In chaos and in solitude

She/Her!

Posted on March 8, 2021 by inchaosandinsolitude

Women, a noun, a singular English word. The oxford English dictionary defines it as an adult human female. How rather simple does it sound?

But if we go deeper into how a female is born, brought up and made an adult in different parts of the world, the definition would be more complex and not a single dictionary in the world can define as actually as it should be.

So, how would you define a woman? If you ask me, I would rather say, it is a state of being; being a daughter, being a sister, being a wife, being a mother and almost all the time being a torchbearer of love and compassion.

But, perhaps, you would counter, isn’t it true for males too. Why, yes, it is indeed true for male as well ‘but’ and the ‘but’ is quite humongous and complex. You see, our social structure has been made in such a way that males have always found a stage to showcase their strength, always been given the opportunity of being a voice louder than the weaker sex. Oh! this brings to the fact that the female has even been named as ‘the weaker sex’. Everything from the small rules of a household to the bigger structure of a society, a male has been and always given a spotlight and a stage without even asking. And this still stands true for many parts of the world.

So, where does ‘the weaker sex’ fit in this module? Well, in the shadows. And that has been the case, once humans have attained more intelligence and started building a society.

No, I am not someone who has done extensive research on the evolution of humans and their society but common sense tells me that that might be the case, since, ‘animals’ as in wild, living in the jungle have never been seen to direct their female counterparts to act as their male’s shadow or else they will be an outcast.

Therefore, over the years, women have been told to live in a certain way, follow certain rules and gradually has her voice nipped and transform her into a shadow. Then, ‘her’ opinion has rarely mattered and even ‘she’ has been seen to accept her muteness as an obedience and duty. This ‘she’ is the one who is normal according to many cultures and societies.

But not all individuals are same and not all households. There has been males and females alike who celebrated the girl child and has given equal life and freedom. And all these made a difference and rewrote a history where women made a place for themselves in an already male dominated fields and society. A history which celebrates male from a time as old as the history itself.

Now, in this age, things are looking bright and forward for the womenfolk than what it has been two, three decades back. This has been possible because of those few individuals both male and female who thought of breaking the norm and provide a girl as you would provide a boy. This little deeds have created a huge ripple effect in our patriarchal society.

The day may still be far where every women on this earth would be given equal respect and opportunity and love but the eras have changed in ‘her’ favor for now.

All of my rantings has been nothing but the simple fact that why we need to celebrate this particular day in love, in remembrance, in solidarity for all the women in the world.

She is an important individual without whom it is impossible to procreate and without her love a house cannot be a home.

But for that, all she needs is a little love, a little support, a little understanding, a little compassion and a little camaraderie from you, dear Man and fellow Women.

Happy Women’s Day!

©minakshi, L.

#Woman #Women #Day #she #her #writings #my #thoughts

writings

Adrift! #writings #5

Posted on June 23, 2020 by inchaosandinsolitude

You asked me to write a poem. A poem to let out the subdued frustrations. But indeed, how do I get inspired? How do I even get the flow of words? Because wherever I see and all I hear are desperation and sufferings. How do I make my mind? How do I urge it to behave the way I want? For me, everything seems to be at a standstill. Only uncertainty holds true now. Everyday seems to be an ordeal. The news pouring in from all corners of the world seems to have one thing written on it ‘desperate’. The numbers on display on the tracking counter feels like a ticking bomb. The data are so massive it’s hardly comprehensible to my brain anymore. Random faces pop up on my screen that seems to have given up the fight. No, you and I who hasn’t had the misfortune to experience firsthand shouldn’t even try to analyze what the sufferings must look like. When this is the high time where humanity should be worn on sleeves and given out in plenty, we as a whole community, as human, are a total failure. The poor people who are on the front-lines are bearing severe burnt. Angst and woe are writ large on their faces as they know they are almost sacrificing everything and are uncertain about which future will come true. But yes, there are some too who are optimistic that the situation will turn around. But at what cost and how many lives? I pray the world won’t change much till then. The earth seems to be succumbing into depression and trying to stay afloat. And at times such as these, the overwhelming emotions continue to subdue me, snatching my power to express. Indeed, I must shun poetry now. I must not indulge in creating one, for, if I write, it’ll be as opaque as the black sea and as dark as night.

Nay, the world needs a ray of light.

A ray of hope.

©minakshi, L.

#writings #thoughts #adrift #life #musings #hope

Short stories, writings

An unusual day! (A fan fiction)

Posted on April 22, 2020April 22, 2020 by inchaosandinsolitude

The day had been a long one and she was wasted at last. With such hectic schedule, she barely managed to board her flight on time. She was almost out of breath when she flopped herself on her seat by the window. She thanked the heavens internally as her two long hour journey would not be at least crammed between two strangers. A migraine was about to start and she closed her eyes in anticipation. There was commotion all around and the attendants were starting with the usual instructions but she hardly cared. With her eyes tight shut, she again unwillingly went over the proceedings of the day. An unusual day, as it was filled with rushed interviews, rushed briefings in the office and the overload of paper works. And then the sudden trip to cover a story. With such hectic schedule, she wondered if she would last another day. But then, the past few days had been surreal to the hilt. Who would have thought if such a man really exis —

Loud gasps from the several throats around her broke her reverie. Her eyes flew open sharply. Her senses were already heightened and as she looked around for the source of shock, every eye was transfixed outside the plane, in the sky. With a crease between her eyes, she turned automatically as well. And she almost gasped loud although a little late. Her eyes could hardly believe for a moment. There, not very far away, with the clouds playing hide and seek, was a man flying. For a moment, she believed she was hallucinating. She blinked several times to erase the unwanted and yet, he was still there, flying, the cape flapping madly. A man in blue and red. She almost pressed her face against the window, the tip of her nose touching the glass. A minute passed by and only then she realized she had not moved an inch and her mouth had been hanging open all this while. There, her problem of the day was flying outside in a sub-zero temperature and super thin atmospheric pressure defying all the laws of physics.

The story of a flying man was published in a leading daily newspaper, three days back. It took up the whole front page and so it was impossible to miss. A picture had accompanied but it was just a blur between the skyscrapers and too far up in the sky. She had smirked back then and mocked about the sanity of the people. She had nodded and agreed with herself as she thought it was all a publicity stunt. The journalist who covered the story had instantly shot to fame. After that, stories had been pouring from various parts of the world about a flying man, as if on cue. These last days, her newspaper had been nothing but the same story. Her face had screwed up in distaste while turning the pages. ‘What utter rubbish!’ she then declared. The rumors were like a wildfire burning up cities after cities. Uproar had built up in her workplace with people running frantically to get the story covered in as little time as possible. Cut-throat competitions was increasing between the various media houses as each tried to cover a different story of the same flying man. And so, she was being sent in almost two hours notice to fly to another part of the continent and get a new or any story in that case.

“I am hoping against hope that our destination is a mutual one,” she murmured to herself and strangely saw the figure turning his head towards her as if in response. Bewildered, she sat back and tried hard not to stare outside. Exhaustion was overpowering her at last and before long, she was fast asleep.

A violent jerk woke her up. Something was off and she couldn’t understand the source. She was still reeling under sleep inertia. But the strange noise was getting louder and louder and a strangled cry escaped her throat as a violent tilt almost took her breath away. Her stomach was pressed tight badly against the safety belt. Confused and frightened, she realized that the plane was plunging head on somewhere and she might be counting her last moments any minute then. All the throats were crying in unison and she felt light headed and sick. Food trays and people were flying and crashing loudly. Someone was hanging for dear life by grasping on one leg of the seat. With all the mayhem around, she could hardly keep calm and started to sob frantically. May be, she should have at least bidden a proper good bye to her parents before she started for the journey. Tears were streaming from the sides of her cheeks and she was almost choking. She felt she was about to faint. Someone pushed the oxygen mask over her mouth and she held it tightly as if it were her only savior. Everyone shrieked when one of the wings broke away. She was almost certain of death when something caught her eyes. And through her tears, she saw a blurred vision of him flying more near, as if he was racing with the plane or in pursuit and then he was gone. The current scenario was a deja vu moment as she had read similar accounts in the newspaper and then miraculously getting saved at the end. The newspaper had promptly declared that it was the flying man who saved the day. Her heart lifted a bit as a flicker of hope kindled even though the situation was gloom. As the minutes passed, more things flew and the screams grew. Her ears felt as if it would pop off any minute. Suddenly, a black cloud of smoke billowed out of the engine on her side of the plane. Some more sparks erupted and the engine caught fire immediately. She was taking breathes in gulps and her shriek was muffled by the oxygen mask. ‘One down’ was what she counted in all the chaos. But the head-on fall wouldn’t just stop. It felt like forever. The other wing broke away in pieces bringing more loud sobs and shrieks. She could hear children calling out to their parents and wailing. She could hear adults calling out to their God. ‘Please’ was what she could hear the most. Her hands were hurting from straining them on the seat in front of her to keep the excess pressure away from her mid section. And ‘Please’ was what she prayed to God, to save her, miraculously, this single time. And then, she heard the burst of the other engine. At that, the momentum increased suddenly and the plane did a spiral twist sending many luggage flying and hitting random people. She hit her head somewhere, the pain numbing her and was almost thrown out of her seat if not for the safety belt. Everyone was hollering at this point and she could almost hear the nerves throbbing in her ear. She knew the end was very near and closed her eyes waiting for that fall and the impact that would take her only life away. She was almost ready for death. Seconds felt like hours and she waited. But even after a minute or so had passed; the final fall didn’t just come. Were they still so up in the sky? That was not possible. Wasn’t gravity supposed to act much faster on bigger and heavier objects? So, how come were they still air-borne? Not only that, the speed of the fall has been constant for a minute or so. How was that even possible? And out the window, she saw the approaching ground and at last, the plane touched the ground as they landed. Not in several pieces but as one. Everyone had the same question in their eyes and a bewildered expression. Everything went eerily quiet and suddenly, it was dark and suffocating inside. Each of the passengers inside wore a puzzled expression and looked around frightened as if the plane might start its fall again. The realization hit slowly but abruptly as everyone was starting to clamber for the exit. She was reaching to unclasp her safety belt with trembling hands when the main exit door was pulled out of its hinges with an ear splitting noise. And framed on the doorway appeared a tall man with a ground sweeping cape, billowing in a hypnotically captivating way. The little light that entered was blinding and everyone shielded off their eyes as they squinted to look at the man. All the mouths fell wide open at the scene that greeted them. He entered slowly but surely and looked around as if trying to remember each one of them. When his eyes did the same to her, she realized how piercing blue those were. As if, such eyes cannot be owned by a mere human. After a minute or two, he spoke to all the stumped silent spectators.

“You’re on ground. Please, go home safely,” that deep warm voice assured in a calming way.

And as he smiled again reassuringly and turned to leave, a mother who had been holding on to her child for the treacherous past minutes, came forward abruptly and clasped his wrist with her both hands. He looked down at her a bit puzzled.

“Thank you!” she whimpered inaudibly.

“Thank you!” her throat rasped and her lips wobbled violently, as fresh tears streaked her face again.

His kind eyes wrinkled in a soft smile as he wrapped his huge hands over hers again in warm assurance.

“Have a good day, Madam!” was what he wished back and out he went and with a ‘whoosh’ of the air, took off and disappeared into the sky.

All this while, she watched seated unable to come out of the shock at once. Her knees felt weak and her whole body like a rubber from the adrenaline that was spent. She would’ve too wanted to take a closer look of the strange, flying man that became a hero for saving her life and all the people around. But all she could do was marvel at the power that he had and the generosity with which he made use of it. She looked around herself and saw the anguish tears of gratitude in each eye. This might had been a nerve-wrecking day but ah! She had found her story after all. She was instantly reminded of a quote she had heard sometime back from one of her acquaintances and she knew exactly what the next day’s headline would read.

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

©minakshi, L.

P.S. Always been an ardent fan of Superman.

#shortstory #story #writings #fanfiction #superman #anunusualday #prose #piece

Uncategorized, writings

A gleam of ray! #writings #4

Posted on April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 by inchaosandinsolitude

How does it feel to be rejected? Rejected by situations, rejected by certain circumstances, rejected by fate, rejected by love, rejected by your own, rejected as an option. Do you feel dejected for a time being or do you feel your world has come to a standstill? Do you feel claustrophobic as if there’s not enough space for air in your lungs? Do you feel lethargic and aimless, that it’s a mountainous work to get up and get going for the day? Do you feel if ever things will look up after some time or you’re scared that it’ll go downhill from where you stand in life?

Rejection is tough, even monstrous for our feeble heart. But rejection should not decide your fate and run your life. Rejection is just another turn of events in that numerous events of your life. We should embrace it with a grain of salt. But that does not mean you should accept it as an ultimatum.

No. Never.

It’s very easy to go into a state of depression in the present times given that we have sometimes huge expectations of ourselves as well as our immediate loved one’s. Given that people tend to portray themselves as living that perfect life while in reality being compromised and hiding several dissatisfaction’s. Given that people surrounding are more selfish and judgmental in nature and doesn’t empathize with anyone in particular.

Yes, rejections are tough. Often times you’ve to create a route for yourself through it or come up with various ways to overcome it. Sometimes, just sometimes a loved one, a dear friend, a book, a pet or even a simple quote helps you out of that dark, swirling whirlpool. When a hand is extended out to you in whichever form, always and always, get hold of that and believe. It might not drastically change a situation but it’ll definitely give you strength enough to move forward, to dream again and look up.

A more effective way to push yourself out of that dark hole, be positive and retain hope. Always nurture a positive outlook towards life and it’ll help you out even if no ones around.

Have faith in yourself; it’s all you need.

©minakshi, L.

Note: A huge shout out to all who had or have depression and anxiety. To all, who fought and overcame and to all, who are still fighting and will come out victorious eventually. Please remember, we are never alone.

#writings #prose #piece #hope #life #love #gleam #ray #depression #rejection #overcome #faith #trust