Hand crafted bib necklace

Hand crafted bib necklace by Blissful Arts, our design studio.
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How to Improve Your English Writing Skills

How to Improve Your English Writing Skills

We all realize that in today’s world, it is very important to have good command of the English language. While we all focus on speaking well, we often neglect the writing bit, and that many a times hampers our work and even day to day correspondence.

Creativity cannot be infused into someone, but we can always acquaint ourselves with some important tips that can help improve the way we write. Here are some quick but effective pointers for those who wish to be able to write better -

1. Read – Get into the habit of reading. Do not restrict yourself to history, politics, fiction or science. Read a variety of subjects by various writers. That will help you in improving your sentence structure and style of writing.
2.  Art & Vocabulary – Reading always makes you richer by many words. While reading a book, keep a dictionary handy. As soon as you come across a word/phrase you do not understand, look it up. Use similes, metaphors and interesting phrases.
3. Tenses – Focus on these basics. Get your tenses in order. Make a tense chart and practice.
4.  Grammar - Understand the sentence structure and parts of speech like noun, pronoun, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions. Make a chart with parts of speech and example words in front of them. Try and use them in your day to day conversation. Then get into a habit of using them in your writing.
5.  Sentence – A sentence has two components – Subject and Predicate. The subject is the Noun/Pronoun and predicate is the verb and the parts of the sentence that modify it. Always keep in mind that the subject and the verb should always “agree”. They should either be singular or plural.
6. Write in active form.
7.  Always write in complete sentences.
8.  Take care of spelling, capitalization, punctuation.
9.  While writing, try to choose different topics and different styles of writing like essays, passages, stories, poems.
10.  It would be a good idea to maintain a journal of sorts, wherein entries are in different forms. Sometimes in a report sort of way, sometimes in a story format.

Try these tips and like I said earlier, read a lot. A voracious reader is seldom out of ideas and words!

Count On Me - June 11, 2001

When the rain is falling heavy on your rooftop,

And it seems like the endless flow of tears none could stop,

When the touch of the sun pierces you deep inside,

And you feel so scared but there’s no place to hide

In all of these situations and many more, you can count on me

With my eyes you can see, you can count on me.

When you want to speak your mind and are just short of words,

When you need to shout aloud and yearn to be heard,

When you think of the promises that were made to be broken,

And you miss all that was said and things never spoken

In all of these situations and many more, you can count on me

With my eyes you can see, you can count on me.

Beyond The Horizon - April 1, 1999

Desires unlimited and hopes so high,

My aspirations want to scale the skies.

In dreams the stars belong to me,

My fears turn false and seem to flee.

There’s no end to my world of imagination,

Perfection is the name of my destination.

I keep on going and strive for my goals,

Put in my efforts and let destiny play its role.

Beyond the horizon I have to go,

Then forever in wisdom I will flow.

The Ocean Of Life - October 5, 1999

I sat on the shore, had a time of mirth

I looked at the coming waves, as if it was my birth.

Slowly I entered, with hope and enthusiasm

The sea was in full swing, like a flower in blossom.

The deeper I went, the nearer was the treasure

But the depth of the sea was hard to measure.

The treasure was rich and the mysteries unknown,

Not much was different, but the shrubs had grown.

Wave by wave I went by, touching the sun of the noon

All the birds flew off, when came the midnight moon.

Then the tide met the sunset, stroked with rocks to and fro

It was its final destination, it was the ultimate rendezvous.

A College Going Girl - August 31, 1998

For a college going girl life’s a colorful mystery,

She has a choice to study psychology or opt for history.

She is not restricted to attend the classes,

But if her lectures fall short, the authority harasses.

She is free to move here and there,

In the canteen, corridor and stairs.

She’s got the freedom to wear whatever she likes,

Jeans, skirts, trousers or tights!

She can grow her nails and wear all shades of enamel,

She can loosen her hair or tie ‘em up like the tail of a big camel.

Putting bright lipsticks and carrying the latest of bags,

No time for books, she’s happier reading mags.

For the whole day she’s found dancing in the campus,

Wearing a new cloth everyday is the symbol of her status.

The life of a college going girl is full of entertainment

But is this the way it should be lead, I ask your comment!

Teenage - August 23, 1998

I am a little kid of five,

My dreams are real and no disguise.

I wonder what it is all about,

But there’s no one to clear by doubts.

I often dream of a marshy land,

Where I go deep none holds my hand.

The voices around go vague and low,

I don’t know where am I to go!

Buried in the deep from head to toe,

Got no friend around, not even a foe.

My mind is baffled as the place is not acquainted,

I get a bit scared as it seems to be haunted.

Lonely I wonder here and there,

Crying aloud in the hope, that a word I may hear.

I try my best to reveal the concealed,

Alas! Everything around seems permanently sealed.

Suddenly all the things start to tremble,

And it looks like time’s great gamble.

And yes I know where I have reached,

Here all are self consumed and mouths stitched.

This scene of my life’s drama, is set on a different stage,

Here I am, in my Teenage!

Rain - April 1998

Rain O Rain!

It reminds me of something, passing through the narrow memory lane.

It takes me back to my school,

Where, I and my friends jumped in the small water pools.

Those were the moments of real joy and mirth,

When, we could have the smell of the fresh wet earth.

Getting wet in the real showers

Faces happy and cheerful, like blooming flowers.

But now all the friends are far apart,

They have given their lives a new start.

I alike have no leisure,

So I look at the falling drops and miss those moments of pleasure.

I wish I could be a kid again,
Then no would take me away from my dear rain!

You Are My Love - October 1997

The tender love I hold for you

Words could never describe,

The way I care for you

I can never make you realize.

How much I long for you,

You can never know,

My love for you seems to

Always grow and grow.

You are in the moonlit night

And in the rising sun,

I am yearning for the day

We would be one.

You are in my thoughts and dreams

And always in my heart,

With your name I go to bed

With the same the new day starts.

You are the one I love so much

You are the one I care for,

You can make my life worthwhile

You are my destiny’s star.

Inspiration - August 1997

All my hopes were shattered
I was feeling so bad,
I was worried about my life
That how it would be lead.

I was badly disappointed
My heart was broken in two,
Then suddenly I heard a voice
Asking why so unhappy are you!

I looked here and there
Trying to find from where the voice had come,
Who was trying to awaken my soul
Like the rising sun.

The voice was echoing to catch my dreams
And to create a new vision in the mind,
Then no one would dare to rise against me
Whether the inner tempest or the outer wind.

I thought over the words
And I was inspired by them,
A new hope sprang in my heart
The words acted as a gem.

I now found the secret behind
My real inspiration,
It was the voice of the God inside me
That had helped in my creation!

The Days That Matter

I have been thin and I have been out of shape. I have seen abundance and I have lived in misery. I have been at parties and I have been alone. I have worked & made money and I have been out of work. I have been loved and I have been hated. I have lied and I have been lied to. I have been cared for and I have been abandoned. I have seen success and I have endured failure & rejection. I have laughed uncontrollably and I have tasted tears.

After all that I have seen of life, the days that actually matter and are etched in my memory are the ones when I shared a smile with someone, shared a meal, laughed endlessly over a silly joke, when I made a promise I meant to keep, when dreams came true, when others kept their promises.

When someone waited for me at the dinner table, worried when I got home late, when a seemingly uneventful day became important when talked about with someone.

The days when a pat on the back brought tears to my eyes, when appreciations exceeded expectations. When I earned and saved for those trendy shoes! When the Samosa in the college canteen tasted better than any other dish in the entire world. When harmless flirting after college hours was the highlight of the day.

When I welcomed rain with open arms and asked Mom to make my favorite sweet dish just at the very hint of clouds in the sky. Days when having a power cut in school meant singing, snacks and fun. The childhood days spent in my native village eating, playing and getting scolded by older cousins and uncles & aunts for being mischievous.

The days when my pain made someone sad and my happiness brought joy to someone else’s life as well. The days when a hug meant comfort and holding hands reassurance, when friends forgave. When I sacrificed for someone’s happiness and when someone did that for me. When someone’s mere presence made my worries disappear.

The days I read my favorite books and went for my evening walks. The days and nights spent with sisters watching TV, chatting nonstop, shopping and sharing so much more and finding happiness in life’s little joys. The days I spent studying hard for exams and then waited for the results with bated breath. The days of school and college annual days and Youth Festivals when I felt alive while performing live in front of thousands of people. The evenings spent with friends getting drunk and making big plans for the life yet to come.

The day I got over my fear of dogs and let Nonu lick my face. The day my niece was born and the day she said that she loves me too! :-)

The days he said that I looked beautiful and made me giggle and blush. The days love ruled my world and made me dizzy with joy. The days when I shared my insecurities with someone without the fear of being judged or ridiculed. The days when silence comforted my soul.

No matter how miserable or ugly life might seem sometimes, these are the moments that will keep me going and these are the days that will always truly matter.
I pray that after another 30 years, when I look back, I will have thousands of these days to think, write and smile about.

Believe

We always want good things to happen to us and we want miracles too. But we do not believe in miracles. We have been raised to question everything, to ask for proof. If something is not tangible, it can’t be. If we can’t see it we won’t believe in its existence. We often find it easy to disbelieve than to believe. 

I say if there is no belief, there cannot be a miracle. When we strongly believe in something, it happens, good or bad. So rather than questioning the existence of God and goodness in other humans, let us just believe. Believe that good brings good, love attracts love and no act of kindness goes to waste. It is not about expecting people to be good to you; it is about being good to others and believing that that is the only way. 

We often complain about being miserable and the tribulations we have to go through. We ask God “Why me”? We do not realize that knowingly or unknowingly we have harmed and hurt so many other living beings in this lifetime or the other. We cannot escape the repercussions. We say we are good people, but don’t we always hurt the ones who love us the most? Don’t we just blindly run after money and forget all about the relationships around us that bring the most joy to our lives? Don’t we forsake our dreams and stop believing in ourselves? Don’t we act selfish with the ones who care the world about us? Yes, we do all of this and a lot more. 

Let’s understand that if life’s not going our way then there must be a reason. More than God’s will it is the result of our past actions. God loves us and would never put us through hell. Hell exists but only in our actions and thoughts. In God there is only love and Heaven.  So don’t blame God for things not being right. Believe in the goodness of your Soul and believe in the miracles you can experience in life through love and kindness.

On being possessive

There are times in your life, when you come across something so remarkably beautiful, so distinct, so full of soul that you want to own it right that moment. It could be anything, a picture, a building, a statue or may be a painting.. You want to own it not just because of its visual appeal and aesthetic value, but also because you want to be able to own the artist through his creation.

And then you want to destroy the artist, so that such an exquisite piece of art is never reproduced, for if it is, you would not only be sharing that artist's creation but also his soul with many others.

Most of us would not be happy with that. We are possessive, we are jealous. If we own something, we want it all to ourselves. Sharing does not seem easy. But what choice do we have???? At some point or the other we have to share our most precious possessions with others, whether we like it or not.

The person you love, lives far away from you.. There are miles seprating you from the one you wish to be with. Imagine how many things and people you share that special someone with.. the things that come in his direct contact, while you sit miles away picturing him at your doorstep..

The bed he sleeps on, while you stay awake all night thinking about him; the laptop he checks his email on, while you keep your inbox open waiting to receive an email from him; the people he lives with and talks to and shares a meal with, while you lose all interest in food; the colleagues he spends time with in office and shares a joke with, while you are dying to hear the sound of his laughter.. All these things and people take him away from you.. and force you to share him with them.. What can you do? Nothing I guess..

or may be you can forget all about it.. give him to the world from which he came..lose him in the universe but keep him alive within you as a part of your consciousness..

That is the only cure...

The Balancing Act

The inspiration to right this blog came from a book I read some time ago, it's called "a fine balance." There have been several occasions when I have sat alone in my room and asked myself "what is a fine balance?" More often than not I have not been able to find an answer to this question.

The fact is that all of us, irrespective of who we are and what we do, try and maintain a fine balance in our lives without even knowing what it actually means. A fine balance should ideally mean a balance of everything in life, be it good or bad, wrong or right, success or failure or anything for that matter. But we often confuse ourselves by thinking that a fine balance can only be achieved when life is just about perfect. Much as I wish this thought was true, it isn't.

We cant achieve a state of equanimity if everything around is beautiful and we have never experienced ugliness, and vice versa. The beauty of a fine balance lies in its completeness, when we experience the pain as well as the pleasure. It cant always be success alone and no failures. If there were no failures, we would never be able to value success. As Emily Dickinson also said,"Success is counted sweetest to those who never succeed." So, what's really important is the effort to achieve the fine balance, take life as it comes, enjoy the moments of love, happiness, triumph and learn from your mistakes and failures and face the heart breaks and in the end emerge as a winner.

I m not just preaching here, but I have all the intentions of practicing what I just wrote. If I succeed I ll let you know and if I don't I ll make sure that I share the experience with everyone, because remember, even the smallest of effort counts.

Just wanna conclude by adding a little note, "Those who have burnt their hearts and souls in the scorching sun, know exactly the value of the moon's serenity."