The Paintbrush

Twenty-two year old Gretel was enjoying a nice sunny morning at her art studio. The smell of paint, the easel, the canvas...everything gave her a sense of peace. She liked nothing better than to express herself on the canvas. Painting was her forte, and she had a variety of brushes. However, there was this one brush she never used. It looked like an ordinary brush, but had the words "Once in a lifetime" engraved on the red handle. Her mother had gifted it to her saying that it would be of use to her someday, but not to use it for her painting.

This morning, that particular brush was emitting a faint red light. it was vibrating, and Gretel was speechless. Magic exists only in books, she reminded herself. I must be hallucinating, she thought. But the brush had plans of it own. It rose a foot above the table, and flew with great speed to the large blank wall of the studio. Gretel was frightened, but being the curious cat she was, walked towards the brush. After two minutes, the brush painted a few words on the wall: You wont get to use me again. Just close your eyes and paint on the wall. Paint will not be required.

Gretel, who was intrigued, did as she was told. She painted over the wall, and realized that the place she pictured in her mind had been recreated on the wall! It was beautiful and reflected her happy and excited mood. She placed her hand on the wall and realized that her hand went through the wall. In a moment of bravery, she tried walking through the wall, and was successful. She entered a world she had created, and was in further control of.

She called the place "Canvas" and moulded it to her imagination. It was a simple small town with simple people. She could control the weather too, unconsciously and consciously. The weather represented her mood. When she was happy it was sunny, and when she was depressed it would be stormy. Her house was a quaint cottage, and she lived there with Bryan, a boy she had created and fell in love with.

5 years had passed in contentment when one day Canvas started crumbling. It resembled the effects of an earthquake, but there were no tremors. Gretel attempted rescuing the people but she couldn't. She has lived in this ideal world for too long, and watched it all disappear. She had no idea of the way back to the real world. Her legs, heart and mind had frozen. All she could do is cry and mourn...

Gretel's cellphone rang. She woke up, startled and spoke to her friend Alice. It was 10 in the morning, and she had fallen asleep on the couch at her studio. After she spoke to Alice she tried recalling the dream she just had. It was one of the best she'd had in a long time, and perhaps she would paint her faint memories of it. It had provided her a muse for the day. She told herself that magic exists only in books, and tried not getting carried away by the dream.

Gretel walked out her studio to go her house which was on the floor below. Just as she walked out, a paintbrush in her studio began glowing with a faint red light...

Words: The most powerful weapon

As someone who loves writing, I cannot help but emphasize on the value of words. What we say, how we say, can make or break our lives. Published works, in particular, have the power to initiate radical changes in societies. Numerous examples in history have proved that the pen is mightier than the sword. In India, newspapers contributed a great deal to the attainment of freedom. Words can be poison or antidote, sugar sweet or sharp as a sword. A sword will kill you, but words can turn your life into a living hell. The sentence "I love you" makes want to jump, whereas "I hate you" from a dear one could make you crawl into a hole you might never come out from. Both sentences are just combinations of three words, but the "love and "hate" makes all the difference in the world.

Written words can transport people to places they've never been, or places which don't exist. I am partial to fantasy, and think that being able to create an imaginary world and make people believe in it is not easy, but not impossible either. In books such as the Alchemist, Paulo Coelho describes the journey through the desert. Even while narrating a story orally, your words have the ability to make people feel as if they are characters in the story. Of course, it all depends on your story telling skills.

Choose your words wisely. Your words can someone make someone feel good, so don't loose opportunities to brighten someones day. When it comes to kids, their minds are like wet cement. So, be careful before using abusive language in the presence of kids!

No one's words are worthless. Each one of us has the power to change the world through our words.

The Eyes say it all

In today’s technology-driven age, face-to-face interaction has dwindled. Who after all, wants to walk down the road to meet a friend who chats with you almost every day on Facebook? Before I begin, I’ll make it clear that I use Facebook every day and do not claim to be the most active person in the Universe. But my point is that intimacy levels have changed with this change in the nature of interaction. Today’s generation understands a direct “I am so angry!!!!” (while chatting online) better than the flash of anger in a person’s eyes. Non-verbal communication has lost its importance, and though we still use it extensively I think that in the years to come we will fail to interpret facial expressions and body language. I may not be an expert; however I do think that it is necessary.

Our eyes are the principal traitors that disclose what is on our mind. Breaking eye contact without realizing it can give your lie away. When you pretend to be angry with a friend after an argument, your eyes, mouth and words speak completely different stories! Your parent or your best friend can often tell what is going on in your mind, as they know your expressions as well as they know the back of their hands. The cliché “Actions speak louder than words” is a universal truth, believe it or not. A genuine smile is different from a wan smile. Sometimes out of polite courtesy we downplay or slightly overplay our interest in a particular book, movie, restaurant, etc., but our eyes and tone of voice unconsciously express our interest or disinterest. When we are surprised, our eyes widen and our jaw drops open. They are tiny signs with huge relevance. These subtle forms of communication; and our ability to read them is what make us human. After all, poker faces are no fun at all!

Writer's Block

I've never been much of a poet but I think this poem is one of my successful attempts at poetry!

                                                      Writer's Block
Some see it as an excuse,
But for a writer without muse
It is equal to an earthquake.
Whether at dawn I wake,
Or burn the midnight oil
In vain is my toil.
The blazing Sun's golden glow
The full moon's silver glow,
Nothing fills my mind with verse.
With passionate painters I converse
And with scientists of repute,
But the block remains resolute.
Stories of Hitler's cruelty,
Stories of Gandhi's honesty,
None light a fire in my pen.
Grudgingly, I put down my pen.
Inspiration has retired to its shell.
Like a crab it treats its shell.
But now, my paper is smiling
For I've just produced a piece of writing.