Morning walk

After a stormy night

it turned out to be a lovely morning.

Perfect for an early morning stroll.

Of course Em can't resist playing with the sand a little.

We watch the reef sharks

chase the little fish

as we walk around the island's shoreline.

There is not a soul in sight

Just us and the sand, and the sea all around.

Just how I like it.

Forever

They are both dressed in white. She in a simple dress, her hair loose, a bunch of white frangipani in her hand. He in a shirt, left untucked, and relaxed. Both wear dazzling smiles, publicising their joy on this very special day for them.

They say their vows standing barefoot on the white sand, against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean. He slips a ring on her finger, their smiles wide as they are pronounced man and wife. So clearly in love, they kiss to seal off their promise to love and to cherish each other for always.

The few people who had gathered to witness and celebrate this marriage disperse and the couple smiles for the camera, capturing this moment of bliss, this beginning of a lifetime of togetherness, this first day of forever.

Forever.

How long will their forever last, I wonder. How long will it be before the picture of the idyllic wedding in perfect happiness becomes cracked? That cracks will develop at some point is a fact. That the colours will one day fade is a given. Will they have what it takes to heal the cracks before they become gaping holes; or retouch the colour before all shape is lost? Those are the crucial questions that will test their strength, their commitment and their love.

A little further away from them, on a different part of the beach, an elderly couple sit in their lounge chairs. Each of them reading their own books. Holding hands. Exchanging smiles.

Now that is togetherness. That is love. That is the kind of forever that I want.

After the rain

It was that moment when the earth is newly washed. The moment when everything looks bright and clean and the air is filled with the smell of a new freshness. I sat on the steps of the brown wooden porch looking out at the lush green of the native trees around me.

The bougainvillea on my right, with its long sharp thorns, had only a few bright blooms on it. In front of me, the branches of the kandhu trees hung lower than usual, the water still dripping almost languorously from their leaves, the bunches of fruits like eyes staring ominously from above. The coconut palms swayed in the wind, shaking off the remains of the rain from their fronds. High up above, the sky was a sombre grey, a barrier of clouds between the earth and the sun. A few yards ahead of me, the waves were in a dance of fury. Yet the turquoise water seemed to have been mixed with a little grey, devoid of its usual glimmer.

At that moment of rain-washed newness, I was reflecting on the stories of three different women I had recently read about. Three women, who in their own ways had inspired me to take charge and make the changes I wanted in my life. One woman, who had gone from obese to slim through commitment and hard work. A second woman, who had risen from a dark world of heart break and a life of dependency, to becoming a successful artist, finding love along the way, through believing in herself. And the third woman, who lived aimlessly till she found God, and she realised that there was a purpose in life, and learned that by being kind to herself and to others she could truly be happy again.

Taking in the smells of the rain soaked ground and the ocean spray, I felt that I needed to make a fresh start myself. I needed to wash away self doubt and the niggling what ifs in my mind. I needed to surround myself with positive energy and add a can do lustre to my attitude before it is too late.


I needed to start now.

Relaxed

The weather didn't quite behave itself, but nonetheless, it was two days of sun, sand and sea. Many photos, 1.5 books, lots of laughs, too much food ... complete relaxation.

How are you enjoying your weekend?

Right now

So proud of my friend K for having the courage to let her secret be known

Thankful to God for everything that I have been blessed with and all the love that surrounds me

Smiling at the reenactment of the antics of Woody and Buzz in my home

Looking forward to happy days

Eating spoonful after delicious spoonful of raspberry sorbet, savouring every mouthful

Hoping the rain stays away and there are blue skies galore for the next two days:

J, we shall see whether you are all talk, after all ;)

It has been a crazy few days

Hectic work schedule, struggling to keep up with deadlines.

Battling frustrations and trying to see beyond all the barriers, but failing to see any.

In the face of so many challenges and none that seem doable,

I am giving serious thought to seeking other opportunities.

I am not a quitter and I don't like to leave things unfinished,

but there is only so much I can take.

My kind of believer

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day. I believe in miracles." ~Audrey Hepburn~

Let me ask you this...

1. Who is the first person you share any good news with?

{my man ... usually}

2. What one thing about your spouse/significant other drives you crazy?

{that he leaves doors and drawers open}

3. What one thing do you wish someone would invent?

{teleportation. so i can be places i want to be without the need to waste time travelling}

4. Elegant dinner party or casual barbecue: what would you prefer?

{both can be hugely fun. but i am a bbq girl at heart}

5. Do you tend to make snap decisions or do you usually sleep on them?

{i would sleep on them ... usually}

What would be your responses? Go on ... humour me.

Walk along the waterfront

Em capturing waves.

Is it a bird? a tent? Oh, wait, it's a person.

Fishermen setting out to sea

Boats transferring people

between the airport and the main island

in a matter of minutes.

One concrete structure after another.

Hey... I was hiding. You weren't supposed to see me.

I am trying out a new lipcolour. You like?

I maybe small but I am quick on my feet

Do I look dazed? This is my cute look.

I may have a physical disability, but I am just as good as any other, in my craft.

What are you looking at? Don't you mess with me.

Longing for...

a good DSLR
a sense of balance … family, work, love, me
be in the company of nature, my camera and my man
boulders to disappear from my path. to feel like I can get there. that it’s not out of reach.
feel the embrace of my dreams
green grass under barefeet
indulge without an accompanying sense of guilt
lazy beach days
self discipline to write regularly and believe in my writing
unbreaking motivation to lose weight and make peace with my body

"Much-a-more handsome/pretty"

I don't know about the anti-aging properties of my comfort foods,
like crossaints for a weekend breakfast, for example,
but after a recent conversation about a particular thai food stall
that boasts of curries that make people "much-a-more handsome"
I am thinking
wouldn't it be great if that were true?
You could just get yourself your beauty fix
in a delightful comfort-food form
for those days when you are not happy with what you see in the mirror.

Just a quick trip to the food stall and you are back to looking fabulous,

or "much-a-more handsome" to be accurate.

Guess Who?

Jill at Jillsy Girl Studio, the queen of blog challenges, has put together this diverse and beautiful mosaic of images, in a fun guessing game. Each of the above images came from a different photo-blogger. How well do you know them and their individual photographic style and/or content?

Here is the list of bloggers who contributed one of the above photos:
Tilting at Windmills: http://rayfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/
Journalling Through Photos: http://journallingthroughphotos.blogspot.com/
Chance of Sunshine: http://chance-of-sunshine.blogspot.com/
Be Yourself: http://moredoors.blogspot.com/
Long Hollow: http://barbarashalluephotography.blogspot.com/
Louisiana Belle: http://louisianabelleforever.blogspot.com/
Nessy Designs: http://nessydesigns.blogspot.com/
Lady Fi: http://ladyfi.wordpress.com/
Creating a Life of Beauty: http://christinemyoung.wordpress.com/
Jillsy Girl Studio: http://www.jillsygirl.blogspot.com/

Even if you are not familiar with a particular photographer please take a few minutes to browse through their blog, say hi and get a feel for their photography. Then let Jill (and me!) know what your guesses are.

Off you go. Enjoy your photoblog tour!

I want something sweet, creamy, gooey ... and completely unhealthy

Why do somethings taste so good just because you know they are bad for you?

I don't know about you,

but when I am stressed or upset

fruit and salad are the last things I crave.

What would you like to eat right now?

the spirit of hope

under the shade of the banyan tree
i open my ears to the world
and listen to the soulful
songs this day sings.
through the brown
aerial root curtains
the unmistakeable
figure of hope skips
and twirls ahead of me
beckoning me to follow her
across the bridge over murky water

~

One Shot Wednesday

Unlearning

~this image is not mine. thank you J for sending me this~

i hear her still
her voice telling me
to talk less
to remain quiet
to be subdued
to be good
to listen
to obey
and not speak out.

i know she meant well
and hold nothing against the advice
that has become ingrained in me.

yet

i know too
that passive does not equal success
and that i want to succeed;
that constant compliance can lead to frustration
and that i want satisfaction;
that good does not mean submission
and that it pays to be bad sometimes;
that if i don’t speak out i will never be heard
and that i want to be heard.

in my path of unlearning
i am discovering
an identity
a voice of my own
confidence
and
that elusive feeling
of happiness.

My other self

Playing along with Karen, imagining my other self.

My other self would divide her time between the beach

and the mountains.

She would work freelance, doing a lot of this

and this.

She would have one of these in each of her homes

as well as one of these

where she would often lie and enjoy the products of her green fingers

She would often travel the world in either one of these

or these

or just using these.

She would be extremely patient and calm because she would be able to perfectly do this with all aspects of her life.

My other self would not be perfect, but would always be very happy, with her Em and her Hero and her man by her side.

Okay, I need to make this a goal now, and get this happening!

Won't you play along too?

Disclaimer: Photos for this post are not mine. Clicking on each image will take you to the original source.