Sometimes, it is the most trivial of things that crack that hard shell and breaks into the deepest and most fragile part that you ever so protected. One thug and you are shattered. The type of brokenness that will make you curl yourself in a fetal position between your three pillows, tucked in the sanctuary that is your blanket as you stay late and cry yourself to sleep. Continue reading “Patched Up”
Tag: Personal
Nothing New, Just the Year
Fairy lights reflected on the wine glass half-filled with Chardonnay. It was the last dinner of 2020 and the island was bright and merry. My plate was filled with seafood I have not tasted for almost a year: salmon, crabs, prawns, and lobster. I devoured the food like I’ve never tasted food before. I was grateful to be able to eat something exceptional just before the blurry 2020 leaves. And with the sumptuous meal in front of me, I tried to forget that I’ve been eating boiled eggs daily for the last eight months for breakfast. Continue reading “Nothing New, Just the Year”
A Mellow Goodbye to November
Five minutes outdoor and my thin white cotton uniform was already soaked in sweat. My mask was no different. ‘It is so humid today,’ said the American-Asian journalist that we sent off this morning. The wind might have protested. Not a single leaf moved. Not the slightest of waves disturbed the sleeping shore. The sun was relentless. I thought an egg could be soft-boiled on my head.
A Man. An Island.
My mind is like a sketch of lots of chaotic circles on top of each other with some irregular lines here and there and some random shapes inserted in between. My heart is like an airplane amidst turbulence. I missed flying too, even though I’m not a travel freak. I missed looking down to Earth and see things from the Sky’s perspective as for now, I’ve only been looking upwards most of the time, seeing things from the Earth’s perspective. Continue reading “A Man. An Island.”
Turtles Don’t Rescue Us
Turtles rescue drowning human beings and bring them back to the shore. Their shells were hard enough to protect humans from the razor-sharp shark teeth. I used to believe that story from my mother when I was a kid. And I found comfort at the thought that if I accidentally fall off a ship, a turtle will come to my rescue. I grew up near the mountains, far away from the sea so I believed in this all my life until I found my way to an island. Continue reading “Turtles Don’t Rescue Us”
Daily Battles
She stared at her screen, lips pouted, and arms crossed over her chest with a feeling of defeat after reading the winning short story of the week. Frustrated, not because she didn’t win, but by a story so well-written it made her twinge, by an author probably ten or fifteen years younger than her. Continue reading “Daily Battles”
Sleepless
Sleep eluded me for two straight evenings. My body temperature rose as I tossed and turned and tossed and turned between my blanket and mattress, I thought I could already ignite a fire. Continue reading “Sleepless”
On Such A Day
I was waiting for one particular announcement from the morning news – class suspension, that is. My eyes shifted between the TV to my plastic plate with faded pink flower prints that contained steamed rice and fried eggs which I could not call sunny side up as that would be ironic when even the faintest beam of light couldn’t get past the thick, dense, dark gray clouds. Light rain produced mellow sprinkling sound on the roof, remains of the relentless downpour the previous night. I was done with my breakfast when the news presenter declared class suspension for primary and secondary levels only so, I quickly made my move before all college students like me who waited for the same announcement could flock to the streets. Not getting a space in jeepneys or FX and getting stuck into heavy traffic was the last thing I wanted on such a day.
Love, Hope and The Color-Changing Fish
It is not only the mandatory use of mask when going out to guest areas that makes me feel strange but everything about the new normal. Adapting to change takes time. Just the same, the world will take its time. Continue reading “Love, Hope and The Color-Changing Fish”
Life in the Time of Corona Virus
We are in the most interesting of times. Not that it’s good but we are in a time of uncertainty. Nobody knows what’s gonna happen next.
At times, I feel like I’m in a movie. Or in a Déjà vu, except that I have seen the real life scenarios in movies I’ve watched before instead of dreams. Continue reading “Life in the Time of Corona Virus”
