THE JOY OF THE HEART AND SOUL by Ram Lakhan Prasad (Dr R L Prasad)

First Published in May 2022 by Prasad Publications Of Bellbowrie Printers: Clark & Mackay, Brisbane, Australia. This is an anthology of poems that were created by Dr Ram Lakhan Prasad

The poems are all about the life and living of the poet and can equally apply and be relevant for other readers.

These poems are very personal art form of literature that have sprung from the heart and soul of the poet and any two persons may read quite differently to the same poem.

After reading the poems once, the readers would then be in a position either to like the poem because they can share the experiences, mood, idea and feelings of the poet or to dislike it because it did not appeal to them and their reasoning.

AGING GRACEFULLY My aging gracefully is making me live a life I love It has been quite an art in living a life that I love Years have gone by when some things fell apart But this life has been a pleasure from the start I lived well only because I was blessed by the Lord Family and friends cared for me as if I was the lord No pacemaker, no dentures or hearing aid as yet But the hair is getting thinner and body is not yet Instead of the perfumes I now use Vicks Vapo Rub Walking for health on the road is no more my hub Tread mill keeps me fit and gardening is my saviour Watering my plants is my therapy and is my repair When asked about the past I am not sure of them What I have done a few months ago is not so firm I have the idea I am getting ready for the junk yard I plan to love and live my life well as a real die-hard.

CONTENTS Dedication Prologue by Hon Pratap Chand Introduction by the author My Prayer My Life Poems on my life and living Our life on this earth Simple soul Happy but not perfect Eight decades of simple living What I learnt from the river My life on the earth Some memories of my life While enjoying life I want to live, love and learn My choices in life Dream of brotherhood My precious moments Chapters of my life My wants and needs in life This is a daily reminder for me I lived, loved and treated this life well The sounds and waves of my heart Our time here goes by My wife is my life Ganga you are great Together My promise My choices Living my life How I tackled my life I love the dost of my life Light after darkness Keep praying for one more day Tell me so, my friends This life Fun in living well Balancing this life Real meaning of this life Values in this life The years that went by Struggles that came my way What is this life Lonesomeness When did my life begin This life is for living Things I am thankful for Smiles can work Stress relief Little and simple things in life Happy times of life Downsizing Red roses of my village When the red roses get picked

Do not waste this short life Dance while the sun shines Time moves swiftly Get to the end Life is what we make it Through this life Live for something good The best life Be the sculptor of your life Golden goblet of life This life is like vapour How to live this life Good moments in life Spending happy life My life as a good school What is real life for me It is life after all Service to my people My motives in this life The people that I love The place I was born Beauty of this life Living this life My final call My hopes and my conditions My life was like a dance I forgot to live Creed of the positive thinker Benefits of my life Claims of my bones Relationships Living a life that matters for us Loving and caring family Living my dreams without fear At the end of the day Bit of darkness, millions of stars Controlling myself Eighty and weighty me Life style of a person like me Meaning of this life My life was a dream The size of my life Our children My friends Ode to My Ancestors Free at Last Life after Death Conclusion Acknowledgements Epilogue – A Tribute Thank you Lord oOo

32. The Pretty Lotus 33. Feeling of Despair 34. Power of Parenting 35. Blood, Sweat and Tears 36. Bond of Love 37. Shradhanjali 38. Kavita- An Essay 39. Saved By the Bell 40. Compassion 41. Shadows of Life 42. A Slice of Life 43. Challenges of Life 44. Search for Peace, Joy and Contentment 45. The Indenture Days in Fiji 46. A Diary of a Devotee 47. Shadows of Childhood 48. Childhood Experiences 49. A Journey of My Life 50. Roads Taken In Life 51. Selling Tactfully; A Customer Driven Approach 52. My Fifty Five Years in Fiji 53. A Collection of Muhawarein 54. Power of Prayers 55. Determination Is Divine 56. Contentment is Self-Satisfaction 57. Aging Gracefully 58. The Gateway to Possibility 59. Ancient Stories 60. My Journey or My Destination 61. Life Is Exciting 62. The Adventures of Rama 63. Creeds and Confessions 64. The Other Side 65. Repentance 66. Joy of the Heart & Soul 67. Colours of Life- A Novella All Copyrights are held by Dr Ram Lakhan Prasad but readers are free to use these publications for reading and research. 76 Ghost Gum Street Bellbowrie Qld 4070 Prasad Publications srlprasad40@hotmail.com

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS BY DR RAM LAKHAN PRASAD 1. Managing People in the Business World 2. Motivation Techniques 3. Motivation Towards 2000 4. Motivating the Unmotivated 5. The Bhagvad Gita Translation and Commentary 6. Attachment -A Collection of Short Stories Part 1 7. An Anthology of Our Poems 8. Colours of Love 9. Future of Fate 10. History and Development of the Fiji Teachers Union 11. History and Development of an Indentured Family in Fiji 12. Silence is Golden - A Hindi NovelKhamoshi 13. A Collection of Hindi Short Stories Part 1 14. Anuraag A Collection of Hindi Short Stories Pt 2 15. People Power in the Business World 16. Managing People in the Commercial World 17. A Collection of Shaayari 18. Mere Atma Ki Pukaar 19. Songs of My Soul 20. Home Alone 21. Tanhaai 22. My Way the Highway 23. When the Going Gets Tough 24. The Angel of the Family 25. Treasury of My Fond Memories 26. The Return of the Pretty Lotus 27. Incomplete Dreams 28. Everlasting Love 29. Love is Fire Love is Flame 30. To Love and Cherish 31. Innovation A Collection of Personal Views

DEDICATION I have dedicated all my 66 previous publications to various family members, teachers, friends, colleagues and my ancestors but I wish to dedicate this creation to all those merry souls who have given me the courage, inspiration, motivation and abilities to bear and share the joys, sorrows, pains and pleasures of my life with humility and grace. They have contributed willingly to make me what I am today. If I began to mention them by their names I will run short of space in my publication, so it is sufficient to let them remain anonymous because for me anonymity is more divine and rewarding than publicity. To all those kind and brilliant individuals who became my true and faithful friends, were never apart and maybe in distance but ever in my heart. To all those friends who fought for me, respected me, included me in the affairs, needed me and stood by me, I salute you. They were all my true friends who not only made my problems disappear but they were the ones who did not disappear whenever I faced any problems. I thank you all for many reasons but the best is that as a real friend you walked in when the rest of the world decided to walk out. I dedicate this publication to you all. When my pride said it was impossible, I made it possible When my experiences said it was risky, I made it possible When my reasoning said it was pointless, I made it possible Then my heart whispered, give it a try to make it all possible I have done it in this presentation.

May, 2022

PROLOGUE

INTRODUCTION We creative artists through the ages have found it difficult to give poetry a precise definition and poets themselves have frequently preferred to define poetry in very general terms by saying that it is the breath and finer spirit of all literary knowledge and the most delightful and perfect form of literature that human words can reach. Therefore, I as an amateur poet feel that poetry is our special way of using words in order to create an acceptable effect upon the readers and to light up the world for us and for them as well. I always wanted to know what things were more important for me in my life so I tried to find my answers for these from various sources. Maybe this was the reason I chose the title of my poetic creation as ‘THE JOY OF THE HEART AND SOUL’. The happiness and satisfaction that I hoped to get from my creation were my objectives of getting into this adventure. I am only an amateur poet and I have been trying to learn the art of poetic composition so my imagery, rhymes and rhythms, themes, mood, form, density, symbolism and the stanzas may not all conform to the norms of poetry. However, I have the courage to give this venture a go for my personal satisfaction and to establish an outlet for my emotions. The poems that are in this collection are my creation. I have been through hard times in my life when I struggled like everyone else to find contentment, peace and an understanding of what my life was really about. I believed that aging gracefully was everything to do with finally knowing what life was really about, which went on to reveal who I was and not what I had. I believed that I was the sum of experiences that I encountered as I went through my life and living. I was mindful that day to day struggles and triumphs were constantly experienced by all of the

creatures of this world and I was no exception. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have our freedom to choose how to react and respond. Every decision that we make leads us down a different road. We will never come to exactly the same crossroads. Every decision that we make has significance though. The tiniest choice that we make reverberates throughout the entire living and maybe gradually to the entire universe. Since the dawn of civilization, artists of all forms have sought to express the essence of the human condition and the full range of their experiences. Poetry has been one of the most common forms of this expression from the ancient times until now and will remain so forever. The words we use to create poems have an ability to capture the abstract emotions and concrete experiences that have been part of our humanity throughout the ages. Turning to the words of classic poems can help us to clarify and understand our own experiences better by connecting us to those others who have sought to do the same. This genre of literature has given me greater opportunities to show and reveal my emotions and feeling than what I have been able to do through my short stories, essays, novels and other forms of writing. This may be my last publication but who knows! Writing a poem is not about bringing some words together to create some charming sentences, phrases and stanzas. It has been so much deeper than that for me. Writing poetry has been a bridge that allowed me to express my personal feelings and make others perceive every single word they read. My feeble attempts as an amateur poet enabled me to educate me a bit more and to lead me away from hate to love, from violence to peace and from mercy and pity to greater understanding of other human emotions. So writing poetry was to help me and my family better understand life and live this short life on earth more passionately. The readers who get the opportunity to read my presentations that are loaded with my personal feelings, some of my beliefs, a few of my philosophies and some specific ideas would be able to appreciate at least two things.

Firstly, they will get to know me a little better and secondly, they will respect and accept some of my ideas and themes that I have been able to create and express. Thirdly, the readers will have the opportunity to also know some of my weaknesses, downfalls and shortfalls. Finally, some of my inspirations of my poems will hopefully light up the life of the readers. From my early days as a student and then as a teacher, I had deep interest in producing school magazines, journals and gazettes which went on to develop and strengthen my compositions not only for creating poetry but writing other forms of my presentations. I was fortunate to have good teachers to guide me and many colleagues to support me develop my hobby. One of the best platforms to enhance my literary interest was my active involvement in the affairs of the Fiji Teachers’ Union and then working as the curriculum development personnel with the education department of Fiji. Of course, I kept learning from my students, colleagues and the common people to place me in the right mood and form to continue my hobby of writing. The topics and titles for the poems kept dropping in as per my mood, situations and circumstances and the creation of these poems kept moving with the appropriate words to fit the form, shape, rhyme, rhythm and the theme. I was always mindful that I was not a perfect poet but an individual who was ready to experiment with the art and science of poetry. Some have made sense to me and others have just rolled in as a loose collection of words that might make my readers appreciate my effort as a learner and forgive me for the shortcomings. One last thing, my collection has my views, ideas, some of my philosophies but it also contains a lot of narratives for fun and entertainment of the readers. This is all about me and there are a lot of questions of life I tried to answer but whether I did them well or not, it is for the readers to judge. I would like the readers to enjoy my creations with their open minds and thoughts.

MY PRAYER O Lord God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace Taking, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with You forever in the future Lord, make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred, let me sow and preach love Where there is injury, let me practice pardon Where there is doubt, let my faith be stronger Where there is despair, let me seek hope Where there is darkness, let me bring light Where there is sadness, let me find joy O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console Not so much to be understood as to understand Not so much to be loved, as to love For it is in giving that we receive It is in pardoning that we are pardoned It is in our honest and good living That we awake to eternal life

MY LIFE BEGINS

I have often driven on many roads in my life Sometimes I knew my destinations of this life Even then the roads seem to go on and on Life was like that long road that went on and on With some stopping points and some resting sight But often I knew where I was going to end alright My daily living made my all todays full of fun But still I strived for another tomorrow to run I was aging gracefully but felt I wanted to go on ‘If it is to be it is up to me’ made me move on and on I worked, talked, played and prayed to make the road better My life got better because I had family and friends to matter I knew that this life will end one day and I have to go Just like the road though it must come to end its glow The bird that sits ready to fly to make this life flow It must be let free to collect ideas to make life grow

MY LIFE WAS A DREAM My life I believe was a real dream That was not dark as people say There was often a little morning stream Some sunshine brought a pleasant day Sometimes there were clouds of gloom But they were not my worry at all I wanted showers to make the roses bloom I never lamented when there was a fall Each moment of my living was precious So I lived in the moment for better thing Just took them all that looked gracious I paid attention and enjoyed everything I did not let my mind wander To whatever was to come next I liked to cherish the thunder Move to give my life the best I never let my tomorrows To rush me through today I knew that many great morrows Will just go to waste one day I loved the people I was with For all the moments I shared I gave them my focus forthwith I wanted to be loved and cared I learnt to laugh till it hurt me Let the tears drop if it was hot I never forgot to see the glee I loved all that I always got How could I miss to be content There were lessons to share I never got to be complacent I stayed sharp and aware 16

I always took a moment To change my life's path Once it gave me the moment There was no going back for a bath I knew that in just a few seconds I could make a new friend Find my true love in heavens To see my life to start or end I always wanted better rating In those moments I was to live My growth was not in taking But in how much I could give My life has been full of moments So precious that I wanted to renew And valued all those moments Whether they were many or few

POEMS ON MY LIFE AND LIVING OUR LIFE ON THIS EARTH This life is a love song that we all are here to sing It can be a sea of problems that we have to cling Whatever is our scope we are able to get the gift If flowers do not bloom then thorns can be adrift If destination is far and the routes are hard to start If nights are not starry light the lamp in your heart This life has the good, bad and the evil not to worry Just make your promises solid and do not feel sorry Life is a realization and a hope for the broken heart It can be an exile that we have to overcome to start If life is unfaithful and disloyal let this not bothers us Let us not worry if our loved ones are angry with us Even if our relationships are not all the best at all times Even if we cannot hold hands of our loved ones at times Life has to go on and we have to learn to live it as well Relationships have to be maintained at all cost as well This life is a bundle of smiles not of any pains and aches Make life your guest until you are ready for your breaks

SIMPLE SOUL I always wanted to be such a simple soul To live and let others live was my goal That all my people gave me the assistance And I enjoyed my life existence And craved for my vibes and ways of living Received all I needed and kept giving I have been able to achieve many things in life Many of my objectives completed of this life My life sometimes was a puzzle to solve Often it was a solution for progress to move Sometimes it was tough and other times simple Often I found my ways gradually become simple I said all that I wanted to say while living this life I knew how to play my games in this life Therefore puzzles could be easily solved I knew I had to keep myself involved The harmony of my mind was me myself The peace and joy came from me myself All my days began with my devotion They often ended with good conclusion I kept praying and thanking the Lord He kept providing me to keep me on board I would not have survived in this life If I did not get His blessings for this life All my yesterdays are my pleasant memories My tomorrow is my might be series Today I take it as all my opportunities That I hope to make my best possibilities I know that I cannot redo my yesterday I know I should make the best of my today For tomorrow I should constantly pray Before I let it fade and move away If I long for and worry about my yesterday I know that my today will simply waste away

I know my tomorrow will make things better I keep warning myself to make things better Today is definitely the day I live in Today is my day that is within Today is the day I have been given So I want all my actions to be self-driven So I want my life to breathe and go At times lean unto me and they let me go Often break down and break through To make the way for me and you I want this life to be the way it is To allow the joy to enjoy as it is Let me fall into trust, faith and love Keep flying like a peaceful dove Move out of the past into the beyond Breathe into my life like a magic bond

HAPPY BUT NOT PERFECT I want to be just happy in my life, not perfect I believe that there is no such thing as perfect The word is no help for the one who wants to live The one who wants to enjoy life and love to live There is no perfect job, no perfect home or house No perfect husband, no perfect marriage or spouse We are all human living in a human world for sure Most are nice, sincere, loving, even kind and pure Feeling for perfection causes unhappiness in life Perfect is unreal, untouchable and causes strife Let us accept truth, beauty and goodness always Do well and conduct wonderful deeds always Do our best and be of the best possible living Be happy; do not worry to make a perfect living I have promised hope, strength and belief They should not be stolen by any thief I have promised to never lose hope

Whenever I feel that I cannot cope I know these words will get me through Whenever I am down and feeling blue I am really proud of being me When the tunnel light is hard to see I say my positive words every day And when I think I have lost my way I always feel stronger than I know To follow my dreams but do not let go These are all I must really believe When I think and feel I cannot achieve Therefore I now keep dancing with joy in life Because today is my day to do this in my life Let me sing some melodious songs of adventure To soar my spirit and unfurl my joy at this juncture I have heard some people say that the world will end in fire Many others say that it will melt in ice but I do not desire I go along with those who favour fire and not the ice If it has to perish let it burn even if it has to happen twice I lived a pleasant and enjoyable life to know enough of hate To destroy this world of pandemic with fire will be great

Just to live my life fully only three things mattered for me in the end How well I have lived, loved and then learned to let go off in the end

EIGHT DECADES OF SIMPLE LIVING During my over eight decades of living I truly found this life A journey of a lot of joy but some sorrow I had no guarantees of enjoyment and happiness in this life Unless I searched well in caves of tomorrow To get what I wanted for my comfort and tenderness I needed to keep trying with deep sense of eagerness I was always willing, ever ready and prepared to face Both some of my defeats and the victorious race I never forgot to rely heavily on God’s promise To always keep me close company without a miss This life I believed was not my dream as dark as people used to say There was often a little morning rain that spoilt the pleasant day There were other times that I felt there were clouds of gloom But then I saw the light showers making my rose gardens bloom Then there were a few transient moments not to lament them all Some taught me good lessons and saved me from a severe fall There were thoughts of death that stepped in to call my best away There were a few sorrows that seem to win over hope with heavy sway Positive thinking gave me elastic springs to conquer all that fell My buoyant wings were still strong enough to keep me flying strong and well

Manfully, fearlessly and courageously the days of all trials I had come to bear Then I began to feel gloriously and victoriously my courage had quelled my despair I knew that this life lives but when time comes it also dies Life walks, runs, sings, plays and it also laughs and cries There are times when it gives up but it mostly tries My life began to look different through everyone’s eyes Whatever my life has been it was too short to wake up each morning with any regrets So I had the choice to love my people who treated me right without any debts

My faithful friend is the one who overlooks my broken fence but still admires the pretty flowers in my garden over that fence. A friend in need is a friend indeed

WHAT I LEARNT FROM THE RIVER The river next to my home gave me a lot of advice While growing up I found these to my suffice Go with the flow it often boldly said Love and immerse yourself in nature, it said Of course, it wanted me to slow down Meander to go round the obstacles found Always be thoughtful of those downstream To enjoy the best of that I had in my dream I was told to remember to always stay current Take care of all that lies in front The beauty then will be in the journey Along the way like the river I will help many

This is the beginning of the Sabeto River on the Mountain Range known as the Sleeping Giant of Fiji

MY LIFE ON THE EARTH My life has been a stopping place on this earth I have not paused in what was pleasant on this earth This has been a wonderful place to dwell Sweet and sour but an eternity to dwell I managed different paths along the way I loved all the moments where I had to stay I learnt a lot of things while living here The best knowledge was the joy I got here This was a destination greater than I know The journey kept moving and never got slow When the journey finally ends I will rest in peace Reach my Nirvana and without any life to lease Then I will get a great reward to live with ease in this place To find an everlasting resting place with the Lord of grace

SOME MEMORIES OF MY LIFE My life has been a wonderful story of memories I sailed well and had only a few worries These are in a book form but pages need to be turned Anything that is unpleasant had to be burned This life became beautiful and lovely songs could be heard Great were the sweet songs of the garden bird The sweet memories became more beautiful as time moved Each of those left good feelings that proved Every day was filled with our love, care and joy I had my people to share things and enjoy As I grew up my life became a garden of paradise From morning till dusk nothing was in disguise 25

It began blooming with pretty flowers of various colours This life was a special gift from God of wonders The rain, the sun and the clouds brought more happiness Each day was bright and full of good business Many lovely thoughts, ideas and characters began to move To make my life to live well and improve The pretty birds, butterflies and bees made each day better The emotions kept coming with love letter After the rainfall the rainbows appeared to make my days Brilliant were the colours in the sky and the rays Every morning the bright sunshine gave light to my life Each day was made enjoyable by my wife Every night the stars and the moon created more love We enjoyed all the moments cooing in our cove There was no one to cheat and make me angry This made the living sweeter and I was never hungry So I cherished this life with tender loving care at all times Life began to move with good rhythms and rhymes My love and my life became my lessons of living Whatever I learnt I cherished and kept giving I began to live this life filled with love to make it a paradise There was no room for any pretence and disguise

Calm and Peaceful Scene of the Pacific Ocean 26

WHILE ENJOYING LIFE This old man sat on the swing in his pergola of oak The more he saw things from there the less he spoke The less he spoke the more he began to hear Then a lot of things of his life became quite clear He wished if he had done this all along his life He accepted it was not late to enjoy and improve this life As after retiring from all walks of life he wanted to create So he put his pen to paper and wanted to facilitate This collection of poetry is just one result of his efforts Of enjoying life while the going is taking him to his forts

I never took this life as a journey to the memorial garden or the grave With the intention of arriving safely in well preserved coffin in a wave But to travel well on the Broadway of Life thoroughly used by my ride Still happy that I lived life as I wanted proclaiming- ‘wow what a ride’

I WANT TO LIVE, LOVE AND LEARN I want to live well, love all and to hold on to all I know I want to take moments to stop and go a little slow To learn a little more and feel the joy of living Life is to enjoy and learn that it is made for giving I have learnt to stop predicting but think of the now I must work out what is important to embrace it somehow Learn to doubt everything I am and stop voices in the head Just think of how far I have come and the life I have led I must learn to be a little lighter with the luggage I carry I cannot predict what is to come to make me merry Just love a little more but learn not to run Life is meant to be worthy and full of fun Just learn to live every moment as if it is your last Just keep looking towards the future and let go the past I believed that if I really wanted to live my life well and full I had to realize my greatest potential and be a strong bull I knew that I would make some people mad in their way But I wanted to tell them to stay away from my highway People who may not have liked what I do and how I do it These people were never living my life, but I was doing it

MY CHOICES IN LIFE

My life has been about making calculated choices all along Many were right, others were good but some were wrong These choices and decisions I made, let me be who I am All good choices and decisions made me learn who I am Every choice was an affirmation that I was on the right track They motivated me never to slow down or even move back Making the choices was not easy but they had to be made Now I love the consequence and accept the good grade I made these choices because I did not want to be lost I needed to live my life with purpose and get the most I wanted to walk the open horizon to taste the ways The opportunities in the vast openness gave me many ways The stampedes of my footsteps echoed in my thoughts To keep moving and head along to find the right spots I kept walking while it rained, stormed and thundered I was not afraid of any of those deadly monsters ahead 29

I knew where to go and fight the beasts of this life Find all the purpose of this journey of my life My life was for living, loving and learning while I moved It was a gift I was given each and every day I moved I learnt to dream about tomorrow but lived for today My dreams and visions began to show me all my way I took this life as a series of events I strung together Like my phrases and sentences of my creative treasure They were forever changing, adapting and moving on I just needed to turn the pages, look and read on So I invented a few rules for my healthy and wealthy living Less alcohol, more soda and no sugar but honey for living More fruits, less red meat and more vegetables for living Sea food will do me fine for good and stress free living More green tea, less coffee, less driving and more walking There would be less worry, more time to sleep and laughing Time for less action, more words for my creative writing Let me make the best in life to keep doing what I am doing

DREAM OF BROTHERHOOD In this world that is infused with tender loving care The thought that translates well into good prayer It is made of all those dreams that occupy my dream I take the middle road and not those in the extreme I pray every day for world peace in endless ways I will not rest while I have this dream in my maze What is in the dream unless it is properly realized? This would be the real sign that we all are civilized Unity in diversity is what sets the entire world aflame It calls the universe and all of us by just one name There should be a good lesson for everyone to see That we should behold the way that it ought to be I have lived my life with this dream of brotherhood I will not rest until we become one child of the Lord My way of life had been that of a simple human being Believing in universal brotherhood was my reason for living My only brother has been the great source of my inspiration He has given me many ideas to dream more for my creation My father was our greatest source of knowledge and ideas He gave us the best start in life and gave us good ideas

MY PRECIOUS MOMENTS Every moment of my living was as precious as the pearl So I lived in those moments like an earnest rich earl I just took everything as an important time of my life I paid attention to everything and everyone alike I did not let my mind wander to what was coming next I just learnt to cherish the precious moments at my best I tried not to let my tomorrows make rush through today There were many great moments not to waste and sway The people I shared my precious moments with were great I gave them all my attention and kept learning lot more trait It seems that this is an insane world yet there is sanity there The loyalty of brotherhood and friendship are still there

CHAPTERS OF MY LIFE Each year my life has been a good chapter of my book I built the chapters with words that have good look Some were long and some short but all have good news All boring parts have been erased to keep only good views There are old and new chapters but each one is exciting The chapter I most like is the final one that is enticing The stories in my chapters contain the villains and heroes I adore the heroes but shoot all the villains with arrows Many chapters are ending in happiness, some in misery I do not let others write my chapters for fear of injury I got rid of all my injuries with care and control Now I am free from all injuries living life as a whole There are a lot more that would go into these chapters I will take time to find more events for these chapters If my ability and interest to fill the chapters fade away I will work a little harder and find some more to say

The most valuable gift I have received in this world is to get honest and faithful friends who keep my company at all cost.

MY SCHOOL DAYS Although the memories of my school yards are distant They are enticement of songs I still love to sing Teachers, classrooms and colleagues are now distant But a pleasant string of slide shows they always bring The tentative first steps into the primary school The fear that rolled in to me to make me a fool The visit of the health sister for that needed injection I ran home in fear but returned to correct the situation The love of my last day to move on to high school My high school was an experience that was so cool Sitting shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip paying attention Any deviation from the norm could easily bring detention At this age it all felt as comforting as an embrace I fondly recall my teachers that inspired me with grace With their humour, knowledge, intellect and wisdom The lessons came alive to make our learning a kingdom Years flew and high school days ended to move forward College was the next institution of fun and for going onward These were the greatness and enjoyment of my youth there Just the fact of how well I mixed with my peers there Enjoying the swing on the dance floor with the love of life She was in my class and then gradually rolled into my life I now remember the memories well but miss them all The lovely days of the old school yards are a great recall Those good moments are echoing through my life now They gave me happiness and made me grow

TOO EARLY TO BE IN SCHOOL It was early morn when Rama was sent to school His eyes opened like the door of the nearby pool His ears tuned to all the noise in the play ground He was not sure why he was there this time round His belly was full and neck all stretched up to see The classroom where he was supposed to be His hair on his head stood as if he had some fear His bag had his lunch box, books and other gear His clothes were neatly placed thanks to his mother He had no shoes on the feet that was not to bother His teacher was talking but he could not hear a word He could not read whatever was written on the board He was asked to sit on the bench beside a pretty little girl He did not feel good but admired the hairy curl of the girl His ears had cotton buds to save him from all the pain He was looking outside to enjoy the beauty of the rain School was not the place to be for Rama at this time He was not ready to read, write or hear the chime He wanted to be home to play, sing and make fun To shoot the flying doves and birds with his toy gun He wondered why he was sent to this prison like place Where there were no priests who could say the grace Rama stands up and walks fast to the door to run home This is not the time for him to be there but stay home

MY WANTS AND NEEDS IN LIFE I want to keep laughing till it hurts my gut Let the tears drop and the eyes get shut Fill up each moment with joy that is hot Live in the home with all that I have got I do not want to miss the details of living The lesson is there from getting and giving There is no need to get complacent in life Stay sharp and aware to enjoy the good life It can take a moment to change my life's path Once it ticks by there is no going back to bath In just a few seconds I can make a new friend Find my true love or see a life to start or end I want to become who I am in those moments I live The growth is not in taking but learning how I give Life is made of just the moments so precious and few Whether you value or squander those it is up to you Let me live within the moment and feel all that I can Let me cherish life for all it is worth with everything I am Let me see what is right for me with vision crystal clear Face what is waiting there for me with no hesitance or fear May I wake up each day with gratitude for my life to be Always feel that wonderment at the world surrounding me May I welcome any strangers with an open heart and mind Always stand for what is right with all the strength I can find Let me forgive me for my mistakes while forgiving others Never grow indifferent but always strive to care for others Let me not forget what matters in the scheme of every day Live each of my precious moments in a kind and loving way For this moment is everything nothing matters but today So let me willingly embrace it and try not to let it slip away For it passes all so quickly and one chance is all I will get A life of wasted moments is a life filled with great regret 36

THIS IS A DAILY REMINDER TO ME This is a daily reminder to me to relax and stay calm To not get angry over small things but to stay calm This is a daily reminder to me to be just myself and sing Not to care what people think to know I can be anything This is a daily reminder to love you and your life Never hurt yourself and not work yourself up with strife This is a daily reminder that things are beautiful in life That you are amazing and that you will succeed in life This is a daily reminder to always have hope to have faith To know everything will be right if you maintain that faith This is a daily reminder that you have made it so far already That you have not given up to proceed and be ever ready Whatever you are doing is right you are going to be amazing Do not give up, keep moving and holding on and believing

I LIVED, LOVED AND TREATED THIS LIFE WELL Although this life was crazy and totally unpredictable at times It had been a better going for me and reasonable at all times There were a few times when I got kicked hard while I was down I knew how to get out of these scary situations all on my own Thus no one could hit me again whenever I tried to get back up Not everything could beat me again and I never faced any hiccup I got to choose which people I let come in and change my way There were some that I had to stop then try to chase them away I listened to my heart carefully and followed my dreams to live well I let no one ever tell me what I was capable of doing quite well I had to push my limits and bend some rules to enjoy my living Live as long as I could and laugh, sing and dance at everything I tried to love all but trusted none blindly to believe in myself Thus I never lost faith in what I did to became stronger myself I settled for nothing but only the best that came to my home

I gave my best to do things I needed to do with more to come I allowed a few risks in life even if I had to live on the edge of it These made me stay safer and I cherished every moment of it This life became a gracious gift for me to appreciate all rewards I learnt to jump on every opportunity and kept moving forwards I realized that not everyone was going to love me and my ways If I needed help I challenged everything to fight without delays I did not back down to anything nor give in to good things of life After all that was what was going to make me happy in my life While moving ahead gradually I forget all the unnecessary things So that I lived well to enjoy and care for all good and needy things In the process I learnt something new every day to hate nothing I began to appreciate valid criticisms that provided me something I liked whatever I wanted but never forgot where I had come from I always remembered where I was going and lived with this form I wanted to live life to its fullest and have a reason for everything

Even if it was totally insane sometimes, I found my purpose in my living When the going got tough I got rough too with treating this life It had to give in and conform to my ways to blend well with my life

I knew that if I kept sharing my smiles with the kind and considerate people of this world it will become a symbol of friendship and peaceful living for me as well as for others.

THE SOUNDS AND WAVES OF MY HEART The Lord Almighty granted me this short life as a generous gift So each day I woke up to see the sunrise was a meaningful gift No moments were guaranteed and tomorrow was not promised I had to learn to live this life with faith and fate I had cherished I knew that I could not foresee my future of short or long living I simply wanted to do the best I could until the end came hissing What I found most important in my life in the scheme of every day Were the people who stood by my side to venture on all my way They were the cherished, loyal, patient souls who took me as I was They looked beyond my foolishness, at my frailties and all my scars I do not know how often I took the time to lay my hearts down bare To tell them how I truly felt for them and just how much I had to care I never stopped to give compliments and acknowledge efforts made Through my own quite fragile egos try to make them feel not afraid Often I tried to overcome my pride to forgive somethings I did wrong 41

Never to cling to any hurt and anger and carry grudges for far too long Whatever life gave me I shared my blessings willingly with those in need I tried never to hoard my own good fortune out of selfishness and greed I always felt that it was the people all around me who make me who I am It is they who save our erring souls and fill our lonely hearts with tam-tam So it is time I went on to show some gratitude and not wait another day Before we even know it our chance may slip, flip, dwindle and go away It is past time to say I love you; I am sorry and forgive me for another sin I remain vulnerable during this pandemic by not letting many to come in I know one day, tomorrow will not come; we may be free to meet again It is inevitable for each of us that it all will come to an end to rejoice again So let us go ahead and say the happy and right words to make today a start Remember not to regret the silence and share the language of our heart

OUR TIME HERE GOES BY Our time goes by and slips away without giving any notice Just as the sky turns from blue to grey not knowing this We are here on this planet but only for a very short stay So we should not let life pass with words you never say Let us not live in anger, hate or with fear and any regrets Seek forgiveness and lay your pain to rest in silhouettes Let us not judge too quickly, as you may get things wrong Instead it is better to choose to live life as an uplifting song When tears fall, wipe them away as they last but for a while Sometimes we are hurt because we care for with our smile Sometimes life seems unfair but our time flies and goes by Time and tide do not wait for us anytime but life goes by We make mistakes in life and wish we could have changed Often we keep wondering how our life could be rearranged Our second chances last only for so long to reach to others It is good to realize to live as we are all sisters and brothers There are angels and saints in heaven that watch us every day They are meant to guide and look over us as we laugh and play So let us live with joy and ploy when we lie down in bed every night Let us sincerely thank the Lord and release all our pain and things not right

MY WIFE IS MY LIFE Ganga the great became the queen of Ram Risking all for the sake of love to be calm She became the beloved wife with one reason She responded to her call of love for that season All through history just like Ganga of Ram Like Sita she pledged to protect and serve her Ram They loved, honoured, defended and provided Admiration for each other they earned and deserved What would my life be without Ganga’s love? Meaningless, lonely, purposeless and sad move When blessed by her love and mine in return We became sure that we had God’s blessing in turn The power of love has always been with both of us As God loves us more than we love without fuss He watches, guides, directs and rewards us As the seeds of our behaviour are spread by us Thank goodness for the good Ganga’s love Heaven's blessing comes from God to our love Without this relationship we would be mere creatures Subsisting like ants in the sand on the beaches My life without Ganga is like a lake without water She makes my life complete in every sense that matter She is not just my wife but she is my life We share the good times and bearing the hard times of life We trust each other in love to show us the way ahead Laughing, living, trusting, forgiving side by side we tread Life gets even better as we blend in our love together We are aging gracefully by understanding each other Happy wife makes a happy life move well We blend well and begin to dwell in this life well

GANGA YOU ARE GREAT You make me laugh when I want to cry You make me live with hope when I want to die You make me smile when I want to frown You have the power to turn my life around You believe in me when no one else does You have become my now, my is and my was When you call my name I begin to blush People have noticed that I need you so much When I am with you my time flies by fast It turns my past into present and present into past I need you more than anyone can believe I love you a lot more than anyone can conceive I think about you every night and day I know that my life has to stay this way I do not want it to become any other way In fact there cannot be any other better way This life is truly incomplete without you My days are not the same without you You complete my life in every way You have been the most important may I say On this awesome day I would just say I love you always in my usual romantic way Come what may and go whatever way We are happy to live this life our way There is a long way that we have to go But I want to take it real sweet and slow Favour each and every moment with you Hoping that you will cherish such lovely moments too Let us bask in the joy of counting away All the blessings that life gives us every day When I felt hardship in my living you stood by my side Held me up to give me strength to stand tall at my side 46

When we were happy we laughed together loudly It always brings us joy to see each other smile proudly I find comfort just sitting with you without words You make my soul stronger to inspire me with words We have become better people every day While this life goes on we enjoy our day This circle of life was not complete until I found you With all my heart and soul I love you Every time this life has been tough like a rock For my boat of living you have been my solid dock Every time a storm tried to blow me away You made me safe and happy all and every day You have always saved and made my day Every time I look at you I keep seeing you in my way I feel good and well because you give me time to play No one can take your place I can surely say

TOGETHER Here we stand together and here we are enjoying our life together With all our pleasures, joys and hopes of our pleasant life together There are no wounds and battle scars to worry about here together We live with warmth and happiness enjoying our life here together We know exactly how and when we started this life together The road of future may turn and twist but we belong here together If it was not for God’s mercy and His grace we could not survive There would be no way we will stand in our happy place all alive We hold onto each other and let miracles unfold for us together Through good and lovely days we know we will make it together Every step along this way we are here for each other together We will climb up even higher in love and our enjoyment together I always wonder how you always manage to free my day of stress and sorrow How you always manage to give me hope for a better and brighter tomorrow How you always uplift my spirits and set me free to live this life with pride 48

How you always manage to bring out the best in me to make me enjoy the ride How you always manage to be such a wonderful person and my pretty wife I hope that in return I can also give you a more wonderful and pleasant life

MY PROMISE I take my time for you to pursue this life more passionately I promise to share my love with you more compassionately I promise and seek to understand our life and living deeply I promise to make us enjoy each day better and completely We will make our home a place of love, hope and good time I promise to cherish, honour and admire you all the time Time may take us down a path when you need to be cared I promise to do my best to reciprocate all that you shared If life places pain in your heart I will fill it with my love I promise that I will pray for your healthy living from above I will awaken to see your sweet smile to feel your touch I promise to bring you happiness and love you much I will be there each day of our life to enjoy life together I promise to make you live life with pleasure together I have lived long swearing my unconditional love this life I promise to honour you as my charming and beautiful wife

MY CHOICES I had many choices while growing up that I adopted I did not want anyone else to choose things I opted I liked to play with words because I loved creativity Words that healed and words that produced activity My pen was the greatest tool that I held in hand to write My words, actions, thoughts, conduct and habits were right The choice was between the hand that gave and that stole I created words that gave people real joy for their own soul Sight was another choice and I wanted to believe my eyes My choice was to open people’s minds not close their eyes I wanted people to nurture nature to free chained minds To imagine the proper image of God and free their minds See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil is my goal in life The greatest choice to let people live and let me live my life

LIVING MY LIFE I did not regard my life as a race, a destination but a journey For this I had to be honest, work hard, be choosy and funny I had to say ‘thank you’ often, love people and do great job Let my words and handshakes mean a lot and never to sob Help people always and to make my home a temple to pray Love my life and whatever has been given to me every day Search for my purpose on this earth and do as best as I can Laugh often, appreciate little things and work as per a plan Allow myself to become what I aspire to become in my life Do not worry, forgive others and live for today to enjoy life God gives, God takes so take what you need and give more Recognize the special people around you, be kind as before Enjoy these choices to live for yourself with faith in the Lord Dreams do matter but never ever fall on your own sword 51

HOW I TACKLED MY LIFE? In life I learnt to get by one day at a time As my challenges and trials grew with time I learnt to climb new mountains of my problems I tried to battle through those endless problems But when every day new struggles came anew And my sleepless nights turned my brain to stew I did my best to see my life in new style Then I found many reasons to smile Whilst I kept facing challenges galore I learnt to put some aside and ignore I then got rid of sleepless nights and faced no storms It was hard but I endured all problems and many storms Thus I overcame a lot of my stress and strife This is how I tackled my problems of life This new style of tackling things was hard but useful It made me settle down with things for the houseful

I LOVED THE DASH OF MY LIFE I tried to make each and every moment matter in my life To experience each moment, to laugh, love and live my life I knew that the line etched between my birth and death It represented each step I took for every single breath To many this line is a hyphen marking time during the years But in that little dash I felt a variety of emotions like tears Often I deemed myself successful and spent large amounts How I was going to spend my life was all that really counts My success was not measured in what I bought to own It was the pride I usually felt when I found that I had grown I knew that time will steal my days before I saw the theft I lived each day not knowing how much life that was left My responsibilities of family life, the bills, the job, the cash Began to affect the way I chose to spend time of my dash All the memories in the making happened then and there I knew that if I did not take the time they would disappear I wanted to enjoy each moment well and loved to live I knew how much to take from life and how much to give As a writer I considered my living as a novel, a sole creator Kept writing to live each chapter for others to read it later I knew that all would like my dash with love and chatter Because I really wanted to make every moments matter

LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS All the stars in the sky cannot shine without darkness Then we would not be able to see their light There must be the presence of some shadows Or else they would never be able to shine so bright Often the darkness in our life can be a scary place When all we can see is just the pitch black I have experienced the darkness as a temporary space The needed light in life will always come back

KEEP PRAYING FOR ONE MORE DAY If I was told that I would die tomorrow There would be no next morning sun God will bear all past fear and sorrow For every one and for any one All the fights of life, all the short journey through I must keep making as I should do I do not think that I should shrink or falter Life is meant for me to just go on Keep doing my work, no change, do not seek to alter Until I find that all hardship is gone Rise, move, love, keep smiling and pray For just one more remaining day That day could bring a lot of hope To go uphill or trod down the slope

TELL ME SO, MY FRIENDS If you have a word of cheer for me in this life That may light the pathway clear for my strife Tell me so that I keep enjoying this life Let me know this sooner so that I do not strife Tell me that you appreciate my company Do not wait for long to do so for my symphony Do not let the heavy hand of fate lay me low Be quick to give me what is mine to glow If your heart contains a thought that will brighten my lot Then hurry and with mercy towards me hide it not Tell me so but wait not till your friend is dead Ere your compliments for me will remain unsaid Be not sad for the spirit that has fled Rejoice for my departure but always remain glad I am learning to live this life with your help I do need to speed my departure without any help Tell my brothers and sisters who live here That their praise when I am gone is very dear Do not delay to reveal if you have any word of cheer Tell me so for mutual benefits by hiding all fear Tell me so for relief to make my hard life remain the best The love that you will express will make my pathway blest The troubles and trials that we have shared in this life Let them be easier to bear in the next life

THIS LIFE This life was beautiful and it opened my eyes more To appreciate, learn, take and give a lot more Be assured I was inspired by the beauty surrounding me My life was a beautiful song that I kept with me The days pass swiftly away because I kept singing The years sped so quickly along when I was mingling Now it seems like the dream of the previous night As if the song was of my youth a charming delight The springtime of my living which I like to sing But it flew like a bird with a broken wing The years of maturity came and is going to go soon Fraught with the chances of good life to end so soon It dawned on me, happy and bright after I turned eighty All my efforts and labours were not in vain I made daily I gave a lot of stimuli that were fruitful and rife As a student, as a teacher, as a simple man of this good life The seasons have flown; cycles of time so swiftly have gone They have taken my dear friends I have known Soon I will turn to rest in the west as well West, where the sun sinks from daily dwell To welcome the long, peaceful rest in heaven After bidding all my earthly friends a farewell token My life remains a beautiful song the days pass swiftly away The years speed so quickly along like the dream of a day

FUN IN LIVING WELL Each day we are given is a gift to appreciate It is a gift we always should appreciate When our time starts to run out to depreciate It is then that we come to realize to negotiate So slow down and take each day one at a time Life will always have its ups, downs and shine We will find the ups are more fun to climb The downhill journeys are easier to roll than climb Every morning awake to accomplish something better Make this life better to live well and let others live better Remember never to hide whatever is hidden in your mind Choose your thought for the day well and remain kind Let us do our duties well and then unwind Every day develop a goal to serve the humankind Every day all your work will get done with additional ray Life will keep improving and your time will never run away Believe me friends our life will be much more fun to live The person with sole custody will be the one who is alive Our particular life would become our entire life to hop It will not be just our life at a desk or at the desktop Or our life on the bus, or in the car or on the road It would not be just the life of our mind with load It would be the life of our heart and soul to mount The high mountain of joy that will always count

BALANCING THIS LIFE How do we get and maintain a balance in our life? Avoid wasting valued time without creating any strife I made sure that much of my time was focused on values Getting to the top and never worry for undervalues There is more to this life than just making money Live this life in such a way in the world of milk and honey That the entire journey becomes funny and is not enough To get the best from this living and never miss any stuff Look at relationships and spend time with your loved ones At the end of the day see that the living really comes Loving relationship in life is the key to happiness it brings If only we learn to seek fun, play the game it springs We will not find happiness with no goals in mind Without the balance life tends to leave us behind The time we spend with the family can have demands Balance seems hard to learn but strengthens our stands Always remember to keep control over it Just be sure and decide what you permit So what did the balance in life mean to me? I could consider it right in all I could see I took the time to work hard but also relaxed I avoided wearing down and not getting overtaxed Moderation in life was the key factor to my living Balance brought good result to keep the feelings giving So whatever I did I made certain to find Enough work in life but allowed time to unwind I was born with a unique potential that defined my destiny I was given the chance to do things with high tenacity Consequence was that I left a distinctive mark For the others in the community to work and spark

REAL MEANING OF THIS LIFE Have I given thought to the real meaning of this life? Or do I go day to day with my strife? Do I ever step back and reflect On the meaning of life and its every aspect? What is my purpose in life to be? These are the questions I often ask to see Some vital questions to reflect on and to consider Have been bothering me to deliver Am I happy or am I bitter? Am I a fighter or a quitter? Is there more to life than I realize? Do I help others and recognize? I found that life is not just about you We are all in it together that is so true The years go by in a blink of an eye What will people say about you when you die? Will they remember how hard you worked in life? Or will they remember you as a jerk in life? Whatever it is the meaning of life is clear to me Sharing and kindness have been a must for me I always wanted to be a loving person who helps others One who realizes that we are all sisters and brothers Whether I realized it or not life had an objective, a purpose That cannot easily be seen and found on the surface

VALUES IN THIS LIFE A happy life must surely be mine when values shine If I have values in this life my living will surely shine I have valued life by what it gave me And never by what it took from me Loyalty to my family, friends and the nation Were the values in life that I cared about to fashion Compassion and kindness came naturally to me Selflessness and spirituality were equally vital for me Honesty, determination and generosity brought hope So did courage, tolerance and empathy to make me cope Appreciation, toughness and self-reliance made me go So did attentiveness, integrity and altruism made me grow Equanimity, trustworthiness and service to others Made me a valued human to live like many others

THE YEARS THAT WENT BY When I was young aging seemed like fun to me I could not wait until I saw aging gracefully in me I then hit my teen age and with that life came more fame Many responsibilities came but still l loves the game Gradual move to adulthood was realized Then I found I had to get better organized Before I knew it I hit the important duty as a father A husband and an earner for the family and their mother This party kept moving with energy and good show Duties doubled, tasks tripled with the family to grow Before I knew it they were taking me over the hills At the age of forty I had responsibility for all the bills Fifty and sixty crept up ever so slow 60

But I began to wonder where did the years go? With eighty approaching I began to look back to see How fast the years went by and I needed more coffee The rest of this life will fly by in a blink of an eye I just grin and kiss those good years goodbye Then eighty four will arrive in two years with a blast With family around me wondering how long I will last While these words about aging gracefully may seem funny My aging was truly graceful each day was bright and sunny Now I want to live my life and let aging have its way I want to enjoy life and keep smiling for the rest of the way The rest of my years will pass by is certainly in His hands Every problem that I may face will be a gift in His hands

STRUGGLES THAT CAME MY WAY Just because a few struggles came my way It did not mean they went to ruin my day The good, the bad and the evil all were a way of my life They have not got me down or moved me beyond the strife I lived my life, taking things in stride Helping each other, stopping any divide Life got much better when I got the support and love The best guide I got and expected from above The Lord was merciful, kind and considerate at all times I just needed to keep my prayers going at all the times All throughout my life I was given choices to make I was not regarded a robot nor any kind of fake When I was faced with a trial or two I never gave up but let the Lord help me through

WHAT IS THIS LIFE? I often got this message that this life is full of care I should never wait for any time to stand and stare I should not have time to stand beneath the boughs To stare and feed the sheep and the cows I should have no time to see when the worst of life I face Just learn to treasure where I hide my important grace If I have no time to see good things in broad daylight I must look at the sky full of twinkling stars at night If I have no time for truth, beauty and goodness at a glance Then I must watch my feet to see how they can dance If I have no time to wait till I get my chance to say I can Then I must go back to see how my life began Then I will realize that this life has to be full of care Where I will have no time to stand and stare

LONESOMENESS Way down deep within my heart I sometimes got lonesome This did not make me sad, worried or even more handsome Far within my secret ways I tried to hide many things That did not assist me to give me good waves and strings This lonesome living made no difference how I did smile Even how I lived or what I did in moments or every while People like me first look at the big affairs of life and act Maybe I liked to put on my best attire as a matter of fact Men like me for whom existence in this world blends When I see anything lonely I try to gain joy at all ends Still reach out to hold hands of faithful friends To get out of loneliness and get into the company of friends 62

I have learnt to serve others and obey the command Like my family and friends who really understand Although my gift of friendship is small comparatively It has the power to end loneliness and my knots completely So I have learnt to give and give with mighty gain Just keep giving with my hands to join the joyous chain My greatest gift will be my gain to be happy in life Never again feel the evils of lonesomeness in this life

WHEN DID MY LIFE BEGIN? Did my life begin when I obtained more things in life? Or did my life begin when I began making big earnings? Did my life begin when my tomorrow began to dawn? Or did my tomorrow just make me yawn? The only life I am proud and happy to live Is today and the day I have learnt to give I have learnt never to wait for certain things That will bring happiness to provide me wings I want to live each day and live it in full mood Never waste any day like a fool who is rude Begin each day and be thankful for all that is in store I believe that when life begins it is meant to be lived more

27th December 1939

THIS LIFE IS FOR LIVING I believe that this life is meant to be lived each day So we must keep doing our best for every way Keep setting our goals and work forwards Make the achievement come alive to get its rewards We must always appreciate and take the time to initiate Establish new ventures and relationships to appreciate My relationships have lasted because I made a choice Choose it, fight for it, work for it to make it a good choice My relationships lasted in good times and bad times alike The hard and better times were handled with care alike There was no sense in worrying about what tomorrow holds Because I wanted to live today and see how it unfolds I was always thankful for what I had been given My each day was a time for rejoicing as if I was in heaven

THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR ‘What are the things I am thankful for?’ you may ask Are they my contentment, happiness or more things I ask? I have never focussed on whether I was rich or poor in life I was always content and not looking for more in life I knew that the material things were good but not always Whatever gave me happiness was good for me always I loved the sunrise and sunset for my personal pleasure This regular habit kept giving me the worldly treasure I was always thankful for simple things that I possessed I did not let my time pass because I was busy or obsessed I loved to work hard and make myself happy every day I am thankful that I was given this kind of lee way Today they surround me with happiness that they bring During all the seasons – summer, winter, autumn and spring 64

A SMILE CAN WORK A smile was given to me on the crowded street one day And it pierced the gloom of my saddened heart that way It was like a ray of sunbeam that made my day brighter The shadows of doubt that hung over me became lighter It took away the burden of pain I bore on that dull day The voice of hope that I heard and that smile I could relay Made me happy and I knew that a smile can really start To make me clear the gloom and brighten the sad heart There came a rift in the crowd about a face that I knew The smile I caught was brighter for me to look and view The summer sky got cleared to bring back the sunshine Then I really knew that a smile can work and be divine These acts scattered each sombre thought I had made My heart rejoiced in the warmth that was displayed That kindly smile had brought to give me a trace That could only come from a smile of a kindly face On that busy street I felt the pains and sorrows had gone Forgotten as soon as the smile was given at dawn As the donor of the smile went her way quietly The smile got straight to my heart to play quickly To take away the cloud of sadness that was looming there I found that sunshine appeared on the sky that was bare I also took my share of pleasure and the related joy To be content to have everything remain the same to enjoy Even if we think we want that, it is not possible Without knowing that a smile can make things possible Life happens, circumstances change to venture I have to locate a way and set out on a new adventure

STRESS RELIEF Stress in life can go on to compound matters Making things hard to rebound all our platters If we do not find the needed relief It can fill us with such great grief That we would have to find a way To control stress before we go grey It may be a simple thing for many of us Like taking a walk or running or making a fuss All life challenges need to be understood well Put in perspective, so we can put them to quell Not all things in this life can be easily done We need to find some time and have some fun Sometimes we just need to rest, play and talk Or go with a friend to enjoy or just for a walk Talking with others can get the stress off our chest Allowing us to move forward and do our best I pose a simple question to ask me sometime “Will things matter to me in a few years’ time?” If it does, then should I take action now? If it does not then should I let it go somehow? The worst thing we all can do Is to let stress overwhelm you Or find the needed relief so you can proceed This I believe will help us to succeed

LITTLE AND SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE Simple things in life are often the little things I found that they can bring joy and give us wings To fly and find our way to enjoy the daily sunrise To give us a perfect and simple surprise If we tarry a little each day to stop and look and see How useful these simple and little things in life can be The best and the happiest times of my life were little things In my simple journey of life they made me act like kings If I could not do big things I did little things in a big way Thus the little and simple things made me lead the way

HAPPY TIMES OF LIFE Relaxing and taking time off or holidays are meant to be Happy times of our life for all of us to enjoy and see These times may be some special moments and occasion Or they may be a few weeks of peaceful vacation These happy times of life can be healthy holiday Whether we spend it at home or go away Be sure to relax and make the happy times fun to be had I found these happy times were time for me to be glad Happy times of my living were all very helpful They gave me time to think and be more grateful Nothing more and nothing less my life had to be happy I could not wait any longer and wanted it to be snappy

DOWNSIZING MEANS During my previous life when I heard the term downsizing It meant a turn for the worse when realizing Now people are talking about downsizing our workplace Too many cooks go to spoil the broth in the place Making a new pause in life is also to downsize When we are talking about a smaller home size To let go and make some space Letting go of material things in the place When we make more room, will this be our doom? Room or no room but our living should bloom The benefit to me of downsizing is less housework I see Maybe better productivity and greater efficiency Lower heating and cooling costs and a cosier house Happy me and much satisfied will be my spouse So now when I hear the term downsizing It means living simply with better exercising Downsizing is reducing expenditures for financial stability It is retrenchment, curtailment and saving our utility

Simple living

ROSES OF MY VILLAGE Life did not bring me silken gowns or jewels for my hair Nor signs of gabled foreign towns in distant country fair I could glimpse, beyond my pane, a green and friendly hill There were a few red roses aflame upon my window sill That was the village farm where I was born in 1939 The thatched house where I lived with the family of 9 That garden of red roses was specially planted by my father On the day I was born to mark my birth for my mother While I grew up the family cared for the garden everyday The garden of red roses kept beautifying things in the way It bound my body and soul whenever I was to go stray The red roses gave my heart lovely wings to fly away While the red roses bloomed against my window glass Above my hilly farm the other pretty flowers came to pass My dreams of my birthplace were always like the roses Where the bright and the best image of my life closes I keep going to the village farm to complete my journey best The red roses that father planted set my heart at rest Thank God for home-sweet home, a green and friendly hill I keep admiring the red roses aflame upon my window sill

WHEN THE ROSES GOT PICKED When fortune with a smiling face strews roses on our way When shall we stop to pick them up, should we do it today? Should someone frown with face of tender loving care? Speak of coming sorrow when the roses are not there Shall I grieve, if grieve I must or should it be tomorrow If those who wronged me to own my faults with sorrow Should I pity, pray or should I listen and forgive them Or should I admire the roses and plant more of them Those pretty roses provided me warmth for good memory Kept me looking good and smelling nice all life for century My father is no more and my mother is gone to heaven The garden they so proudly planted for me has been taken The land is bare and has no roses to admire I have now planted roses in my yard to get me aspire

DO NOT WASTE THIS SHORT LIFE This life is too short to be wasted so do not waste it Since it passes just once so make the most out of it Live this short life the way you want it to be Live this life to the fullest by feeling quite free Live this short life as the sun shines in the sky Do not forget to live it as high as the birds can fly Live this short life as the colours of a rainbow Live it as far as the white clouds of the sky can go Never waste it with worthless doubts and fears With your insecurities and your useless tears Remember that what cannot tear you makes you strong Put away all your frustrations and sing your own song Always believe in what you can do for you Our world is round and free it is all up to you Think fast, act now and do whatever is right Time is gold it cannot be renewed over night Let us value our experiences and learn from our mistakes Let us improve for the better and live for other stakes Let us do what is right and what is the best Let us always be ourselves unique from the rest Let us keep laughing as if there is no tomorrow Dance as though you will get through all sorrow Love the family with all your heart and soul Keep singing like you are in full control of your all Let us forget getting more money, the root of all evil Treasure your loved ones like your good people Strengthen your faith to live in peace with the Lord The best things in life are for free to afford

DANCE WHILE THE SUN SHINES Let us open our heart to happiness now Let every pore absorb the bright light Swim in the sea of joy here and now This will cast off the darkness of the night Let us walk in the summer of sunshine Let us fly in the blueness of the sky and shine Let us know that possibilities are boundless Let us understand that this life is countless Let us step out from the shadows of darkness Move to the greener pastures of brightness Let us make hay while the sun shines Let us smile for as long as the day shines Let us laugh just a little bit more Keep singing till our throat gets sore Let us breathe slowly and deeply at all time Let us give all our ideas a chance of the life time Time would be right to kick off our shoes and dance Never lose hope but take advantage of all the chance

TIME MOVES SWIFTLY Pluck the rose while blooming when it is fresh and bright Wait not till tomorrow for time moves swiftly in flight Do thy deeds of kindness before tomorrow’s light What may come we know not for time moves swift in flight Let us make this life useful and work hard before it is night Or else we will be regretting for time moves swiftly in flight

GET TO THE END This life is not a burden on our shoulder if we care We may escape from its troubles if we dare If we miss things in youth we can catch it when we are older Keep in mind that this life is not a burden on our shoulder Life fits us as close as the garments we wear Sorrow and pains come into our home uninvited my dear They rob the heart of its treasures and melodious song We grow cold and our friendships can go wrong Yet somehow or the other if we do not worry about it The sweet blossoms of our gardens will make us face it Grow more flowers than weeds that would help us Even in the midst of earthly beautiful places If there is something that is just not right Take a few steps and move forward with might Yet from the garden we may pick a nice flower To drink from a nearby spring for more power People come to make our heart a heavenly place Life is so sweet to us if we are ready to chase Everyday toil is an everyday blessing to care Though our cottage and crust we may share Weak bets the back on which burdens are pressing 73

But stout is the heart which is strengthened by caring Somehow or the other the pathway grows brighter Just when we feel that there is none to mend Hope in the heart makes the burden seem lighter And somehow or the other we get to the end

THIS LIFE IS WHAT WE MAKE OF IT I have often talked of noble deeds of my people So there was rarely time to talk about the evil deeds I even sang about the happy days of my people So there were rarely moments to provide sad feeds I was not made to fret and sigh in my daily living Even when grief crept in to make things hard I knew that my right happiness was standing in the yard This life has been for me because it was what I made it I always looked for and found the sunny and funny side of it I believed in positive thinking creed and kept saying ‘I Can’ If faced with mountains of problems I took them as a man A found light at the end of every dark tunnel to cool my soul That was how I reduced my pains to win and be in control Thus life became a plain sailing with no slumbering at all Just opportunities and chances kept coming at every stall My hands and feet contained the magic wand of joy To enable me to make this life as if it was a golden toy There was no problem in finding all the loving heart To keep providing light and joy to them from start I never forgot to thank everyone for the countless gems I would never have come to know without those friends This became a happy world for me and a fruitful living This is how I made this life work for me and my living If I could not make my life good then the fault was just mine This is what I began doing and letting this life shine 74

THROUGH THIS LIFE We get the gifts through life that every season bears To let them fall into our laps for our grasp In our great eagerness to reach and clasp The promised treasure of the coming years There are times we mourn for things that pass away In the shadow of some of our griefs that shut in We refuse the greater good at times for we might win The offered peace and enjoyments of today So through the channels of our life we pass To leave them one by one alone and do not say Not knowing how pleasant our life was Through each day until the closing of the door We keep seeing things through this life a lot more When sounds come through our life to enjoy In our hearts we sigh and move to destroy

LIVE FOR SOMETHING GOOD Let us live for something good and be not idle Let us look about thee for proper employ Let us not sit down to useless dreaming to be idle To work hard and labour is the sweetest joy Folded hands are ever weary so keep them busy This life for us has many duties so keep busy Selfish hearts are never gay So let us be active then, whilst we may Scatter blessings in the pathways of your people Live for something good for your people Give them gentle words and cheering smiles Keep dispelling their grief with your smiles 75

As the pleasant sunshine falls on the grateful earth Let sympathy and kindness make well the darkened hearth Better are gold than silver so be golden in query Do not let the hearts be oppressed and be weary Drop the tear of sympathy whisper words of comfort Give freely and thy reward shall be your daily comfort Joy and hope will be returning in your soul From the perfect fountain of heavenly bowl

THE BEST LIFE He lives the best who never has complain Whether the passing days be filled with sun or rain Who sows his deeds of love and patiently lives Expecting not any gain from the things he gives Who buries deep the past its pains and its tears And bravely meets his now undisturbed by fears Who lets his life shine well even in the darkest night That even when distressed may see the bright light Who patiently toils on though hands and feet are sore Whose home stands by the road to give with open door Who smiles though down he sits to feast or crust His faith in human values is sincere in God to trust His life becomes the best to let live and let others live To receive the best in life is to learn to give

BE THE SCULPTOR OF YOUR LIFE Get the tool in your hand and stand as a sculptor boy With your marble block before you to cull your life Light up your face with a smile of your joy Just act like an angel and dream well about life Keep carving that dream on your yielding stone With many a sharp incision and visions right In this life make the light that other sculptors have shown Then it would be easy to make this life right Become the sculptor of your life as you stand With your life that is uncarved before you Waiting for carving when God gives command Surely your dream of future will spread before you Go and carve your life on the shielding stone With the sharpest incision you can find All the heavenly beauty shall be your very own Your entire living will be easy to mind

GOLDEN GOBLET OF LIFE A golden goblet full of good wine each of us holds Its contents give us the needed energy But how we use this rare wine in life unfolds Our endless destiny or give us lethargy Our life means so much and holds that power To give us wonders or priceless draught While hour by hour we take our shower To go forth to serve and shout Whatever way this vital force takes us Is used to our advantage with good results to obtain For it may bring forth fresh fruit for us Of great taste and perfect grain Some of us choose to spill this golden wine On fleeting times to dine Nor realizing that the gift is divine And our life is a charge that is sublime Then let us wisely pour the nectar forth For the greatest good we can secure To make our living to be pure as pure to endure From deeds that have the highest worth Seek from the earthly sources the deeper content And let your choicest force in life be well spent

THIS LIFE IS LIKE VAPOUR What is this life? It is but like vapour to hold it That remains with us but one brief day Though our hands are stretched to stay with it It must eventually and quickly pass away Fleeting are its joys and gladness that last Though we would like to hold them fast Nothing lingers for us to save a memory Of the things that now are past the gallery Yet our life is what we make it More than what our lot may find it Mild and gentle or sweet and sour living Like a sunbeam we all may see it shining It may be hard and bitter filled with envy, hate and woe Seeking only vanity and some self-glory to tighten us As we tread our path to move up or below If our motive is to move ahead and enlighten us If ever our souls are oppressed without care We shall find that our own burdens are hard to bear If we shed on those around us with gleams of hope to cheer We behold those rays and reflect to hear So let us turn our darkness into our dawn Life is not a dream of fancy or to mourn It cannot be worthless stretch of years To be squandered in our folly and to end in bitter tears A time for earnest striving for the right, good and true Helping everyone to cheer our journey through Life is full of deepest meaning hidden beneath the dross Its depth is only fathomed in the shadow of the moss I feel that every action every thought and word, would be Witness for or against our spirits throughout all eternity Could we realize the weight of day’s work for good or bad 79

Would conscience acquit and the knowledge make us glad? The voice within our bosom would speak and to condemn For the life with the example lived before our fellow men Life means much if we value every moment as it speeds On so quickly past recalling would we spend in evil deeds Days and months are so precious time we cannot value now As we shall when life is ebbing and death is on our brow When we near the dark cold river we look back with regret On a life far worse than wasted than we might forget Deeds and brave endeavour bring no pangs in coming days Evil has its own requital and folly ends in sorrowful ways Life is more than mere existing drifting aimlessly along Yielding to each flitting fancy whether it be right or wrong We are building our life for the ages that shall be And the structure we are rearing shall abide eternally Our future we are building and our work will surely stand Through unceasing ages ever whether it be vile or grand Build wisely for tomorrow with today our work is done Make haste lest the good intent at the end has begun

HOW TO LIVE THIS LIFE I have heard this said often ‘He lives long who lives well’ I have not lived long but I can still tell That all life is short and we live mostly for heavenly gain How to live this life depends how we can bargain When all else is flung away true things are done each day Waste not thy being but go back to Him to freely play Our living on this earth is but a pleasant dream It is to be or not to be in this stream So be what it seems to live with values and creed Hold up to earth the torch divine to move with speed Become what you want to be made in this life Let the great Master step in and guide you out of strife Fill the hour with what lasts to buy the moments as you go This life then would be the ripe fruit of life to grow Sow truth, beauty and goodness if you would like to reap That strong stage and find your conscience to keep Refrain from hollow words and deeds to sow love for all To taste the fruits that give you living in pure stall Spread peace and reap its harvest to live a bright life Find a home where you would know how to live this life

GOOD MOMENT IN LIFE Life has many moments to share but there is only one little moment that matters All our work has to be done with clear mind and good effort that matters When good deeds of a life-time are gathered and victories are lost or won Then we come to realize that only good moments in life are our number one So there are no times for us to be standing idle and no time to gaze back The pretty flowers in this life we leave ungathered we cannot easily trace and track We have no time for crying over spilt milk and the battles we have lost After every conquest we should just sit down and count the total cost There is no time for idle dreaming of things we have not been able to do We must take pleasure to greet and do the work of the moment we have to do There should be no time for any hatred or malice for people who do not conform There should be no time for any strife in life if we do not go for any reform We have only just a moment in which to live this life with honour and pride We have only one little moment in life to work well to take the good ride

SPENDING HAPPY LIFE People of upright life whose guiltless heart is free from all dishonest deeds Will always lead a happy life and continue doing the memorable deeds Those people who spend their peaceful days with joy and contentment Their hopes and wishes cannot deny them happy life and delude sorrow discontent People do not need high towers or any strong armour for their defence They do not require secret wings to fly away from thunders of violence We can only behold happy life with acts of dedication and widely opened eyes To let the horrors of the deep reflections and the terrors that fly in the skies Thus by scorning all worries and taking care of our fate and fortune means We can have happy life on this earth and begin to live within our means We would easily make the entire heaven our book of wisdom and happy things Good thoughts for happy life and faithful friends to rejoice with valuable things A well-spent age on the earth with sober mind and a quiet pilgrimage Will await us every day and we will be spending happy life with graceful age

MY LIFE AS A GOOD SCHOOL I have made one useful rule to think of life as a good school So I have been trying my best to stand each test of this rule I have been doing all work without shirking duties of mine All responsibilities are taken with utmost care to outshine I want to be happy and to do my best at all times To keep my life ringing as a good school at all times Someday the bell will sound and my heart will bound With a shout that the school has given me lessons all round All good lessons are completed to make life my good school I am home enjoying life with things in living that are so cool

WHAT IS REAL LIFE FOR ME? I know that there are some souls, hearts and minds around They are here and there who trust me and who I found Some who know me and whom I know very well Some on whom I can always rely on and tell Who always rely upon me for comfort and care To give and take things with tender loving care These make a paradise of this great world feel greater These have made real life for me much better

IT IS LIFE AFTER ALL If ever my plans go wrong as they sometimes will And the hours seem longer as I climb the hill I will remember that it is a part I play To find what in the end is a brighter day If my heart grows cold that used to warmed me I should not worry for it is life after all for me As a friend many hold me staunch and true Have faithfully turned to take my heart as true I may win great fame and wealth today Or even taste of shame and deep dismay I may lose or gain or even may rise or fall Both joy and pain must come to my call I was told that for every smile there is a tear For every mile of travel we face both hope and fear When some are happy with me some must be sad Along the way there are good ones and bad Whatever may be the share of my woe Next day may see that I have come to know I love a joyful heart and perfect rest So I have decided to play my part and do my best It is my life after all and I like it all This is the way I want to rise and fall

SERVICE TO MY PEOPLE Some are eager to be famous some are striving to be great Some are toiling to be leaders of their nation or their state And in every person’s ambition, if we only understood There is much that is fine and every hope is mostly good So I cling unto the notion that contented I shall be If people upon life’s pathway find a needed friend in me I rather like to putter round the walks and yards of life To spray the roses that are burned and browned with strife To eat a frugal dinner but always to have a soft chair The unexpected stranger that my simple meal would share I do not care to travel any more I would rather be the one Sitting calmly by the roadside helping weary travellers on I would like to be a friend in the good old-fashioned way Finding much to do for others but not over much to say I like to read the newspapers but I do not yearn to see What the media of the morning wants to say of me In the silences and shadows of life I would live life and die Depending on fond memories of the grateful passers-by I was not fashioned for the brilliant things of this earth Not gifted much with talent or designed for special worth I was just sent here to putter with life’s little odds and ends And keep a simple corner where the stirring highway bends If folks chance to linger worn and weary through the day To do some needed service I will cheer them on their way oOo My life has been full of beauty and I kept noticing it I noticed the pretty flowers and the smiling faces in it I smelt the rain and felt the force of the wind in it If I have missed anything I will let my soul preserve it

MY MOTIVES IN THIS LIFE I have often asked myself ‘What is my motive in life?’ I was given a few answers that were valid for this life I wanted my life to find its inspiration somewhere Perhaps I wanted to succeed and go somewhere What did I mean by my success as a scholar? It was to gather together dollar after dollar To stand in a conspicuous place in the social circle Where there were no obstacles and no hurdle To achieve some great result in some of my intentions In commercial life, in art, in politics, in my professions To indulge in the pleasure of the worldly life To make matters mean something for this life I wanted to live my life with the unhindered utterance To maintain truth, beauty and goodness for my governance Of the highest instincts and impulses of my heart I wanted to make some permanent contribution for start The interpretation of life depended upon the motive of it I believed my life would be beautiful if that was how I saw it I hope this poem would give the essence of happiness Provide contentment that life can offer without bitterness Celebrate this life which is a struggle created by ourselves It depends on our attitude to see the world around us I wanted my poems about life to be shared with others These years will pass by in the blink of an eye as others oOo Lessons of my school days I learnt to listen carefully before I acted I thought things well before I reacted I began earning well before I spent Before I criticised anyone I waited for a while to chant Before all my prayers I asked for forgiveness again and again If ever I quit from events I always tried once again

THE PEOPLE THAT I LOVED People who I loved in life have come and they have gone But the world that I lived in did not stop as we all carried on This life was never easy because many struggles were there Filled with times that mattered and times I just did not care Despite all this I stood on my own and I still found my ways Through some nights filled with tears the dawn of new days When I am nearing my old age it has become very clear Those things I once found important are not why I was here Then many things that I managed to buy on the side Were never what made me feel better right inside The worries and fears that plagued me each day I knew that in the end all would just fade away But how much I reached out to others when I needed Became the true measure of how I succeeded And how much I shared of my soul and my heart Would ultimately be what set me quite apart And what is really important is my opinion of me And whether or not I am the best that I can be How much more kindness and love I can show Before the Lord Almighty tells me it is my time to go

BEAUTY OF THIS LIFE It was some eight decades ago that as a little child without any fear I set forth on an unbeaten and unchartered path that was not clear That was a bright and wild meadow the beauty of which was impressive It was drawn by many blooms I bravely followed the way that turned decisive I moved like a butterfly floating from bloom to bloom to get the beauty of life I followed the stream that was bidding the way with music and added strife Gradually I made my way to reach the end of the journey that was successful This beauty of life was impressive and made the path look very grateful

LIVING THIS LIFE My whole life was not a race but an interesting journey that I chose There was honesty, hard work, good choice, gratefulness and some glows I performed great job for everyone every day going to the temple for prayer The Lord gave and blessed me and I placed all using my pen on the paper I loved my life and whatever I was given was not accidental but received with thanks I kept searching for my purpose to do the best I could to maintain the ranks 91

Visions did matter because they allowed me to aspire to become what I wanted I learnt to appreciate all the little and the big things to enjoy them as granted Many of the things that I procured were free but I had to work hard to obtain them I did not worry about the problems but as I aged they showed some mayhem The feeling of forgiveness went a long way to free my soul to provide me longevity I kept recognising the people I had been blessed to know for my personal stability

MY FINAL CALL When I am no more on this planet feel not sad for my departure Think of my creations and keep reading them for your pleasure People like me who depart but leave a lot for others to wonder I know I will reach my salvation because my life was no blunder Leave my soul to rest in peace so that I keep enjoying even there Let your pleasant thoughts be with me when I am not living here I have poured some of my ideas on pages of my creations online Let me go but just assure me that my creations will forever shine

MY HOPES AND MY CONDITIONS This is just that time to say that I have lived my life well That I am not among the dead like many of my people tell Although I may be getting a little forgetful at times May be mixed up in the head sometimes I have got used to many good things in life I have thrown out all the bad and the evil things of life No denture in the mouth and no hearing aid in the ear I miss my morning and afternoon walks I loved so dear That time has not come for me to worry as yet When I have to stand at the foot of the stairs and forget Wanting to go up for something or come down Or just stay there to quietly turn around Time will come that standing before the fridge so often I will wait for the ice cream to soften My poor mind will be filled with some doubt Whether I am in house or I am standing out Have I just cooked some food for me to eat Or have I come to take out some meat I do not want to get to that point at time of bed With my pyjamas and night cap on my head I must always know when I am retiring to my bed And when is the time to come out of my bed If my hopes and conditions bother me a lot I must see a doctor or a psychologist to clear my thought

MY LIFE WAS LIKE A DANCE This life and living have been like a folk dance for me I was the song that went with it to provide tune for me I kept changing the tune when some things went wrong I never gave up dancing even my step was right or wrong I never turned my music down for fear I will stop dancing Dancing became part of my daily life like a special thing I was not the brightest in this art but a shining star I was I could reach out to meet others to measure who I was

I FORGOT TO LIVE Life was such that I was dying to grow up and go to school Then I was dying to go to college after I finished my school When the college life was over I was dying to go to work After that I was dying to get married and have children I was dying to give the best education to my children So that they too could find a proper place in their life I was dying to see that all my children excelled in their life When a lot of my duties were done I was dying to retire I could not think of any more things and could not go higher Now I am eighty three and maybe I am thinking of dying I suddenly realized I forgot to live my life but I am trying

CREED OF THE POSITIVE THINKER I have said this before and would like to say it again My life has been like a vapour that appeared for a while It sees its ups and downs, joys and sorrows come again I would have liked to live forever not only for this while My life has been a mystery since my time began here I drifted over many mountains and valleys while I lived here My positive thinking creed enabled me to get over this life When faced with difficulties I did not give up to live my life When faced with a mountain of problems I did not quit I kept on striving until I climbed over to find a pass to fit I even tried to tunnel underneath or simply stayed there To turn that mountain of troubles into a gold mine there Thus my loads of life got lighter and days got brighter I began to reach my destination with steps I found easier When I faced burdens that were heavy and I was drifting I called out to the Lord to help with prayers for uplifting I kept thanking the Lord for caring and looking after me I found that my despairs were gone when God cared for me When I look at this world that God has made for us It is a lot more than what the eyes can behold for us The moon, the sun, the stars and all wonders He made These will remain our wonders as long as we trade This world and all its beauty have nothing else to compare Everything in the Lords Kingdom is great, fine and fair I believe in Him and love Him and will be with Him someday In the heavenly place paved with peace which is fade away One message that I would like to leave for my people here Do not forget to live and love life if you want to live here

BENEFITS OF MY LIFE Life gave me opportunities and I benefitted from them It was full of truth, beauty and goodness to admire them Life was vision and a helpful dream for me and I realized it When this life threw a challenge at me I ran to grab it When this life was my duty and responsibility I completed it When this life presented me a game I learned to play it My life was costly and full of wealth so I cared and kept it My life was a mystery but there was love in it so I enjoyed it This life gave me a lot of promises so I learned to fulfil them When life seemed full of sorrows I tried to overcome them When life was a struggle I did my best to move to accept it Life was a song to sing but when a tragedy I confronted it When life was an adventure I dared it when luck I made it My life was too precious to destroy so I tried to protect it Every life is life that is God given so we need to fight for it

Enjoy this short life and keep talking with your loved ones 96

CLAIMS OF MY BONES Over the years whatever my bones knew about me was the truth It was nothing but the best message for me nothing short of truth These bones are mine whenever they creak, moan, whine or dine The marrow has no match with anyone else because it is just mine There is a definite thing that I can claim about the bones though They are mine and are kind to abandon nothing but let me grow I live with my bones because there interred are all my good deeds All feelings that are evil and cruel for them marrow has no needs My bones provide the right structure and protect all my organs They anchor my muscles; store the calcium for good performance I want to build strong and healthy bones to protect my health My bones keep telling I must look after myself and all my wealth My bones keep claiming to take steps to protect future losses Get calcium, Vitamin D, physical actions but no substance abuses

RELATONSHIPS A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself To laugh with me but never at me, to cry with me but never because of me To love being loved by everyone in the circle and to love life and to love himself Such a relationship is based upon freedom and can never grow in a jealous heart for me Good relationship does not need promises, terms and 0ther conditions It just needs a She who can trust and a He who can be loyal at all times The best relationship is not the one being shared in good times and conditions But rather the one who has the staying power through rough times Good relationships do not just happen but they take time and patience Most importantly two or more people who truly want to be together A good relationship is when two or more people accept each other and display patience Look at their past, support each other’s present and love each other together Always remembering enough things to encourage each other’s future So do not rush love but find people who can encourage you to grow Who would not cling to you but who will let you go out into the world to grow 98

There will always be that vital element of trust that you will come back in the future This is what true love is all about that we need to share and care Good relationships are not just about the good times you share They are also about all the obstacles you all go through together And the fact remains that you still say “I love you” in the end Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you in the end A healthy relationship must ultimately be based on one vital thing of trust together To build this trust we must always keep our words in place at all times You remain consistent and dependable in everything you say and do at all times You become the kind of team player who is utterly reliable in every situation You never do or say anything that can shake this foundation of trust in any situation This trust is the link on which a healthy relationship is always built A healthy relationship does not drag you down but it inspires you to be better built

LIVING A LIFE THAT MATTERS TO US Whether we are ready or not someday it will all begin to matter to us There will be no sunrises, no minutes, no hours or days to worry about for us All the material things we collected and treasured will pass on to someone else All our health, wealth and fame plus the temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance It would no longer matter what we owned and what we owed to anyone else All our grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will disappear and go to irrelevance Our hopes, ambitions, plans and all our to do lists will expire to someone else Our wins and losses that once seemed so important will finally fade away Then it would not matter where we came from and where we are moving away It would not even matter whether we were rich, poor, bright or brilliant people Even our colour of the skin, our gender and the make of the body would be irrelevant to people What will matter is not what you bought and sold but what you built and possessed What we had in our portfolio will not matter much but what you gave to charity freely What more will matter is not our success or failure but our significance that we possessed What would not matter anymore what we learnt but what we taught people freely

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What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that we made for others What will matter is how we emulated people with our examples, empowered and encouraged others What will matter is not how competent we are but our daily conduct and character What will matter is not how many people we knew but how many will feel our loss What will matter is not our memories but memories that live on to reveal our character Finally what will really matter is how long we will be remembered and for what toss Living this life that matters does not happen by accident but by our own choice So let us choose to live this life and make it a matter of our own choice oOo I ALWAYS LIVED A LIFE THAT MATTERED TO ME NOT A LIFE THAT WENT ON TO SHATTER ME

I tried to live this short life in a way that this one life was not enough To get things in my life was not difficult because I loved this life enough I tried to laugh and play so much that crying became difficult I loved God so much that to grant me His blessings was not difficult oOo

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LOVING AND CARING FAMILY I had always believed that having a loving and caring family was divine To cherish this and to embrace this forever was the greatest shrine Time drifts by quietly unnoticed and ups and downs do take their toll I have lived my life for eight decades enjoying the family life and all There are memories that I treasure of the love and care of my family members Each one has been unique in performing the duties for all the members While always trying to care and bless each other at all the special moments Each one performs the daily tasks well to maintain relationships for all moments

My Family in 1972 at Lami in Fiji 102

OUR CHILDREN All our four children are not only smart but they have a great big heart They have been growing up each and every day in their special and unique way Our children are totally filled with joy of life and we loved them with all our heart Now they are all grown up and have their own family to live their life their way When we needed them to look after us while aging they made our hurts go away We raised our children giving them freedom to do whatever they liked each day They have always meant a lot more to us than anyone will ever come to know When our children are not around the days are long and seem to go by so slow Every day of our life brings a brand new start because our children are our heart We thank God every day for gifting these perfect ones to us from the very start All our children are amazing; we cherish them because we believe and trust them All our children are divine, energetic, noble and precious and we respect them All our children have open minds; they are resourceful and uniquely talented They all are our gift from God, kind-hearted, magical, worthy and specially gifted They are like kites and we have spent our lifetime trying to get them off the ground

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We played with them, ran with them, and laughed with them until we lost all sound We watched them grow with us, patched them comforted them and adjusted them We gave them all the assurances that one day they will fly and we will admire them We kept letting them out and watched them lifted by the wind into the new worlds The lifeline that bound us together has become stronger and tighter by many folds We loved our children for they were special, loving and giving with hearts of gold When growing gracefully, our love was shining for them to see that we were old In our old age we have a few confessions to make for our own satisfaction and joy Our busy hands at times during the day may not have given them time to fully enjoy The little games they asked us to play we may not have had time to share and care When they needed attention for their welfare we may have said come a little later We tucked them all safe at night and told them a few stories but not enough for them We turned out the light, tip-toed softly out but wished we stayed longer with them We watched them grow so fast that our life became short and the years rushed past As the time rolled we found they were no longer at our side to receive love that vast Now we are old and grey, there are no games to play, no good-night kisses to share

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No prayers to give and no loving words but the distancing makes us regret that care Our hand and feet that were once busy are still not caring and days are hard to fill We wish we could go back and do all those little things our children asked us to fulfil To all our children we say, “If we had to choose between you and our breathing” We would use our last breath to tell you that “We love you all” as our good feeling Blessed are all our children because they are a special gift from Almighty God Each day of our life we pray for His guidance to them as the road of life they trod Each one of our children has special skills, talents, hopes and specific goals May the threads that weave their destinies match well with their hearts and souls Our children have been our progress, prestige and peace on this complex earth May God bestow all the majesty and splendour of life to them on this earth Dear God, these earnest longings in our hearts we ask of thee as always Guide their footsteps firmly onward on their paths with love and peace always When that day comes when we feel that there are no more tomorrows for us One of our regrets will be that we are not there at your side should you need us Our wishes for you all then always be that your lives are long and healthy for you

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May you all follow your cherished dreams wherever they take and lead you When you begin to feel that we are but only a fond memory for you think of us Just remember that you all were, are and always will be deeply loved by us

Praanesh, Praneeta, Harshita and Rohitesh

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RAISING OUR CHILDREN AGAIN If we had our children to raise over again We would change our ways and think again We would build our self-esteem first and house later We would do more finger painting but point our finger later We would do less correcting and more connecting We would take our eyes off our watches for connecting We would watch our children with our eyes open We would care to know less but know to care more often We would take more hikes and fly more kites seriously We would stop playing serious and play a lot more seriously We would run through more fields and gaze more stars We would do more hugging and less tugging from the start We would be firm less often and affirm our love much more We would learn to understand them well and do a lot more We would be models but do less about the love of power We would do more for the power of love every hour

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MY FRIENDS I do not think that I have failed as a friend or lived my life in vain To my credit I can find many friends to be with me as my gain The road of life has been rough, mountains I had to climb I had joy on the way when all friends came to me to rhyme I am proud indeed to have my friends beside me in my range To cheer me with their songs, smiles and lot of things to exchange I get strength and courage for I have mountains to ascend I find that life is worth living as long as I have a true friend I am not hasty when I say that I have never lived this life in vain The best of my friends are still around as my best to remain Even if the sun of this life is sinking and I am to reach my ends I count my earthly riches in the number of people I have as my friends What best friends can be to any soul and to you or for me They are shelter, comfort, take pride and act as the greatest help for me 108

They remain my beloved guide to thread the labyrinth of this life They are like the love torch to lead me in the darkness of life My friends provide me an atmosphere that is warm and dear Wherein we can breathe freely and live here without any fear My friends are unconscious part of true beat of the heart A strength and a good growth wherever we derive our cart My friends are a ray of sunshine always wishing me a bright day That fills my life with a light so bright all darkness is driven away All my faithful friends are like good music that linger in my heart When their melodies are heard all my ills of life just depart My friends are a refreshing breeze to make me feel at ease They bring happiness in my life sharing whatever I please Friends I hold close to heart even when we are miles apart I thank God for sending so many friends my way from the start My friends are like a flower, they are like a rose to be exact 109

They provide me with their ideas that are all true and remain a fact When I see them as an owl, they look so beautiful and wise Like the saint and a perfect spirit that lives and never dies My friends are like the heart that stays strong until the end I would be lost in this wide world if I did not have a true friend

ODE TO MY ANCESTORS My Hero-My Father My father was a truly amazing man full of wise words He was kind, considerate and rich with right rewards Being a son of a farmer he was a vegetarian of a kind His thoughts were full of wisdom, a man of right mind My Dad was a very simple man and was always kind Often he would know what was going in my little mind I admired him because of his suggests and defends He listened and cared for me as did my best friends He was proud of my triumphs but when I got wrong He was patient, helpful and above all very strong All that I say and do my father’s words play a big part There is always a big place for him deep in my heart Years go by and times do pass I am even more glad I am grateful and proud to honour him as my Dad He was in the sun, the wind, the rain and the land He is still in the air I breath that makes me stand He always sang those songs of hope and cheer That often took all my pain and I never had any fear I keep seeing him in the sky and the clouds above 110

He keeps whispering his words of wisdom and love He was a real gift from God Almighty for a child like me Whatever good or bad I did he was always with me He taught me how to walk, talk and lead my way His patience and understanding were so good I say His unconditional love would never see any end As I got older he became like my good old friend Sensitive to my needs, he had a special touch No wonder why I honour and love my Dad so much The strength of a mountain took the majesty of a tree Gone was the warmth of the sun, the calm of the sea He mixed the generous soul of nature and comforting arm of night The wisdom of the ages and the power of the great eagle’s flight Joy of the morning of spring and the faith of the mustard seed The patience of the eternity and the depth of the family need It was the combination of all these qualities and nothing more to add God knew that His masterpiece was complete so He called him my Dad As his eldest son I was privileged to be part of this great man I have always been proud to share my life with this unique man

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BELIEFS OF MY FATHER AS A FARMER My father was a great man and he had his creed for farmers His greatest pride was his dignity and his respect for farmers He believed that hard work and honest sweat make farmers It is an honourable way we all can make life as good farmers He believed that farming nurtured his family ties on the earth He believed that his children learnt good values of life on earth He believed that farming provided the greatest knowledge for life Farming teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in life He believed that the best things in life are indeed free and useful Splendour of sunrise, the rapture of the open space is also useful So is the exhilarating sight of our land and its greenings each season Real joy comes from watching the crops ripen in the fields each season Our children grow tall in the sun and our whole family feels the pride The experiences we gather as good farmers give us our greatest ride By his toil he was giving a lot more to the world than he was taking This was the pride and honour that does not come to anyone living He believed that his life will be ultimately measured by all his actions His fellow humans will appreciate all his farming deeds and actions He believed that when human beings grow old and sum up the days They should stand tall with pride in every move made in their ways My father believed in all these aspects of farming as the possibilities He made the best use of the land that was allocated for his capabilities

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MY GRANDFATHER - A MAN OF ALL SEASONS My grandfather was a man of all seasons A tiler of land with great and wise visions His steps were short like mine in those days I walked with him holding his hands during those days He never asked me to hurry up or walk faster For his love for me was deep and full of laughter He always took his time to let me be without worry Others around us liked us and were never sorry Life was so beautiful that we stopped to see It was a pleasure that God had given him to me He was always unrushed and young like me I learnt a lot from him, I thank him you see My grandfather was a treasure of wisdom so nice He was the right gift of the greatest price There was no one quite as special as him around He sang the songs from scriptures with great sound Grand I miss you and I love you for all your care I thank you for your love that you were to share Your Sunday morning stories were useful and great So were the roti, jam and honey that we ate Boy, how I miss all those special treatments now In my dreams he keeps my company even now My grandfather was a small man but with large heart He was gentle, kind and loving from the start I felt safe and protected holding his hands to walk He spoke about wonderful things during the walk He loved us, his land, his people and his nation I learnt to be loyal to the family and the nation He was not an ordinary man, might I say My grandfather will always be my guide, might I say He kept the family united like a true hero of the pack My friend, my teacher, my guide and my hero in tact If there was a man I admired in my ride It was my grandfather with whom I had a pleasant ride

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MY ANCESTORS WERE FARMERS My ancestors were farmers and were called to be the artists of this land Kings may rule over land and sea but they were there by Almighty’s hand They worked their fields to care as their own to call the farmsteads home Kings live right royally but they were there to feed the world of this zone Their crops sprang forth before their eyes when they looked to the skies Writers think, poets sing, doctors heal but they were to work and be wise They gave thanks for every gently falling rain for good growing of their grain Their trade was worthy and the pastures flourished with the sun and the rain They heeded the Lord’s call to farm their ground with His blessings abound Blessed as men who planted crops for fruit and raised animals on the ground Their miracles surround us with fields so lush that need painting with brush Their wallets were heavy; hearts were right and their cattle and corn all plush oOo

To me as an amateur poet, the greatest pleasure of creating my poems was the music that my words kept giving me. I know that nothing can erase the past but there is always repentance, atonement and forgiveness. However, that is not all in life because I expected a lot more.

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OUR FARMING DAYS At the top of a hill close to the stream and the river line Our ancestors established their farm so big, green and fine We grew up on that farm where our life was full of fun I now have fond memories of those happy days of fun On our farm we played in the dirt lived without any hurt We counted the stars at night had no worries from start We did our daily chores and jumped on the hay bales We built our character and learnt to respect the vales We were a family ready to spread our wings every where Roots established on the farm we had strong bond there We lived a simple life and shared things around our kind We had faith in God and our people and had a clear mind All the love, faith, charity and hope that were the family’s yields They grew like healthy crops like smile and laughter in our fields Days were spent with joy and at night the crops covered the plain No matter what the hearts and soul always on the farms remained 115

It was a home where the heart could laugh without any worries It was where the tears of the heart could dry at their own stories On that home of the farmers we always put our family first you know Gave hugs and kisses to friends, family members and the animals also We often said ‘I love you’ and helped others with our simple living there We worked hard, played harder, had faith in our abilities to do our share Words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ were always on all our lips and daily We lived within our harvests to cultivate and loving one another fully Our grandparents told us that the world will need a farmer everyday More than we would need a doctor, a lawyer or a policeman any day ….. It was during my school holidays in the hot summer day The bright sun was setting and I had a few hours to play So I walked in the woods nearby and followed the stream

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Taking time to make time for myself and get into my dream I came to an old cabin with a garden and a barn of the farm The memories of the past life there held a lot more charm ….. Those were the gardens that my ancestors had planted once They were right out the back door and can be seen at a glance I felt peaceful and safe as I kept watching the sun going down Wishing I could go back and bring those old days back around To do it the old way and to have and enjoy all the charm of the valley That I felt when I stumbled upon those yesterday’s Farms in the valley

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MY GRANDMOTHER A great lady in her own right was my grandmother A pillar of strength for the family was my grandmother While she lived she was our best support and guide She taught us all she knew and never thought to hide She knew how to treat us and make us look good Grandmother you were kind, loving and always good We never left her home with empty belly She would feed us with the best meal for the belly She was fond of her bear hugs and saying I love you The only thing we could say now we dearly miss you She touched our hearts and always blessed us Her prayers and songs were real treasures for us Loaded with silver jewellery she did all the cooking We stole the sweets when she was not looking Great in the home and even greater in the yard She helped grandpa look after the farm and the yard No task was difficult for her for she was an active lady My grandmother was a friend and a great lady She is gone but not forgotten and lives in our heart She was sent to be with us from the very start My best time was when I listened to her stories I now know that they were all made up stories All her stories were full of morals for us to remember She love truth, good and beautiful things to remember If we call her our Angel we will be absolutely right She made us feel proud, honour and full of bright light Where would we find another such treasure of our life She is gone but not forgotten and she lives in our life 118

At my birth I am told she put a drop of honey Just to ensure that all my life I spoke sweetly, that was funny

MY MOTHER – MY LADY WITH THE LAMP My mother never went to school but she was well informed She knew about the family life well and was never alarmed Feed us well, lead us and educate us well were some of her objectives Make us try hard to make our living better and dwell in good perspectives Early to bed and early to rise to complete the school and farm work well She wanted us to get the best from our life by searching our cell Her hands held me gently from the day I took my first breath Her hands helped to guide me as I took my first step on earth 119

She would hold me close when the tears would start to fall She was quick to show me that she would take care of it all Always there to brush my hair or straighten a wayward bow She was there to comfort the hurts that did not always show As if she held the stars in place and encouraged me to reach Her lullaby about the moon made me sleep on the beach She would clap and cheer and praise when I woke up again I had fun in her reign she would stop me from all heavy rain She pulled me from all danger and from all the harmful way She would punctuate the world well and just do what I say My mother was my lady with the lamp to guide me all the way Nothing would stop her to do her duties for me in my way She sometimes had to discipline to help bend this young tree She would shape and mould me into all she knew I could be Her hands were twisting with age and years of work I saw 120

This time I had to reciprocate to make up for what I awe She needed the same gentle touch to rub away those hurts I did my best to make her feel well during the last days of hers I know that her hands were more beautiful than anything can be Her hands are the reason I am doing well in life and I am me You were a wonderful mother so gentle, wise, kind and strong The ways you showed your care always made me feel I belong You were all patient whenever I was foolish, careless and silly You gave me the best guidance when I asked for these freely I believed that you could do anything as the Mistress of every task You always gave me the comfort and cushion as my better mask Now that you are gone, I love you more than you would know My total love and respect for all you asked me to learn and know I am leading my life as you wanted it to be, thank you mum All I am going to say that I have taken your life in total sum 121

If I ever had my choice to get my mother in the next life You would be the one I would select together with my wife

MY LIFE WAS A DREAM

Will just go to waste one day I loved the people I was with, For all the moments I shared I gave them my focus forthwith I wanted to be loved and cared I learnt to laugh till it hurt me Let the tears drop if it was hot I never forgot to see the glee I loved all that I always got. How could I miss to be content There were lessons to share I never got to be complacent I stayed sharp and aware. I always took a moment To change my life's path Once it gave me the moment There was no going back for a bath I knew that in just a few seconds, I could make a new friend Find my true love in heavens To see my life to start or end. I always wanted better rating In those moments I was to live My growth was not in taking But in how much I could give. My life has been full of moments, So precious that I wanted to renew And valued all those moments Whether they be many or few

My life I believe was a real dream That was not dark as people say There was often a little morning stream Some sunshine brought a pleasant day. Sometimes there were clouds of gloom, But they were not my worry at all I wanted showers to make the roses bloom, I never lamented when there was a fall. Each moment of my living was precious So I lived in the moment for better thing Just took them all that looked gracious I paid attention and enjoyed everything, I did not let my mind wander To whatever was to come next I liked to cherish the thunder Move to give my life the best. I never let my tomorrows To rush me through today, I knew that many great morrows

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LIVING MY DREAMS WITHOUT FEAR If I could live my deepest dreams I wondered what they would be Would I sail in the open ocean or dive in the calm and wide blue sea Would I climb the mountain range of the Sleeping Giant once again Would I go to the deepest depths below or fly high in the sky again Would I hunt for the roots of my ancestors and find the ships that lie on the ocean floor Would I write more books of compassion to heal the sick and the poor Where could I go and what would I do if I lived my deepest dreams Would I be rich and famous to win more gold medals for my teams Would I be able to find a cure for my ailments and teach poor children to read and write Would I become a pilot or an eye specialist and try to guide people who have no sight Would my life be filled with more happiness and I would travel the world to explore more Would I continue to fight for freedom and peace expand my knowledge and do a lot more Would I like to solve all murders and mysteries or make clothes from wool and silk Would I go back to my farm to raise cows and goats for more fresh food and milk Would I become a lawyer to give free service to people or become a surgeon to transplant heart 123

Would I sing melodious songs and act on the stage while others find it hard to even start Would I fear that I would be wasting money and time to pursue the desires I have dreamt Or will I come to the end to look back at my life and ask what this journey meant What is stopping me from living my dreams and doing my once in a lifetime desire Who is holding me back and telling me not to quench my deep inner fire All these made me to stop today to ask myself what my once in a lifetime dreams are It was never owning a mansion or becoming a politician or even buying an expensive car It was never to be rich and famous or even changing this world I live in My deepest dream is writing the truth and sharing the words I am writing My passion, my dreams, my goals in life remain to speak truth to all who will hear That our steps are designed by God and we can walk this life without anger or fear I believe that there is no sin that the Lord will not forgive if we ask him to forgive I know that forgiving the sins of our fellowmen are the most honourable way to live So in good faith I went to my desktop with determination to write a few poems I would like the people to read these because I tried to live my dreams in these poems I am living my dream and sharing the joys of my heart and soul for people to hear

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It is time to stop and have faith in the future because faith is the absence of all fear Would I grow crops as a farmer do more for climate change and be a scientist hungry to learn Would I build castles of bricks and mortar in the air and go to welcome the soldiers who return Would I be a better computer geek and recycle trash or honour to cremate the people who are dead What would I do and where would I go if I could closely follow all my dreams instead Would I become an astronaut fly to the moon or join the firefighters to fight the raging fires as a fireman Would I become an investor and fill the ledger books to avoid paying more tax as a businessman Would I paint and draw masterpieces of art and make movies that have no violence and crime scenes If I cannot fulfil my dreams I will lead a simple life as ordinary human beings

AT THE END OF THE DAY At the end of the good day what really matters in this life is that we are alive and kicking That our loved ones are doing well and we have done our best to make a good living We are thankful, satisfied and content for all the things we have in this life It does not matter how rich, talented, educated, cool or attractive we think we are in life

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How we treat others will ultimately tell us all that our integrity matters most in this life At the end of this life what really matters is not what we sought and bought but what we built Not what we got but what we shared; not our competence but our character and conduct that we built Not our success but our significance so let us live and let others live a life that matters This brings me to the end of this presentation and I would like to seek and find what really matters

BIT OF DARKNESS MILLIONS OF STARS Bit of darkness in life has never brought any despair for me I had millions of bright stars in the sky to act as guide for me For a slight despair that sometimes comes to hurt us in life We forget that there are good people to support us in life The greatest gift to us is this short life itself on this earth It is foolish for us to lose hope so easily during this birth Garden of life has pretty flowers as well as prickly thorns We choose to embrace whichever we want for our adorns Do not spoil the bright future for a slight troubled yesterday Good fortunes will surely drop in the ride of life every day Accept all sorrows and joys to feel the goodness to see Be the beach that fights to win the battle of the stormy sea

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CONTROLLING MYSELF Things I have tried to control in my life made me satisfied I always appreciated the things I was given and occupied My beliefs, my attitude, my thoughts and my perspective How honest I was, who my friends were and be selective The books I read and how often I exercised got controlled The type of food I ate and how many risks I took rolled How kind I was to others and how I interpreted situations All these were properly controlled on almost all occasions How often I was kind to myself and when I said “I love you” How often I said thank you and expressed my feelings true Whether or not I asked for help and practiced my gratitude How many times I smiled in the day to improve my attitude The amount of effort I put forth every day to feel relaxed How much time I spent seeing that I am not at all worried How I spent and invested my money was under my control The only thing I could not control was the prize of petrol How often I thought about my past, my present and future These aspects were definitely under control as good nature Whether or not I judged other people got controlled alright Whether or not I try again after my setbacks was in my sight

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EIGHTY AND WEIGHTY ME My age is nothing special for me at eighty My face reveals my age and I am weighty My body is showing a bit of wear and tear The energy level at time brings some fear There are often times that my memory fails me I lose my things all the time and this worries me One minute I know what I can plan to do to find Then at the next moment that just slips my mind One of the things I try hard to avoid is my mirror There are things I would rather not see as terror Even those times when I notice my wrinkled skin I cannot recognize me and my mind begins to spin The things I used to do with ease and good gains Are now causing me worries and aches and pains The quality of the life I used to enjoy has dropped It cannot be quite the same it cannot be stopped I now compare my older self while aging gracefully To those younger versions of me and look patiently I know I am wasting too much time on the desktop I miss all the good things I used to do on my laptop However, the thing that really makes me sad at time Is that when my people look at me there is no rhyme Underneath my tattered, worn out shell I can still see I am still the same old me that flies and stings as a bee My heart can still feel endless love and sweet memories All the times it still beats like a drum that makes melodies My heart can fill with so much joy that many can shake Then it can stop if my loved ones do not give me a break I know that my silent soul can still feel all that sympathy For the loved ones that need my forgiveness and peace There are times its light shines boldly through empathy I can feel those pleasant times when it longs for release 128

It is certainly true for everyone that I am getting older But never feeling lonely while I have a good company It has made me a willing person and looks a lot bolder To forgive and let all past conflicts go like a symphony So maybe to some I look ugly and old and torn inside A person who exists to keep moving and not be missed I am still young at heart aware of all the beauty inside People must remember my value cannot be dismissed So although not as strong and not so handsome, it is true I am still here and want so much to live and let others live I know that there is no one quite like me, this is also true No one who has more to give when the time comes to live

LIVING STYLE OF A PERSON LIKE ME I feel I am a person as well living a life that is a gift of the Lord I have come a long way from my birth and I thank the Lord Some days I feel very good but other days put me in bed again Life becomes a real gift when we wake up each morning again The sun comes out, the wind blows and we want our next meal 129

The days of our life end and we rejoice as if this is no big deal I have been kind, considerate and have been showing courtesy Yet there were a few times when I got some knocks on my head Our life is such a complex issue that we do spend in uncertainty I was fortunate to get the love and blessing of my people instead Manners make us live as humans with truth, beauty and goodness Manners are traffic lights of life that show we care with kindness I have talked a lot with people and even joked a lot when around I was well aware of all my words, deeds, actions and every sound At work and in our home we were like a loving family full of care We liked each other, tried to be happy every day to enjoy to share We laughed in life and liked to respect and honour one another When we treated others with respect life and living got smoother I keep in mind never to forget that I am a person with hope too My bones do get stiff and achy; I do feel the pains and aches too 130

The Lord dishes me good cards to play in life and I did my prayers Life was not easy to live in style but I aged gracefully in all affairs I have lived lively life just like every other happy person on earth I travelled, I marvelled and worked long hours for my real worth Now I press my headlight to see my face to be in good company I keep looking inside my heart and soul and realize that it is me I wish I am able to communicate more clearly in some better way So I will get that opportunity to say what I always wanted to say

I believed that I could never read all the books I wanted to, I could never be all the people I want to be and live all the types of lives I want to live. I could not train myself in all the skills I want to get. However, I wanted to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. These with the blessings of the Lord I have been able to achieve.

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MEANING OF THIS LIFE

I know how much I shared Of my soul and my heart I would ultimately be cared This will always set me apart.

Over eighty years have passed by It seems all in the blink of an eye, Moments of sadness, sorrows and joy All came to me in turn to enjoy.

What are really important now Are all my opinions I have of me To whether or not I would see how I can be the best I can be.

People I loved and cherished Have come and have gone, But the world never stopped, I moved on to carry on.

I have enjoyed all the kindness I got I loved to give back and show Before I am told I am on the dot That it is my time to go.

This life was not that easy For many struggles were there, There were times that I was busy There were times I just did not care. I tried to stand on my own, I tried to find my own ways, Some nights with tears shown I liked the dawn of new days. Now I am living with old age, It has become quite clear; Things I once found on my page Were not why I was enjoying here. There were many things I loved That I managed to buy and keep The best things that I approved I felt better and made the leap There were worries and fears That plagued me on some day In the end they all made my years I knew they would just fade away. Aging was graceful to reach out To many around me when I needed, That was the measure to hang out That was how I succeeded.

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MY LIFE WAS A DREAM

For all the moments I shared I gave them my focus forthwith I wanted to be loved and cared.

My life I believe was a real dream That was not dark as people say There was often a little morning stream Some sunshine brought a pleasant day.

I learnt to laugh till it hurt me Let the tears drop if it was hot I never forgot to see the glee I loved all that I always got. How could I miss to be all content? There were many lessons to share I never got to be complacent I always stayed sharp and aware.

Sometimes there were clouds of gloom, But they were not my worry at all I wanted showers to make the roses bloom, I never lamented when there was a fall.

I always took a moment To change my life's path Once it gave me the moment There was no going back for a bath.

Each moment of my living was precious So I lived in the moment for better thing Just took them all that looked gracious I paid attention and enjoyed everything,

I knew that in just a few seconds, I could make a new friend Find my true love in heavens To see my life to start or to end. I always wanted better rating In those moments I was to live My growth was not in taking But in how much I could give.

I did not let my mind wander To whatever was to come next I liked to cherish the thunder Move to give my life the best.

My life has been full of moments, So precious that I wanted to renew And valued all those moments Whether they are many or a few.

I never let my tomorrows To rush me through today, I knew that many great morrows Will just go to waste one day. I loved the people I was with,

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THE SIZE OF MY LIFE My life was a lot larger than the size of my living It had rooms that gave me a comfortable beginning The heart and soul were the size of the wide sky In the background stood the ocean view so high It had the sun, the clouds, the stars and the planets There were elevators, bullet trains and some pallets It wore pants, shirts and had its own ears and nose It ate, slept and it did its daily tasks to remain close It never closed its hands, its windows or its doors Others had larger life size but mine had many floors Each floor was decorated with colours that were pretty Length and depth of joy was always so witty and gritty There were times my life and I joked together for joy We grew moody sometimes but were meant to enjoy I told my life to look after me and I will also reciprocate Thank God it did otherwise I would have had to manipulate The size of my life kept getting bigger and bigger with time There was a lot to do, enjoy every day and have good time Now after over eight decades of living together in peace We feel we are equal in size and structure to live in peace

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LIFE AFTER DEATH We can assume that there is no life after death Who came back to tell that there is life after death When the heart stops and the soul reaches Nirvana It is the end of this life and all our living drama The soul goes to spend eternity with God and you There is no greed, no hate but peace beyond blue There are no battles to fight only heaven’s lights Glory of God will bind the soul with pleasant sights Death is a separation from earthly view and the people It is inevitable for every birth to reach death for people Greatest conquerors have failed to conquer the death Without any notice the devastating day brings death Death would be nothing at all for the departed soul We only slip away to another world where life is whole Loved ones grieve for a while but carry on with their life As if nothing has changed with their old ways of life So let us laugh and joke as usual and enjoy life together Play, smile and think of me but pray for my soul and me Let my name never be the household word in any weather Let us speak of only those good times that I spent with thee Life should mean all that it ever meant and felt like for us Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight for us When I am gone all will be well, nothing hurt nothing lost One brief moment and all will be as it was before I got lost …… Time is too slow for those who wait too swift for those who fear If we grieve it can be too long so let us rejoice and have no fear After my death to my final destination there will be no ceremony 135

I believe that for those who have truly loved, their time is eternity The sun, the moon and the stars never die but we certainly do When the human heart stops, the soul merges with them too Many have said that there is life after death but I do not agree In this life I was cremated a thousand times never to return I agree My poetries have made me resurrect and live freely in this world Time and again I felt I was free from all crime and create in this world

When I was at university doing my first degree I studied George Bernard Shaw who said that “Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” So I began to do a few creative things in life and enjoyed them.

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MY DEPARTURE This was my long and pleasant living on the life of swings Now it is time to depart from all those bonds of this earth So that my soul can dance with the planets with my wings Skywards I have climbed and have joined the great mirth Of the heavens to meet my salvation to do a hundred things I had not dreamed of this resting place of peace since birth High in the heaven with sunlit sky and the that silence there I have touched the serene winds of heaven coming through Happily moving through the holy place with the clean air Up and above the wide, mighty and glorious sky so blue I have toppled the windswept heights with my easy grace While with the silent and freely lifting mind I begin to trod The highest untrespassed sanctity of cooler calmer space Finally I put out my hand and have touched the face of God 137

A GREAT HUMAN WORLD This being the human world it is certainly a great place to dwell Every minute new arrival happens for the population to swell Feelings of joy, depression, pain, sorrow and there are many others Some other momentary awareness also comes as smoothers We as unexpected visitors are welcomed and entertained here We freely give and take whatever is given to us as a gift here Even if we are a crowd of angels or criminals we can live here The beauty of this world is where everyone enjoys this life here The dark thought, the shame, the malice are all accepted here People are greatly grateful for whatever they all are given here I join the people and love to share what is offered to me here I sincerely appreciate all the things that I have received for me here

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MY ADMIRATION FOR INSPIRATION Where the larks or even the eagles never flew there I flew The beauty that I saw many in my company could not see All the things of beauty were joys for me to feel and chew As I grew in life the loveliness of living increased for me Life was full of sweet dreams and the drums kept playing While I went to make the dreams come true I kept dancing Many things came for my healthy living and safe breathing A flowery band of wellness entered the heart to all seething Such was the grandeur of this life to fade the gloomy days The fountain of immortal drink kept pouring in my ways For all these comfort and kindness I have my admiration These are my rationale for praying to get all my inspiration If I should die and leave this world I will not worry at all If there are unfinished tasks to comfort others I will recall

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FREE AT LAST Do not grieve for me when I am gone for now I am safe and free I will be following the path that the Lord chose for me you see I was very happy to take His hand when I heard Him make His call for me I could not face the people who were always so good and helpful to me I had to leave them all immediately for I could not stay another day I had no time to laugh, to love, to work or live this life and play Any tasks that are left undone and unfinished they must stay that way Let others finish them because I found my peace at the close of the day If my parting has created a void, fill it with memories of my joys There are still many occasions and events that this old man likes and enjoys I shared a lot of friendship, laughter and many blessings of bliss I will be gone but these are some of those things I too will miss I do not want anyone to be burdened with these times of sorrow I would love to see that you all enjoy the sunshine of tomorrow My life has been full and complete and I savoured all of it much I had good friends, pleasant times and great affectionate family touch 140

This short life in this world gave me time that seemed all too very brief But I do not want to lengthen or prolong it now with any undue grief I want you all to lift up your hearts and attain peace with thee The Lord has called me now and He is ready and eager to set me free So remember me if you can with smiles and blessings not tears Do not let all the joys and good deeds get spoilt that I did through all the years Just be happy to recall the closeness that was ours for so many years Treasure the love and affection like the fragrance of the fresh flowers Do not dwell on thoughts that cause us any pain, I am at peace I want you all to believe this was my time I had to leave in peace I am in heaven and love the view from here and feel you all are so near I will follow you throughout the rest of this new life with blessings from here When the Lord calls you we will be right at my side here with me Till then I will wait at the door of the heaven uniting you and me

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THE FINAL PIECE With the greatest glory and kind and rich blessings of the Lord God We have lived each day of our life to the fullest and we thank God With care, love, faith, honesty inspiring us at every junction of life We honoured compassion and appreciation at every function of life Sound belief, good understanding, mutual respect at all times Encouragement, trust, discipline, control, happiness at all times Living in a peaceful way was our main objective with real pride We thank the Lord, all our family members and friends for this ride Support and co-operation came to us with love and blessings of our people We have enjoyed every moment of this life with the Lord and our people

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CONCLUSION This collection of poems “Joy of the Heart and Soul” is my feeble attempt to create a few thoughts and ideas that were bubbling in my mind for ages and wanted to come out as my feelings and emotions. I have done my homework and it is up to the readers to accept these and give me some critical appreciation so that when I decide to create another collection I can do a better job. Many of my ideas have sprung from my experiences in life, my readings and the interactions I have had with my family, friends and colleagues. Some of the themes are old, many are new but by and large they are reasonable and have some rationale for the present moments. Whether these would fit and favour the future generation depends on the acceptance of the readers. One thing is certain for me and that is that I have learnt a lot by attempting to create these presentations. My learning has made my own life a bit more comfortable and smoother to enable me to age gracefully. If I have not been able to meet the expectations of the readers I am sorry but assure you all that I will do my homework in a better way if ever I attempt another creation in another life. Until such time that I can muster enough courage to write another piece I will let my pen rest but avoid any rust of my thoughts. Life will go on and I will continue to love this life that I have lived over the past eighty four years. The emotions, ideas and feelings that have made their marks on these one hundred and fifty pages will keep singing the songs of my life louder and louder even when I am no more. My life has been such a very wide umbrella that saved me 143

well from various hot and sunny sides of living and even the very heavy rain that fell to make my existence wet and cold. In poetic form, words that have covered many things for me have placed my experiences in a lot of different shapes, rhymes, rhythms and ideas. So I have narrowed these experiences down to the sounds of my heart and soul. I have been creating some poems about life that have gone to crack open how life can feel when we are enjoying, struggling and things are becoming either easy or hard but also ones that put a soothing balm on that wound. There are a lot of complex and compound issues that are going on in our lives right now. We have been suffering from a very serious pandemic for a few years now and because of the impact of the variants we are now learning to live with them. There are always ways to overcome difficulties but it has been particularly sharp and thorny lately and sometimes we need to put our experiences into the words we just manage to find in our minds. The words that make us and our readers hear and understand, words that acknowledge our sorrows, pains and aches and even our joys and hopes to reveal how heavy life can feel. Over the years I have reflected on various conditions and aspects of my living and got back to put my thoughts together to be reminded of the ways I could get through these, how I could overcome and how, despite all situations, my life could give me hope. Poems like the ones that I have been creating have gone a long way to serve me as a pleasant reminder that I was never alone in my growing up and there is still beauty to be experienced even if it is just in the form of a perfect line of poetry. Let this collection of poems about my life help you feel heard, comforted and give voice to whatever hurts or heals you well after reading and appreciating them. 144

What my readers have read, seen and experienced in these creations They are some of my life stories in poetic form coming with variations These are the openings in the paths that I have followed without fuss I have lost some of my loved ones who were a great inspiration for us My life and living provided me with many opportunities that I grabbed Life was beautiful to admire and a dream to realize, bliss when tabbed When challenges piled up and duties arose they had to be completed When life was looking like a game I had to promise to fulfil as needed Sorrows and pains, sweet songs of joy and struggles had to be endured Any tragedies that rolled in, acceptance with confrontation was needed I had to dare all adventures and make this precious life a bed of roses My life was a life of a man who was always ready to fight for his discloses oOo I wanted a perfect ending to my collection but now I have learned, the hard way, that some poems like the ones in my collection do not rhyme and may not have a proper form or shape. Some stories that I have written do not have a clear beginning, middle and an end. Similarly this life is not only about knowing, or having to change, taking all the moments and making the best of them, without caring about what is going to happen next. ooOoo

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I owe an enormous debt to all my teachers who showed me the ways to create poetry and to all my students who went on to appreciate my creative art during my teaching days. All their worthy contributions inspired me to keep writing and creating my thoughts in words. I am also immensely grateful to my colleague and my confidante Hon Pratap Chand former Member of the Fijian Parliament for his kind words and generous thoughts as Prologue of this publication. This book would not have been possible without his ideas, inspiration and motivation. Thank you, my friend. I am also indebted to my wife Ganga who did the graphic and proof-reading of the original manuscript. I appreciated every bit of assistance that was dished out to me by her to make this publication a success. Your love for me has always manifested in so much care and attention. Thank you so much, Rarm ki Ganga. Editing of the manuscript was done by Dr Donna McGrath Head of English Teaching at Stuarthome School in Brisbane and she deserves my hearty and sincere appreciation for the difficult task. In addition to these great personal assistance and thoughtful contributions, I am thankful to many other people who inspired me to keep writing in various genres for the last few years. As an amateur writer I feel my enthusiasm has been developing manifolds with the support of so many people who guided me and encouraged me to keep writing. I am mindful of that wonderful, warm-fuzzy feeling that comes over you when someone goes out of his or her way to spoil you, feed you, treat you, welcome you, bless you, support you or help you out. This feeling of gratitude is my sincere emotion for all the support and co-operation I received and now I feel even better when I have expressed this for the people who care for me.

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EPILOGUE – A TRIBUTE This is a tribute to my first wife Saroj, mother of my four children. It is a sad thing in life that when you meet and begin to love someone very dearly and who begins to mean a lot to you and then suddenly you find out after an enjoyable period of living together for over half a century, it was never meant to be forever. Your beloved passes away and you are left alone to face the new life alone. So what do you do? Lament, grieve, become devastated and go berserk with pain and sorrow of loneliness or you just have to let go. I had no choice but to go on living because it was her command. The hardship, sadness and inability to tolerate the loss cannot be fully understood by anyone but you yourself. However, I managed to find a lady in the shape and form of Ganga who has salvaged me with her total empathy about my past living and blending well with my current life to mould my future. This presentation has been designed to heal my sufferings and Ganga has assisted me with her tender loving care to enable me to overcome my pains, sufferings and sorrows. I know and understand that enjoyment and appreciation are personal aspects and any creativity that is written in a variety of moods and at many different levels of humanity could provide its own particular pleasure and understanding. The reading in these pages is not very easy because of the emotions that are hidden in the compositions. Many are very personal feelings and emotions that would be difficult to fully comprehend unless the characters and the protagonists were well known by the readers. My former wife told me many times that all beginnings have had the same radiance, the same colour and the same beauty but the different human interactions over the years have either added beauty or spoilt these and polluted our atmosphere. However, she said that unconditional love was still the essence of complete living and heaven is still there for those who believe in living with

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instinctual love, deep compassion, good understanding and solid empathy for each other. Therefore a good human life can be a happy song and become an echo of the completely happy world but often times we refuse to stay on the given path of humanity and create religious and political indifference thus making our living a real hell instead of a peaceful adventure. I do not want to paint a picture that Saroj and I were unique but we were serious with our love life and tried our best to understand and appreciate the feelings and attitude of each other. The result of our interactions can be seen in the pages that have so much to offer for everyone. However, for anyone that feels otherwise can create and add some more to enrich this collection. The Prasad Family is a living example of the dedication that this faithful angel, Saroj provided all of us and Ganga is rowing the ship with care and control. I made a choice in my life to take my chances and my life changed for the better all because of my family. That was the beauty part of my complete family life. Our ideas of truth, beauty and goodness of our family life were never measured by the breadth we took but by the joyous moments that took our breadth away.

Dr Ram Lakhan Prasad’s Tribute to the mother of his four children

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THE JOY OF THE HEART AND SOUL

Articles inside

An Anthology of Our Poems