How I wish!!!

How I wish for time to wait,
Wait for me so that I can slowly sip my tea,
By turning pages of a crisp and fresh newspaper,
Skimming through Politics,
Through BIG words of Editorial to sports and to Page 3.

How I wish time to eat,
Without flipping through channels,
Or waiting for some work to be done,
Or trying to ensure kids eat well.

How I wish I had time to read,
With no disturbance and sound,
Binging into the words written in books,
Rather than watching or hearing it online.

How I wish I had time to talk,
Just sit in a group and conversation would begin,
No botheration about background/caste or culture,
Not just talk but listen to what others view and journey.

What amazes me is,
When we had the time to do these things,
We never bothered and valued,
What small things like these meant?

 By,
Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(27/2/20)

Let Go..

I Let go…

I let go of an early morning drive,

To the best dhabha in town,

Just to eat Aaloo Parantha with Chai..

I let go…

Travelling with friends to new places,

Or the late night shows,

While in a training or while working,

Due to fear and my own inhibitions.

I let go…

Of friends who wanted me to be there,

In odd hours and listen to their stories,

Heartbreaks or any other topic under the sun.

I let go..

Of buying anything new and big,

Even though I badly wanted,

By convincing me that it is TOO EXPENSIVE.

Now, at this juncture,

If I could, would go back and tell myself at that time,

Don’t let go of things that you love,

Take necessary precautions and do at least some of it.

No matter what you do and say now,

The time that went by, Will never come again.

As you grow old, you have responsibilities,

There are thousands of things you need to think,

Before you can pack and Gooo!

Even if you can do all such things,

It would never be same again.

And some of the things would appear silly,

Or health won’t support these choices.

So, do what you want to do NOW,

Be what you want to be NOW,

As when time turns on you,

It won’t stop any time soon.

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan.

25-11-19

My Lady!

My Lady, do not crib, cry or sulk,

When someone says nasty things to you,

In your office or personal space,

Simply smile and let it go.

For they are fools and don’t understand,

The value of things being done,

Day in and out,

With lot of detailing and care.

My Lady, don’t feel so bad,

For clothes that won’t fit,

Just try and take simple steps,

And See the difference it makes.

Every tiny step you take,

Feel free to do it at your own pace,

With smile in your eyes and happiness in your soul,

And witness its impact on all of us.

My Lady, for once don’t ever forget,

You are a mother and whatever work you do,

Or whatever work you don’t do,

Or the way you look!

Makes no difference in your kids’ life,

Rather what matters,

How you feel when you are around them,

And this will be engrossed in their memory.

At every step, you will have,

People/family criticizing for your choices,

My Lady, you do whatever you feel,

Is in your best interest.

Above all these,

My Lady, do not forget to smile,

Even for a while,

Just before you sign off for the day.

All said and done,

You are what you are,

Created with lot of care by GOD,

So, don’t judge or devalue yourself, No Matter What!!

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(28-5-19)

What Just Happened?

What just happened?

To that book with a page folded,

Lying there silently,

With characters waiting to be unfolded.

What just happened,

To that beautiful dress,

Bought once with care and love,

Worn once but kept with care.

What just happened,

To those friends,

Who would come and talk,

Sitting silently or during a walk.

What just happened,

To the places you once visited,

With zeal and enthusiasm,

Now it is a vivid memory.

What just happened,

To those dreams and aspirations,

Which nagged you day in and out,

Now seems to be a distant memory.

What just happened,

To that beautiful smile,

Careless, carefree and bliss,

Now it hardly stays for a while.

Sitting on the chair,

Staring at the laptop,

With the “To Do” List,

And yet wondering what just happened.

Where did I lose,

Thoughts, dreams I choose,

Now it seems as if it belonged,

To a different person in a different world.

Pondering between thoughts,

Running between work, life and kids,

Will there ever be a tiny “Moment”?

To realize what just happened?

Because what just happened,

Was a phase that passed,

A phase that changed,

Making you a “grown up” person.

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan,

29/3/19

Silent Words Works?

A question mark or an answer,
A view or an opinion,
Credited or Debited,
Hard to say or Hard to recognize.

What Works when words are unsaid,
Or What happens when said but unheard,
You keep Working at it without fail,
Silently in background.

Like those background musicians,
Or that team who helps in writing that perfect script,
Or that chorus singer who hit the right chord,
At every single pause.

Who knows their names or values,
Who knows how much effort is put behind.
It remains silent right there behind you.

Silently they move and keep it moving,
Without much expectation to be recognized,
It works synchronously,
Shining brightly right behind.

No one to notice,
None to hear,
None to give credit,
None to make it visible.

But if for once the silence STOPS,
To take a pause and change tunes,
Or write its own script,
It has power to Disrupt and Stand Out SILENTLY.

By,
Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(30th June 16)

Time!!!

  

Why is it that sitting by yourself,

In a small room and staring at a blank page,

Makes you feel  alone,

With no interest whatsoever.

All you do is recall,

The time that went by,

The happiness that was yours,

Isn't there anymore.

Be it that odd shopping,

Where you went through every shop,

To get a pair of shoes,

Or that exclusive dress which you liked the other day.

Be it that book store in your neighborhood,

Where you went simply to see,

What new has come or chit chat with someone,

Standing behind scrolling the index just like you.

Be it that roof top where you spend hours,

Gazing at empty stars,

Talking to them,

As if they were real people.

Or those movies or shows,

Through which you sat,

Over and over again,

Yet never got bored with it.

All those strangers you met,

Only for a day or two,

Yet you remember them,

As if you see them every day.

Amazingly these things you did alone,

As seldom you had people around,

Yet now after so many years,

You want to do same things all over again.

No matter how hard you try,

Since time snapped by,

It can never be brought back,

To make you feel like before again!!

 By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan

30/9/2013

IF I could just lay my hand......

IF I could just lay my hand,
On a Remote controlling time,
Would simply press Pause,
And let the time stand still.

Not see the time for a sec,
As it moves ahead,
Simply stay where I am ,
And watch the time around.

Stretch my leg,
Put hands underneath my head,
Close my eyes,
To see beautiful dreams.

With no thought to disturb,
No one who calls,
No one to say,
What I need to be doing.

No one to ask you to move fast,
Think fast, Learn fast,
Just Stay still,
And watch Silence move slowly.

Like a bird flying in the sky,
Or like a wind blowing around,
Or without making single sound,
And gaze at an empty space.

“Space” is what makes you run,
With every rise of sun,
A need is always created,
For you to make space and be NEEDED.!

By,Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(28th Nov 2011)