The Power of Expression

Pic src: Jumbled words

I have often reiterated in my poems and otherwise also, how beautiful a thing silence is! But then the importance of expression cannot be undermined. Sometimes we need to say the thing to get the message across. An ice-breaker is needed at times. Recently, I read a small story somewhere that I would like to quote here: “Two teardrops were flowing down a river. The first was that of a boy, who loved but never expressed. The other was of the girl, who was waiting for him.” This was meant to convey the idea that pouring our heart out is of the utmost importance at times. Keeping mum won’t do!

Even for the smooth functioning of a relationship we need the power of words. If you won’t say it, you won’t know it. We can only find an answer when we utter the question, when we  know that there is an answer to our question, when we know that we have a way to find an answer to that question...I could go on and on..but then we need to stop somewhere. This is what we call power of words - using the right words at the right time. This also includes not avoiding to use them when need be.

Some words.... (a poem)

Pic src: Half-written Words

Turning the pages of life

I found some words

half-baked,

some half-erased

others half-written.

Of some tales

only the beginning...

of others the end missing.

Alas! Some words still unsaid

some lost in the deluge.

Some fell on deaf ears

some left hearts untouched

some hold my heart in place

some try breaking it

but words are there

some half-erased,

some half-written.

© Amritbir Kaur

Random Thoughts

Pic src:Don't give up

Whatever we possess, we earn for ourselves. It is our actions that speak for themselves. We do not have to shout from rooftops what our accomplishments are; they need to have some strength in themselves to stand without any support. There is one funny definition of a politician: "A politician is a person who promises to build a bridge where there is no water." Now this is something the politicians have earned for themselves!!!

When we say that there is rampant corruption around us, it is because we deserve that. It is we who have cultivated the habit of getting our work done after we pay bribe. Then we blame the government very conveniently, without paying the least attention to the fact that it is not the PM or CM who are there to take the bribe. The officials take because we offer them.

Then comes the question of carving out an identity for ourselves. A person is just a speck in this world...an unknown speck lost in the sands of time. But every drop counts after all, and making the drop count is exactly what we can call carving out an identity.

No matter how many roadblocks you face, don’t stop.

“My mind tells me to give up, but my heart won't let me.” So as I always say....KEEP GOING !!!

When I am not there... (a poem)

Pic src: The Decaying Flower

When the visage fades away

the words die down,

memories gather dust

and I waste away;

then, my dear

remember me...

Just a stray thought

in your heart’s lonely corner,

and loneliness will go away.

I would cherish that one corner

in your heart

for a while,

then to disappear

may be forever...

© Amritbir Kaur

Silent Time

pic src: Silence

We all love to talk. We all would admire people who listen to us intently. But have we ever asked ourselves…Do we listen to others? Are we just as patient listeners as we want others to be?

Many a times we would fail to come up with a satisfactory answer. That is because we all love to be heard but don’t want to bother our ear buds or give our minds a shake in trying to grab what the other person is trying to convey.

We are poor listeners so to say. One more related concept is that of silent time. We should be aware that our body and heart talk with us. If I were to ask the question: Do we try to understand what they want to say? I would see only few nods in answer to this question. That is because we are so engrossed with external disturbances that we don’t find any time to lend an ear to our inner self. We are made deaf with the noises of the modern materialistic world that our ears have got used to not paying heed to sounds of other humans and also internal humming made by our sweet little heart!!! And remember we don’t need a stethoscope for that!!! It is simple, direct talk without any hypocrisy, without any malice…sans all selfishness, if only we have that discerning ear to listen to that!

I think I have often written in many ways that silence is a wonderful form of communication. Try spending some time with yourself. You will discover a new YOU…with all new enthusiasm, with a recharged vigour to face life courageously again…no matter how much other people try to pull you down, no matter how painful the journey might have been, no matter how heartless people might have been earlier…you are ready to face it all over again, with a fresh hope that life won’t be the same again:

What if I can’t have

what I wish to,

I still can achieve

what I aspire to.

(Lines taken from my poem ‘What If’)

© Amritbir Kaur