always bombarded with them every second of your life. At some point in time, it just gets overwhelming and my senses want to rest. I fall into this abyss of wishful thinking that I wish there was silence! I wish!

In spite of all the chaos, it IS important to pause and find silence in us to make some space for yourself, your judgement and decisions. This is the first place where silence is the most important.

Then comes the interaction with others. Silence is the best answer you can give to your enemies. Most of them will think that you are defeated but you yourself know that you are letting them go and channeling your energy for other important purposes and moments that you live for in life. This is the second most important place of silence.

The third important place is when you have to listen to others. Be it empathy, be it knowing someone's experience, it is important to stop talking and listen.

I would like to end saying, patience, experience and knowledge are all insignia of silence.

Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.- Martin Farquhar Tupper.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. This week's WOW prompt is ‘Voice of Silence'.

Thanks 2015!

2015 has taught me the following:

1. Motherhood is the best thing that can happen to a woman.
2. Aging is a difficult phase to deal with. Respect our elders.
3. From some point of time onwards, you stand to take responsibilities for the things that happened and did not happen in your life. Take charge of your life instead of letting others' opinions dominate it.
4. Love has to be earned. It cannot be forced from someone.
5. Do not get angry. It is a huge waste of your bodily energy and resources to react with anger.

Written for Indispire - edition 98 on Indiblogger.in

I have run away!

Image Credit: http://magpietales.blogspot.in/

This is the first time in my life. I have run away, I always wanted to run away from you. And today I gathered that strength. That strength transformed itself into brute force that gave my legs their motion towards deliverance I longed for. I want to believe all this is happening, but my senses are still numbed because of the intoxicating joy! Let me pause, take few quick breaths and say, "Hey Gravity, I want to fly high."

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 300

Find

When love can find us
When we can find love in us
We are forever.

---

I spot you in crowd
I take wings and fly away
When you find me back.

Written for Haiku Horizons: "find"