Random Ramblings # 12 - The Dance of Shadows

 

As I sat by the window gazing into oblivion, I could see the sunshine spreading over the world around like waves. The trees and plants in the garden bask in the light, dancing to the gentle breeze. As the sun continued its journey, I noticed the shadows dancing in accordance with the path of the sun. That caught my attention. Shadows!

Have you noticed how the shadows move around you throughout the day? From early morning to noon till evening, we see shadows acquiring different textures and lengths. From soft and smooth shapes, they acquire sharper edges at noon. Towards evening, they seem to acquire a slight golden hue at the edges. Throughout the day, they seem to dance around everything from people to animals, towering buildings to small stones. The silhouettes and patterns that they create fascinate me every time I look at them.

Have you found shadows interesting? Shadows are largely neglected by people except while looking for one. But, I have always found shadows fleeting, mysterious and comforting. Shadows always remind me that nothing is permanent in life. As the shadows move, so does everything in our lives. Neither wait for our whims. The only thing light cannot touch is shadow, which means even in a lighted environment, there is bound to be darkness. Like how things can take a dip in our lives. Also, they do enlighten us with the fact that there are unseen truths. But if we see shadows as bad times in our life, realize that there is light around it, which ignites our hopes of good times being just around the corner. Shadows should not be seen as enemies but as equal partners to light, which causes a balance in them.

"Shadows are proof that light exists" – Socrates

As wise people say, there should be a balance in everything. The same applies to shadow and light. As Socrates beautifully points out, we need shadows to prove that light exists.

The next time you see a shadow, pause, ponder and listen. Even shadows may have stories to tell.

The Possessing Hour : Jeremy John Hayes : Book Review

 

            Last week, I was under bed rest due to a fever. Boredom led me to search for a book to read. As usual, a search for the horror genre led me to select this set of short stories.

         A journalist experiences strange visions at a stipulated time daily, and it starts getting worse day by day. These visions of supposedly real people are affecting him mentally. He writes down those visions to avoid going crazy. This book chronicles those visions - a couple living in an apartment building where neighbours are performing an exorcism, a box where a woman starts putting all the bad things around her, a boy kills a butterfly only to encounter something bad, etc.

         The first thing that attracts us to the book is the abruptness of the stories. They start and end ambiguously. I would say that it becomes the boon and bane of the book. The ambiguity sparks an interest in you initially. The subtle undercurrent of dark humour will also keep you invested. But as we read on, the ambiguity takes the steam off a few of the stories. The author has tried many tropes (vampires, cults, urban legends, ghosts, haunted houses, etc), most of which have worked out really well. But in some of them, I feel it is a miss. Another drawback was the pacing. Some stories did not connect with me, and those stories slowed down my pace. The author had done a good job of making us uncomfortable in some of the stories. I wished that some of the stories could have had a better closure.

           In brief, this book could have been a better one if there were a tad less ambiguity. Nevertheless, this is a good collection of stories with an interesting premise that can make you feel uncomfortable at times. A decent one-time read.

Random Ramblings # 11 - Nature Song

 

            As I pondered what to write for the day, the rain started coming down heavily. A sudden calmness sinks in. Why don't I write about rain itself?

            Rain instils a serene feeling inside me every time. The downpour, the plants and trees getting their actual colour, the puddles, little streams being formed, and the smell of soil all invoke a sense of calmness.

            The first thing that strikes me when I hear rain is how the sound of rain can drown most of the other sounds around us. I guess this is why that sound is like therapy. Some people I know are not comfortable with the sound of heavy rain. But for me, the heavier the rain, the louder the sound, which in turn blocks every other sound, except perhaps the thunder. I read somewhere that there are different kinds of noises, like white, pink, brown, etc. The sound of rain is a pink noise, and it is considered more pleasant and softer compared to the white noise (the radio static sound is a white noise). This might be the reason why rain is so much associated with sleep and creativity.

            Have you tried to do something creative during the rain? If you have not, do try. For me, the sound is therapeutic and soothes my mind, which helps me to do something creative like write or draw. For a bookworm like me, the rain and the drop in temperature do wonders. The sound provides an immersive effect and elevates the reading experience.

            In this fast-paced world, I am not sure how many of us are taking the time to listen to this beautiful symphony of nature. But ironically, people listen to rain in sleep and meditation apps. Rain is one of the greatest gifts of nature. Listening to nature sing through the rain reminds us of the simplicity of life. We should learn to appreciate the same. All across the world, films and cultures adore rain.

            You might be office, house, in college, travelling or working. But whenever you cross your path with rain, take a pause, listen to the pitter-patter with your ears and heart. It can be a lullaby, a song or a story to you. Take a deep breath and experience the tranquillity before carrying on. After all, life is so simple.

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." - Langston Hughes

Have you taken time to listen to the rain song?

Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones - Book Review

 

                

                I am a big fan of Studio Ghibli movies, which I binge-watch quite often. One of my favourites among them is 'Howl' Moving Castle'. Recently did I came to know that the movie is based on a book. Luckily, I spotted the book in the library and ended up taking the book for the week. Let's see how it fared.

             Sophie, from Market Chipping, grew up with her two sisters. They have a hat shop run by her stepmother. While her two sisters move out to learn, Sophie gets stuck in the shop creating hats. She accidentally crosses paths with the Witch of the Waste, who curses her to be an old lady. Sophie leaves the house and encounters the moving castle of Howl, who had a bad reputation for taking young girls' souls. Sophie meets Howl, Michael and the fire demon, Calcifer, at the castle and starts to live as a caretaker. She enters a pact with Calcifer to break the curse. Is Howl evil, as people believe him to be? What pact does she make with Calcifer? Is she able to break the curse? forms the rest of the story.

                I had a certain expectation while reading the book. All this is due to watching the movie. This was the wrong thing to do. The story progressed differently in both the book and the film. Since I had watched the film many times, the story from the movie often crossed my mind, spoiling the reading experience. The story was good enough. But the tempo was undulating. What started well slowed down in the middle for some time, and picked up pace towards the end. The language and writing style are simple enough to enjoy the read. Young readers might be able to connect well with the book. The various characters and the underlying characteristics are well written. They may appear one way, but behave in a totally different way. A few underlying themes, like resilience, adaptability, courage, and acceptance, are explored well. The mystery surrounding Howl makes him the most interesting character of the book.

             To sum it up, a charming book that can be fun at times but slow otherwise. Nevertheless, a fairly enjoyable read. Those who have already seen the movie should read this with a fresh mindset. 

Random Ramblings # 10 - Talking to oneself

 

Do you talk to yourself? You heard it right! Do you?

I do often! Being a loner, I have all the time in the world to talk to myself. Some people find me talking out loud to myself and look at me like a crazy fool. I admit that self-talk can be bad at times. BUT... It is more suitable for you too. You can take my word on that. Based on what you talk to yourself.

I have been a pessimist all my life. So, my self-talk involves a lot of negative things. Ever heard the saying 'You are defined by your thoughts'? True! Negative self-thoughts always pull us back on our path and are like quicksand that can pull you down. This leads to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. But there are times when I say something positive to myself. Whatever I think starts with "I am not good enough", "I am worthless", "I am destined to fail", and "I do not deserve to live".

Then I heard the word manifestation, which involves positive thoughts, goal visualization, affirmations and actions. Whenever you start manifesting positively, the world around you works towards uplifting you. I started with positive self-talk, which started building a certain confidence in me. The positive self-talk started to cultivate some amount of confidence, resilience and success. This, in turn, created a good impact, inspiring me to attain some of my goals.

As I mentioned earlier, being a pessimist, maintaining a positive outlook and positive self-talk is tough for me. Whenever I try to take a step forward, it starts to pull me two steps back. But small steps lead to big changes. Hopefully, I can positively look at life.

Likewise, everyone needs to follow self-talk positively. You should not make room for negative self-talk. This is unavoidable, but you can always change your perspective and try to convert the negative talk into a positive way. Affirmations, journaling, and mindfulness can help induce a positive approach in you.

Do you talk to yourself? How has self-talk changed you?