My Better Half

Bright as a daffodil

With a smile

To gladden the heart

Earnest to the core,

Picking up your broken parts

To put them together once more.

 

Always positive

In circumstances most dire,

Nothing defeats her.

A fund of energy

Like sparkling sunlight

Playing on wet leaves

And flowers

The soul of my life,

Its purpose and priority.

 

Always busy

Keeping the house tidy,

The dinner warm,

The prayers persistently

Beseeching blessings

For the family.

Always concerned

For the well being

Of children far away,

call them now

It’s Sunday.

 

Ready for festivals

Brimming with enthusiasm

 And fervour

In her best dress

To honour the Gods,

Welcoming guests

With joie de vivre,

Attentive to the needs

Of friendly neighbours,

My loving mate

Always considerate.

 

The spirit of the home,

Propping up a picture,

cleaning out a comb,

Dusting every object,

Daily routine,

Nothing left alone,

Full of zest,

At her very best,

At all times,

Awake or at rest.

 

Where would I be without her,

My diligent and avid helper,

My heart and my soul,

Always making everything whole.

Were she to go away,

I fear the coming

Of that dark day,

But she consoles me,

Not to worry

I’m here to stay.

And when the time comes,

Together, never apart,

Hand in hand

We shall depart

And be on our way.

 

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Jyotish Horoscope : Eighth House

The eighth house is the house of death. It indicates life span of the subject, reasons and timing of death, inheritance from legacies, unearned incomes, occult inclinations, anxieties, distress, calamity, defeat, insult, indebtedness, overseas trips and physically, organs of excretion.

For calculating life-span of the subject there are detailed formulae, taking into account the character of the Siogns, the placement of the planetary Lords, the strength of the planets in a Sign and several other factors with precise calculations. Pundits and astrologers are adept at calculating longevity when a child is born, cautioning about dangerous periods in an infants life and offering remedies through ritual prayers, mantras and charity. While we need not go into them, the subjects chart under examination indicates ‘medium’ life span of about eighty years.

For the subject the Sign in the eighth House is Aquarius which is owned by Saturn. As Saturn becomes the owner of the eighth House on account of the Sign there and is himself significator of longevity, it indicates a long life. The eighth is both owned by Saturn and aspected by it. Eighth House aspected by its owner is also indicative of long life. Owner of the eighth House with a benefic planet in the same House, Saturn with Jupiter in this case also indicates long life. Owner of the eighth House in the eleventh House is indicative of a difficult childhood but prosperity in later life.

The presence of the lunar node Ketu in the eighth House is generally not considered favourable. It portends sorrow, loss of consciousness and possible dishonour. However, aspected by Saturn it assumes the character of Saturn. Ketu is also a mystic planet and indicates the subjects mystical nature. He may delve in the occult with some success and have extra-sensory experiences even acquiring supernatural abilities. It also indicates that he will earn wealth abroad. Ketu’s presence in the eighth house also indicates that death may come to the subject suddenly through an accident in his ‘Shani Dasha. Saturn phase, but only after the normal life span  indicated by other factors referred to above has been exhausted.

Routine

What is it about the familiar

That so beguiles and comforts?

The same morning routine

Of washing and brushing your teeth,

Breakfast and television

Serials that return each day,

Spot of sweet light,

The morning walk

Coming across familiar strollers,

Nodding to acquaintances, small talk,

Engaging in regular sport,

The same Starling

Picking worms from twisted twigs in your garden,

Lovers on benches in a park

Sharing mobile phones

With secret smiles

And the afternoon sleep

Looking forward to vivid dreams

In fitful slumbers,

Nothing changes alas

As the days pass,

Just numbers

On a calendar,

And to this routine 

One happily surrenders.

 

But when you are invited

To an unexpected repast

Five course dinner, wine and song, you cheer,

Or when someone unexpected suddenly visits

To break the routine

Someone dear,

You refresh

And fix it like a jewel

In the crown of your daily chores

And want some more

Landmarks to carry you along

From the daily waking and sleep.

 

Such memories of events you keep

Holding close to your heart,

So that you don’t fall apart

With just the same routine

From winter to summer

That has kept you going

With the comfort of the familiar,

In your interminable calendar

Now suddenly shaken

From one bright smart event

To another.

 

 

Daughter

She arrives brimming with joy,

Glowing with readiness to please

With every gesture and care

Erasing tensions with ease,

A presence as light as a feather

Floating in the breeze.

 

Smile like a sudden sun

Peeping out of a cloud,

Bright roses on her cheek,

Always full of fun

And loads of compassion,

Forever looking for ways to help

Lift your mood, don’t be sad,

It will be alright Dad, never seeks

Something only for herself,

A happy spirit like a little bird

On a twig flitting here and there joyously.

 

Eyes full of mirth

Ever since her birth,

Joining in every festivity,

Resplendent, energetically

Full of wit and humour,

Always devoted

To the concerns of another,

Wiping a tear,

Bringing smiles and laughter, full of cheer,

A hand held out to care,

for every person

Sunk in the depths of despair.

 

Chatting with her mother

Sitting intimately together

Sharing secrets like with no other

Then suddenly going away

Till she returns another day

To fill our lives with happiness

Joy and wonder

With her fairy presence,

Our precious treasure

Our unique daughter.

Thought for Today : Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable and self centred,

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives,

Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you,

Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous,

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow,

Do good anyway.

Give thw world the best you have and it may never be enough,

Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God,

It was never between you and them anyway.

                                                                             

                                                    –    MOTHER    TERESA