The strong winds create a visceral howl,
Swaying the branches of those strong boughs.
A thunder clap, and then the sound of rain,
Its clattering mixed with a fragrance quaint.

I watch through my window, our jackfruit tree.
It's leaves dance, as if struggling to go free.
I hear my mum rush around the house,
Securing windows- so nothing gets doused.

I break my glance from the view outside,
And another memory begins to rise.

The foothills of Himalayas majestically stretch out,
Each glorious range, lovingly draped in clouds.
We're hiking along these spectacular slopes,
Spell bound by this vista, its scale, its scope.

As the image fades, another strain from yon-
My smile speaks of hearts lost and won…

My eyes bewitched by the boy on my side,
We're walking through sunlight, filtered through pines…
The gentle breeze adding a blush to my cheeks,
Carrying our laughter, so that it ain't caught by peeps.

The sweet memory from a decade ago-
Makes way for the next one in the flow...

My then sweetheart, now life partner smiles,
He's watching me run along his side,
I'm playing with the waves, as they fall and rise,
Looking at the imprints we leave behind…

Each memory made sweeter by bonds of love,
Sheltered by nature, nay, nurtured by her…
The mountains, the lakes, the beaches, the trees,
The rain, the wind, adding life to my dreams.

I come from the earth, to her I shall return,
She's made each moment worthwhile for me.
I hope she says the same, when its time for me to sleep.

PS: Some posts around the issue of conserving energy and saving our planet  that I've written over the past year and a half:

What can you do?
Disobedience, Creativity and Light bulbs
Way to go Aussies!
This bulb's going off
Finally-Biodegradable Plastic!
The Good and the Bad

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This unbelievable picture was taken by Simon Wong (Flickr id: Eyecatcher). I asked Simon's permission to post this picture a while back-- but have held onto it, instead of posting it immediately because of the emotions it evokes in me. For some reason, the picture resonates deeply with a research project I'm working on currently. And its one of those things...I just had to take time to get my thinking in order on the topic, before sharing it with all of you. More about that in the next post.

Says a lot about how a picture can tell different tales for different people! Simon actually expresses this really well with a quote, when talking about the his philosophy towards photography:

 Photography, for me, is not about copying the world. I’m not really interested in making an accurate copy of what I see out there. I think one of photography’s strongest elements is its ability to record a part of the world, but also to integrate with the individual photographer’s aesthetic sense.
The combined result is an interpretation – and the interpretation, I think, is what is interesting – when the subject goes through the filter of an individual human mind and emerges in a changed state – not the duplication or the recording of something. That’s the spirit of the artist, the spirit of the painter.

Simon Wong has a real gift with the camera. I especially loved his black and whites. You can see more of his picture at his photostream here. Amazing what an artist can do with a subject!

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Some weekend stuff guys:

Really really amazing picture slide show here-- these landscapes take your breath away!

And when you're done admiring the gorgeous earth we inherit, check out what we've inadvertently added to it (really scary stuff!)

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Here's a little weekend joy for you. This beautiful uplifting snap was taken by Jessie (Flickr Profile: bellablue). Her notes evoke memories of my own childhood for me:

This was my favorite childhood swimming place. My dad would pile me and my friends into the back of his truck and take us here on hot afternoons. There are several large rocks scattered just below the water's surface (which was always my favorite part of this place) and I was so thrilled to see my girl discover one and begin jumping from it the way I had millions of times before.

Brings a smile to your face, doesn't it?

Check out the rest of Jessie's photostream here, I especially love the snaps of her dog zuzu- so adorable!

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Can you believe someone sees this everyday on their way to work?! This amazing pic was taken by Dan (Flickr profile: Guernseydan):

 Last Monday on the way to work I just had to stop and take some shots of Fort Gray (now an old shipwreck museum).........the sky was a beautiful mix of dark cloud and golden morning light. The sea was a deep green/blue color and was rushing up the slipway and smashing into the causeway at great speed creating a perfect waterfall effect below me.
Even better too, Hanois (the lighthouse) decided to light itself for this one!

Now this is what I call a drive to work! I love how Dan captures the movement of the sea, even the clouds. The still seems almost alive, as if any moment the snap is going to unfreeze and you're going to hear the waves crashing and feel the breeze on your face.

You can see the rest of Dan's Photo stream here.

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Stunning isn't it! This picture titled Playing Field was taken by Liz AM. Above and beyond the vivid imagery of the snap, Liz AM's notes under the picture caught my attention:

OK so I don't know what the rules are, or who's on what team, but I'm pretty sure that the really big drop is going to win. 

Couple the arresting photography with the team analogy- and the picture becomes hard for a psychologist to resist!

You can check out the rest of Liz's photo stream here. She's a really gifted photographer- I still can't get over the clarity of the drops!

PS: I tried hard not to start about teams, but couldn't resist! So here goes- for those of you who might have a vote on how large or small an effective team should be - Hackman gives a great rule of the thumb. The team should be large enough to possess the right expertise and manpower to get the job done, but small enough to keep them interdependent. So calculate the number of people you think are needed, and subtract a couple out of it. The idea isn't to get one person to do the work of three (and if that's what you were thinking, shame on you!). The idea is to ensure that the work necessitates interaction, co-dependence and encourages collaboration. Finally, for people who like simple answers- the ideal size of a team is between 4-7 people.

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This has been long delayed- but I've finally added the pictures from our Hawaii vacation onto Flickr. I wish there was a way I could just embed the slide show here- but *sigh* live spaces won't allow it. Sometimes I wonder if I should just move the blog...

But this post isn't about ranting. Its about sharing some of the "Aloha!" Head over and check out the pics!

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This amazing picture was taken by Blair Dewan, resident of Vancouver, British Columbia. The snap was taken on Phu Quoc Island off the south east coast of Vietnam:

This woman worked her way along the beach all day. When the waves came in, the sand would loosen and she'd fish around for these tiny clams about the size of your thumbnail which she popped into her mouth. She'd get two or three clams per wave. I think they went into her mouth so the clams would open up and spit out any sand they were carrying and then wouldn't be gritty to eat. After a few minutes in her mouth, she'd spit them into that green bag she's carrying around her neck. I helped her out for a while in exchange for the photo.

He adds:

What I do really love and admire about this woman, however, and older women all over South East Asia is how strong and involved they remain in life. You see them everywhere working in markets, caring for grandchildren while the parents run a food stall, bringing water from the well a half mile away. And they are, without exception, formidable, capable women who have a spirit in them you can spot from a mile away and a joy in life you don't see in North American "elder care" facilities. They still "belong" in a way that many of the west's seniors don't and that's another lesson we could learn.

Blair's description of the photograph, is a grim reminder that while we campaign for flexi-time, autonomy and life-centric work, there are people all over the world who struggle with every nerve and sinew just to make ends meet. A thousand thoughts jump to my mind as I look at this picture- prayers, hopes that our actions will increasingly become more community and less profit driven as we progress. But the one that stands out, is that if the only thing keeping you from doing work that you love, is your will- then you owe it to the thousands out there like this fisher woman to get out there and make it happen!

You can check out Blair's photo stream here, he has some absolutely amazing snaps on there.

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This compelling picture titled Orphans was taken by Kresta King Kutcher (Flickr profile: camera_rwanda). Kresta is associated with an organization called Sisters of Rwanda. This non profit organization works with vulnerable women who make their living as commercial sex workers, and/or have been sexually abused, widowed, or orphaned. They rightly understand that prostitution is directly linked to spread of HIV/Aids, contributes to regional poverty and the number of untended/orphaned children on the street and the organization works towards the well being of both the children and the mothers (ways to contribute).

I found Kresta's composition and rendering of the photograph both haunting and hopeful at the same time-- a rare snap of reality. Not surprising considering the fact that she uses her considerable talent and passion for photography for such a good cause. In her own words:

 Without a doubt, my favorite subject is the child. Spontaneous, unguarded, dramatic, children let their spirits guide them. What a joy to be in the presence of unfurling emotion. With those little hands, and wide eyes, and lips that quiver or draw thin, children use their entire bodies to be.
But their faces, especially, inspire.
Rwanda.
June, 2005. 

Beautiful words. And testimony to the fact that if you have passion for your work, then irrespective of what you do and where you are, you can find ways to make it meaningful, make it larger than yourself.

PS: I love pictures, images and the range of subjectivity that appears to capture our seemingly constant reality-- and your response (if statistics are any indication, seems to indicate the same). So I'm hoping to make the "The Picture of the Day" feature a regular from now on. The pictures will be in keeping with the spirit and theme of the Evolving Ideas blog. If you have a picture you would like to have featured here, send it across!)

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This amazing picture was taken by Eugene Chan (Flickr Profile here). Thanks for letting me use this Eugene- this one really is worth a thousand words.

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Umpteen years gone by,
A lifetime reduced to the blink of an eye!

Some lessons learnt; much innocence lost,
One question haunting my every thought.

A pinch ‘o virtue & that much vice—I’m living just another life!
Normal. Mundane. Hell, even nice!

And there again, that jilting quest,
Did I trade my soul for a safe nest?

Deep within me a fire burns,
A gnawing knowledge of sublime purpose.

Even as I muse, I’m losing time,
I sense panic; see the rising tide!

The very next moment, the realization’s lost,
The glimpse of the lake quickly covered by moss.

I must wake up! Must shake this fear!
The clarion call is ringing clear.

I wasn’t born to sip and sleep,
My destiny is waiting out there for me.

The roses no doubt, will bring with `em thorns,
But I’d rather be alive than be un-scorned!

Be gone! All lies of the ‘perfect’ life!
Illusions of joy, not marred by strife!

I’m trading my nest, for an uncertain flight,
Betting on humility, letting go of pride.

Choosing service, over the chance to rule,
Giving up whims, for one passion true!

Say Peace! For I feel it in my heart,
Sweet bliss proclaiming a fresh start!

PS: Inspired in part by Dick Richard's three part series (Part I, Part II, Part III, FootNote & Slides) and a letter from a friend.

tags: Purpose, Self Development, Life, Spirituality, Self, Faith, Humility, New Beginnings

 - according to this post at the Creating Passionate Users blog:

Critics of this blog love to say, "Duh!" or "Thanks for stating the obvious." My response is, "While the idea is dead obvious--the problem is that we don't do the obvious."

They got that right. Most of the stuff I harp on, definitely falls in the 'Duh' or 'that's just plain common sense' category. And, if we're all agreed that "common sense is really uncommon", perhaps we should stop calling it common sense!

(c) Astha Parmar 2006

tags: common sense, writing, advice

I can see shapes in the lofty clouds

Sense magic when the rain comes down.

When no one’s watching sing aloud.

A lilting tune—to you senseless sound.

I see castles in grains of sand.

Grasp possibilities where your mind can’t.

In dismal silence—I hide a smile.

For I feel hope, whilst you quote life.

I believe in you when all else don’t.

I can feel your greatness in my soul.

Your world of logic stops miles below,

Above it my dreams unfettered soar.

You’re responsible, and society calls you proper.

I quietly wonder if that’s ‘nother word for mediocre?

I know I’m playful, spontaneous ‘n all,

And  I could be messy, to order add chaos.

But a little faith could only heal scars…

Did it ever hurt to reach for stars?

 Other Poems:

Patriotism & Beyond...

Rekindle the Outrage

The Winds of War

A Quest for Purpose

© Astha Parmar, 2006.