The Upside Down

Kyung-Soon started walking up the trail as fast her tired feet could take her. Sweat trickled down the nape of her slender neck and slid down her spine, giving her a little shiver of uneasiness. Every laboured breath she took came out as puffs of vapour that was lost in the fog around her. All she could see was the dark, muddy path a few feet ahead, before it disappeared into the waiting fog.

One step is all you can take

Why stoicism helps you realise that you only have control over how you walk and not where you go.

We humans have this grave misconception that we are the masters of our destiny. We are also a species that cling to this misguided belief after innumerable failures. Which just goes to show that hope is something we hold on to, come what may.

Flying in a pandemic

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are completely personal and only recount observations noted during a recent personal experience.

“Sir, which seat would you like?”

“Umm..anything would do, I really don’t have a preference.”

“I’m saying this because there are hardly any passengers on this flight Sir.”

“Really! Well, in that case be a pal and bump me up to Business Class, won’t you?”

Walking the wire

Blink.

The fan needs cleaning.

Blink.

Is that an ambulance I hear? Hmm..sounds far away. Not far enough.

Blink.

Why isn’t it bright yet?

When I cried

Many years ago, I had this insane notion that men don’t cry.

I used to think that tears were for children, women, the weak and from the occasional onion. Sure, a tear or two might spring up if you were kicked in the gonads but those were involuntary. You had no control over them and hence it was considered acceptable (as long they did not turn into a downpour).

Colours of choice

I watched in fascination and revulsion as the tiny drop of sweat traced a faint line across my glasses and teeter at the bottom of my lens. It seemed to take forever to fall off the edge and onto the dry pavement beneath my feet. But it finally did and I removed my glasses to wipe away that little trail of salt and water. My sweat stained, saturated handkerchief refused to dry the lens. All I got for my vigorous efforts was a foggy pair of spectacles, worse

The shepherd

“There are those amongst us who still harbour doubts about our cause.”

“They cultivate a semblance of rationality and feel entitled to their patronising opinions.”

“But they do not have the spine to stand up for their convictions.”

“They slink about in the

And life is just a dream..

There was a moment, somewhere in between the cursing, the slapping and the buzzing of fat mosquitoes, that Marshal felt a twinge of doubt. It was just a smidgen of doubt, mind you. Everyone is entitled to doubts aren’t they? Especially if you are in the middle of a Borneo rainforest on a Thursday afternoon in your underwear and only pair of good gumboots.

Dandelions

The clear blue sky was the perfect canvas for the early morning painting. Soft white clouds lazed across this vast ocean in the heavens, their journey gently heeded by the whispers of wind, while a pair of shining brown eyes watched them.

Laxmi gazed at those gentle giants, hoping to catch a glimpse of a cat or a cow or even a familiar face. Her grandfather had taught her to look closely at the clouds and search for hidden treasures, and so

Phoenix rising

“Kill me. Stab my heart with your knife and let me be spared of this life.”

I stood rooted in shock and terror. He advanced towards me with a manic look in his blood shot eyes. His shirt was perfectly tucked and pants perfectly creased and not one strand out of place in his perfectly groomed head. Yet, his eyes chilled my heart and those words struck me in the face.