This is what I feel about my son

MY GRASSHOPPER in the SUMMER

He composes hip hop and R& B

"REASON" is his tool.

Too old not to do a job

winks when I reprimand him

for his in-activeness.

Society expects the children of the teachers

to be at top levels! How troublesome !

I avoid the gaze of my friends on the bus,

dreading that they will inquire about my son,

 He has a phobia

of exams of any kind:

Used to fall ill a lot

 during his term tests.

His favorite doctor looks at me

with a question mark in his eyes:

indicating that

It is rather psychological than physical.

I,    

With a broken heart,

Return home with medication.

 Yet:When his aththa fell ill

He spent a whole week in hospital

looking after him like a baby.

He was the friend of

all the old men in that ward

fetching them all they need.

A cup of tea from the canteen:

a packet of Cream Crackers

 from the nearby  boutique:

Calls to their sons and daughters   (Though I suffered)

Takes his own time to complete the degree

doing everything he can to postpone the exams.

I , wait  helplessly

thinking what I can do to change the situation!

But Whatever you do,

 I love you!

The GRASSHOPPER of mine!



P.S.

(Luckily for me the situation has changed. He is doing a job now while continuing his studies.)

The overflowing hospitality of a proud Nation

The month of May is very important to us Sri Lankans.As the Buddhism is the major religion of Sri Lanka, we celebrate the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of Lord Buddha during the month of May.We attend to religious work in the temples, make wesak lanterns, and display big pandols in major towns and do various charity work to commemorate the supreme religious leader.

                                 Another special feature of the month is the immense hospitality of the tiny, yet a very proud nation with a 2500 year history attached to it.People in all walks of life, irrespective of their cast and creed offer free food to all passers by on the Wesak Day.It is a marvelous and a heart warming sight to see the generosity of people who go out of their way to please others and to quench their thirst and hunger. Sometimes it is funny to see little ones waving flags and trying to stop people who are on their way to various destinations.Though the country is struggling to solve various problems arising from the past no one can deny the generous heart of a proud Nation.

Ah Ha! It's holidays again!

 You may think that I am lazy, but if you are not doing a job, you will never understand the pressure it gives to our minds. I was unable to scribble something here for a long period of time because I have paid more attention to my other  blog which deals with poems.The Easter has come and gone(I am a Catholic who lives in Sri-Lanka) and tomorrow is Sinhala and Tamil New Year. This festival binds our two major communities together and we celebrate it following the customs and rituals  specific to us.

Oh Here She Comes! My Beloved 2012

I have spent one year blogging in the 'Blogger'.It gave me an immense satisfaction and helped me to open my mind and heart to a wider audience who are eager to read and bear others thoughts, arguments, opinions and views on millions of topics on the earth. May be my blog is not read by anybody other than me!(I have to read it since I created it) Who cares? Even then I am happy.  I have many plans for this new year. Hope I will be able to fulfill them in time.  

Long awaited vacations.....

When I started blogging at the beginning of this year I never thought that it would fly fast me so quick like a wind.

          During this year I have achieved so many things which were dreams to me so far.First I was able to translate a short story and published it in a news paper. (though it is a newspaper circulated in my school)Next I was able to start blogging and now I have extended it into three blogs and one web site.Third, I have joined a site for writers and I was able to produce few poems and a short story which receive encouraging remarks with  regard to my writing.(So I know that I have a little bit of talent!) but most important of all is I have bagged a medal for a short story of mine in a teachers' competition in my country. It's a great achievement for my writing career and I am highly proud of it.

A MEMORABLE OCCATION

Recently we had a Prize Giving  in our school after some time. It was a happy time. We all enjoyed a lot.The students were recognized for their achievements. The Zonal Director was invited for the occation.  The  teachers and students both alike  worked hard to make it a success.

                            I too was awarded for producing best results in English Literature. It was a very happy moment for me.

Oh! Why?

        I attended her daughter's birthday in August. Her daughter,Akila was a very beautiful bride who found her love  when schooling. Her mother and I taught at the same school for around ten years. During that time many a happy time we spent together. The problems of our kids, the nagging husbands, inability to cope with a load of household work and the responsibilities of our teaching profession and many more.We were happy too. The amusing incidents of our children and husbands were generously shared as the the innocent victims were unaware of our malicious  behavior.
             On the wedding day I met several other teachers at the same school and we reminisced on the things of the past. Then the Bride's mother came and I couldn't believe my eyes. She has changed dramatically during the time I got a transfer to another school.She has become slim ad had a lively complexion.With a beamed face she sallied forth to our table.We all commented on her good looks and enjoyed a lot while she was busy doing final arrangements to hand over her daughter to new in-laws and to a new family. I think that Akila, my friend's daughter is lucky to have understanding people as her new in-laws.
                              Though the party was over around 11 p.m , I had to wait with them  until  mid-night, because I had  asked a lift home from them.Then again I got a chance to listen to  the missing information during my absence from where she taught.We said good bye and parted with renewed friendships.
                                       After a month a call came and I was told that she was dead. I could not remember how I reacted to that information.I just stood near the land phone not knowing what to do. A great emptiness welled in my body and I sat down at the edge of the bed.
                                         How could she die? Such a healthy woman in her prime! With a newly married daughter who needs lot of advice to row  in the turbulent waters of married life.Even when I blog this I remember her smiling face. It reminded me strongly how fickle the life is.I am very very  scared to die.Her death shook me to my roots and made me helpless. I can't shake that incident from my mind. We wish and long for many things in life sacrificing the present comforts thinking that one day we would be able to sit back and relax.Instead we have to go when the "Death rattles the gate". All our  beautiful dreams will vanish into thin air making the people we love sad.That is the bitter truth I learned from her death.
                     So this post is a tribute to my friend who had to leave her responsibilities in the hands of her poor husband and helpless teenage son. May she live in eternal  peace  wherever her soul rests!