Walking among the angels

A novice traveler begins his journey

looking for a legend

He carries with him, his hopes and dreams

and a bag full of memories

The dreams keep him awake

and the memories keep him alive

So he moves towards the mountain

where his personal legend awaits

He hums a song as he walks

and his steps follow the beats

The song that only he knows

The lyrics that reflect his soul

Music comes from the wind

and the birds join in

Trees and peaks couldn't resist

and they begin their dance

Silly traveler continues to walk

missing all the signs

He’s blind to the miracles

and the beauty that surrounds him

Passing all the fellow souls

and the angels that make way for him

Reaching for an unknown

on a search that may never end

HAITI

Photo: Tequila Minsky for The New York Times

Many bodies, lying still, scattered in this land
Many strangers in this field, but there might be a friend

Teary eyes, crying faces, digging rubble of despair

A little girl looks at you, wanting to hold your hand

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. It was the worst in the region in more than 200 years and left the country in a shambles. Thousands have been reported dead so far. Hospitals, media stations and relief outlets have also been effected leaving the people with limited resources to deal with this catastrophe. You can help by texting 'HAITI' to '90999' and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. Or you can go online to organizations like the Red Cross and Mercy Corps to make a contribution to the disaster relief efforts. More ways to help can be found here

"This is a time when we are reminded of
the common humanity that we all share"  

~President Obama

Swimming

I am swimming in the alphabets...
dodging all the fishing nets... ships and freaks and crazy jets... carrying thousand giga pets... line them up and play some sets... pump it up as loud as trumpets... piano, drums and clarinets... don’t stop till the sea-horse rests...
I am still swimming in the alphabets.

Painting SEARCH by Rodger Roundy

Christmas Ornament

I met some phenomenal people this Christmas Eve and just when I thought it could not get any better, I ran into Byronn Davis. 4 years ago, Byronn was hit by a drunk driver while he was helping a complete stranger fix his car on the side of the road. Byronn moved his friend out of the way when the drunk driver drove towards them but did not have much time to save himself. Byronn lost both his legs in that accident.

Byronn is a father of a 4 year old girl who was just 3 months at the time of the accident, and a 12 year old boy. He is also a caregiver of two more children who are currently attending college. He was a maintenance man by profession but since the accident he has chosen a different path to serve people.


Photo taken by OM on December 25, 2009 at Hyatt Regency Hotel
in Dallas Downtown during Christmas Angel Project conducted by 
SoupMobile

Byronn speaks to groups of convicted drunk drivers and advises them to do the right thing. He also works at the SoupMobile helping provide food and shelter to many homeless people in Dallas area. Emory Ross was the man behind the wheel in that accident but Byronn has nothing but prayers for him. Byronn has since forgiven Emory Ross and requested court to decrease his sentence. During the hours of conversing with Byronn, I did not sense any negativity from him. He constantly thanked God for showing him the way and making him capable of the things he does. 

Thank you Byronn for sharing your story with me!

Check out Byronn's Video Interview and Story covered by Dallas Morning News back in April of 2007

Health Care

Lil Jony climed up the whata tank to get his mama's urrings that his daddy threw up there. I tole lil Jony not to get up der, i says the urrings were spesial but not as spesial as lil  Jony. But lil Jony din lisen. He says I wanna make my mama proud and up he went climin that darn whata tank. Lil Jony doesun like warin the shoe I got em on his birfday. They slow me down mama he sayz. So lil Jony was climin up with no shoe on. He climed all the way up and saw a bird nest up there. He musta scurred the bird away cuz it flew and it scurred lil Jony too and down he fell from the top of the whatta tank. I ran to my lil Jony and saw him lien on the flo with blood ova his clofes. Some nice man of God called the 911 and they put lil Jony in an ambulance. I tried talkin to lil Jony, i sayz wake up lil Jony I tole you not to clime that darn whata tank, them urrings were not as spesial as you lil Jony. But lil Jony din say a word. They took him in the emergency room and I tole the doctor how lil Jony climed up the whata tank to get my urrings with no shoe on. I tole the doctor how I tole lil Jony not to clime up there with no shoe on but lil Jony dint lisen. He wanted to make her mama proud I says to the doctor. The doctor seem nice and he fix my Lil Jony and gave him the wheel chair to sit on. Lil Jony doesun like the wheel chair but he says he likes how fast he can go withit.

"Maa'm all I need to know is how do you plan to pay this bill?"

Oh yah, after the doctor wuz dun with lil Jony, I went up to him. He was lien in the bed and when he saw me he sayz mama look what I got for you. Lil Jony opened his hand and he had my urrings. I cried and say to him, I am proud of you lil Jony. I took those urrings to Mr. Grubbs up at the pawn store. Mr Grubbs is a grumpy ole man but he sayz it wurth enuf to make a few paymens on lil Jonys wheel chair.

09.09.09

"Nothing can go wrong today," He comforted himself on his way to pick up Object. The car door screeched when she opened it and she gave him the look tacitly suggesting him to buy a new car. He had gotten that look every time Object opened that door but it did not bother him today. Nothing really mattered because he wanted today to be just perfect. He was trying his best to disguise his nervousness by acting cool but the sweaty forehead wasn’t helping. Object had a tendency to sense his nervousness from miles away. But she was oblivious today busy applying her makeup.

"So, where are we going?" she asked. "Somewhere special" he answered with a smile but did not make the eye contact. "mm.." she sighed and started to apply her mascara. Object’s habit of putting her makeup on while he was driving had always been distracting to him. He always had this strong urge to just stop the car and watch the precision of the process. The intimate look at her beauty! Her lipstick had a propensity to make him jealous. But today he had a better control over his desires. He drove comforted by the sweet smell of Object’s musk he loved so much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He pulled the car into an empty lot of an isolated gallery where Object had never been. To his surprise she still didn't inquire about where she was taken. "Maybe she knows" He thought for a second feeling paranoid. It was unusual for Object to go along with surprise plans without taking at least thirteen shots in the guessing game. She loved it when she guessed right and felt defeated when she couldn’t. He would rather let her know of the plans ahead of time then to put her through this misery. He had a tendency to give up easy for Object but today was different; everything was falling just the way he hoped.

"Am I dressed appropriately?" She asked. He glanced at her and his heart melted. He wanted to shower her with his adornment of her and tell her how beautiful she looked in that elegant brown dress, how her skin looked even more vibrant covered in that silk and how the shade of her hair and her eyes seemed like the pieces of jewelry picked specially to complete the whole ensemble. Instead he smiled and said, "Perfect."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look in Object’s eyes was to die for when the lights came on. She covered her face in disbelief. Her hair and dress flew with her when she spun all around the rotunda to see what he had put together. She danced around every little piece placed carefully just to entice her. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. While she was lost in the extravaganza of the expressions all around her, all he could think of was how close he was to the Object of his affection. The violin started just in time and he got on his knees with the humble symbol of their love in his hands.

It was the happiest dream he thought he deserved.

One More Hit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Hit me one more time my friend ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ help me take the edge off ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~help me escape this brightness ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ these rays of light~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ are inciting me~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ they're inviting me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ like the parasite~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ they're surrounding me~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Fool was I to fight the sun? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ not a sufi, yet I spun ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ but I failed to escape ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ my own reflection ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~the ugly mirror ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ stared right at me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~laughed at me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ I tried to run ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ but it followed me~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ So my tired soul let it prevail ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~tied the boat that couldn't sail ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ like a wounded soldier ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I lied there still ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It took no time to conquer me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ violating every thing ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~that mattered to me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ in a million pieces ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ it shattered me ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I need you now like never before ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ don't you hear me knocking your door ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ today is the day I failed my creed ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ one more hit is all I need ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Close your eyes

Beauty isn't what you have seen,
O' Silly traveler, where have you been?
Heart is where the love resides,

Close your eyes and look within.

.

.

.

Original drawning by Om with black & white charcoal. Image is digitally edited in Picassa.

Wedding Day

For my dearest friends Sameer and Rosie

Put on the Kajal with a hint of gray
Paint my hands with Mehandi today
Bindya, Chooriyan and Saari to wear
I want to look my best today

I waited for this moment night and day
My wait will finally be over today
Cliffs will bow and birds will pray
A new chapter of love will begin today

A summer breeze will gently spray
Marking the arrival of my beloved today
Barriers will drop and joys will make way
I will be one with my love today

Stars and moon have a reason to stay
All the enchanting bodies are invited today
Roses and lilies in your finest array
Come dance with me on my wedding day

R.E.C

REC Commercial - written by TriCities REC 11th grade students

Please click her for the Video
PASSWORD: REC

Ever been asked
Why you believe, what you believe?
If your society has grown from its past?
What you do on Saturday mornings?

Look Beyond
Look Within

We are
Ismailis
Day by Day
Week by Week
We have evolved
We have learned
We have benefited

For three hours
Every week
We're here
Building our success
Person by person
One
by
One

You wonder
What good is this for us?
Come find out

R
E
C

Tainted

I will let you have
the part of me
the part that isn't
any good to me

I will let you keep
the memories
hoping it will
set me free

The picture of us
for you I painted
doesn't reflect my heart
the heart that is tainted

Merry you may call it
but it would be a lie
the artist may contain
but the canvas will cry

Clog Blog

I tried tonight... but couldn't write. It's not the pen... think it's the brain. Lacking the sensation... an inspiration. I need a notion... or may be a potion. Looking around... but nothing could be found. Thoughts are shut... stuck in a rut. Desperate attempts to rhyme... which should be a crime. It sounds tame... and mostly lame. So its time to clog.. this utterly mindless blog.

First night of June

We begin to recite a poem
on the first night of June
The sky filled with stars
but no sign of moon

The heart begins to throb
and pulse becomes fierce
We speak the words with passion
We speak the words with tears

Tears find an eternal refuge
and the pulse quickly fails
She hits the notes of desire
my voice becomes too frail

Her words, metaphor of beauty
my words, nothing but hollow
then her lips start to sing
and mine fail to follow

Your Hands

Your hands tell the tale of
the meeting of two pure hearts,
they know of the nights spent
under the moonlit stars,
wavering and weeping, softly
they whisper into my ears.
Your hands tell the tale
of the spring and the fall,
the seasons of love and lost
they witnessed them all.
Your hands open the gates
that were never shut,
they reached into my heart
and began to strike the strings,
playing the notes of thunder
tenderly at first, rising slowly
it spoke of the raindrops
that witnessed our love
pouring on your skin
cleansing itself.
Your hands spark the fire
intensifying my rage
like the angels ballerina
the flames began to dance
flowing with the sound of thunder
burning my soul…

Your hands, sweet hands,
they tell a tale...

There's a flaw (part ii)

There's a flaw (part i)

"I feel like Kate Winslet from Titanic." She said while standing at the edge of the boat.
"Watch out for the iceberg Rose." I said jokingly

This quest of finding "true happiness" has challenged me to define the way one should live. It seems obvious that we all aspire to live the good life, although people differ in opinion as to what it is. It often gets associated to possessing money and goods. I have yet to find a flaw in one enjoying the fruits of his own honest efforts and strive to attain comfortable living for himself. But if that's the good life then where do we place the existence that helps others, true friendship, love, service, giving, character, growth, and spirituality? If the goal is to attain happiness, should we be prepared to sacrifice? And if it leads to our own happiness, then is it really considered a sacrifice?

"If I were to drown, would you come for my rescue?" she asked
"without a doubt." I quickly responded

I had already ruled out the path of attaining true happiness ever meeting the path of satisfying our own material desires. But I can't ignore the role of these desires in living the good life. The notion of reaching for bigger and better seems to be a popular goal in life. If this gets associated with accumulation of wealth, then by simple mathematical formula, the standards will continue to increase unless we fall into the Great Depression again. I can't help but blame the society for doing it's best to raise these standards and continue to feed our desires.

Hellen Keller says: "Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves."

I don't know how to swim.

This blog is inspired by the song Society by Eddie Vedder from the motion picture soundtrack of Into the Wild.

4 am...

Eyes are dazed and head is turning... body is shut but the heart is running... the clock keeps ticking ... tick tock tick tock... why is it so loud? I wish it would stop... I am feeling thirsty and my mouth is dry... it'd be easy if I could only cry... drank some water and tried to pray... forgive me God, if I went astray... spare my soul and end this war... why won't slumber knock my door?

Perspective (A Short Film)

Camera queues in red
Audio queues and narrations in blue (narration italicized)

Opens with the closeup shot of 'A Camera Lens'
Next shot: the view of the students in lecture hall from teacher's angle
Sound of Professor walking in from behind the camera
(professor is not visible to the camera)

Professor starts to teach: "Let's take a look at Phaedo"

Camera slowly focuses on students randomly stopping for few seconds while student's thoughts are narrated

David: I still feel sore from the workout...

(Professor's voice indistinct)

Cati: If only I could understand Plato...

(Professor's voice indistinct)

Ryanne: I should knit a sweater for mom...

(Professor's voice indistinct)

Julianna: I've got to catch up on my reading...

(Professor's voice indistinct)

Gayle: Hmm.. he's got a point...

(Professor's voice disappears)

(Complete silence for 2 seconds)

Cameraman's hand becomes visible holding a gun

Sound effect of a loud Gunshot!

Camera drops to the floor

Upside down shot of the white board that says:

"Must not all things at the last be swallowed up in death?"

For the students of NIU, Virginia tech, Columbine and several other schools who got victimized by deadly shootings. May the souls of those who died, rest in peace and may God bless the families and friends with courage to deal with their loss.

Absent Ornament

Is it ok to ignore
the mistakes you say I made
Is it ok to care
for the dreams we shared

You ask me why I try to win
you ask me why I dare
If you care to look for an answer
You'll find it in the way you stare

Your silence gives it away
and your tears make it clear
warning of the moment to come
it's the moment that I fear

and so I sit here
thinking....

is it ok to care
for the one who was never there?

Om is listening to Belle and Sebastian

Stop n' Go

I gave her a hug, thinking this might be the last time I'll have her in my arms, grabbed my bags and stood there until I could no longer see her car.

It was a wrong terminal, wrong airline or maybe the wrong time. I passed out in the waiting room, my first nap in past 48 hours. I was then chased by an ax murderer in my dream, she looked much like the lady behind the check-in counter of a local museum. I started running. I ran past a dripping chocolate fountain, a torn down mummy, a magician with an annoying laugh and a Jazz concert. Too late for the band's opening performance, but made it right on time for a big (relatively speaking) surprise, when a hefty boy professed his love for his girlfriend and asked her to marry him. I started running again when the wedding proposal was followed by a loose dog announcement by the Jazz master.

"Would you like something to drink", asked the blond hair lady with long legs, petite body and straight posture. I expected the ax murderer but she had given up long ago. Before I could answer her, I tried to contemplate how I ended up in the airplane from the waiting room? It's often difficult for me to differentiate reality from dreams. I prefer dreams over reality but I also recognize that reality is the only place to get good food. Failing to make sense of the situation I ignored it all together and closed my eyes again. I think she got the point and moved on.

I decided to run back. The Jazz played, the magician laughed and the fountain dripped. And this time, I saw it all in her eyes. "It is 65 degrees in Chicago", the pilot announced. I looked out the window, and thought "Wow, It looks so much like google earth, just less interactive."

Om enjoys the ambiance of The Melting Pot

Shhh..

Eyes, wide shut
last call from tavern, missed
but the wine drips

Come, she says.

Glasses, misty
rain sneaks in, heavy
vigil jitters

Breathe, she says.

Muted, beautiful,
naive chalice, shattered
desired but unwelcome

Drink, she says.

Aroma, faint
indistinct moan, deceitful
begins to utter

Shhhh, She says.