I am just ME … a soul streaming across constellations, over eons of turbulent changes and tranquil noises, perturbed by the visions that engulf me and ruffled by the oft complacence that challenges the change. Yet, I must travel further across the galaxies, in search of the ultimate metamorphosis. Until then, I sojourn in this life, engrossed in my earthly callings of a wife, mother, professional, writer, dreamer, and seeker.
On this blog you will find a spectrum of fiction, poetry, reviews, thoughts, snippets, inspiration, experiences, voices, concerns, excerpts, and everything that the soul has gathered in her fold, over years of reading, searching, finding, losing, and discovering. I regularly indulge in various creative pursuits, like crochet, experimental cooking, reading, and writing, and I hold a managerial/editorial role in a financial services organization with a global footprint.
For a long time, social media hijacked my personal writing space, as I was sharing more on Facebook and writing Tweet-sized poetry on Twitter. Social media is instant but temporary gratification. Ultimately, a writer needs their own space, and personal blogging provides that space. I had started a blog more than a decade ago but all things need to be infused with new life, emerge in a new avatar, and so it is with my new blog space.
Let your love and encouragement pour into Blue Pen Strokes.
Check out Aneesha Shewani (@felinemusings)
As a life-long student of history, I know every chapter resounds with the story of Heaven and Hell!
Ambition prophesied Madness was not Kingdom in sight But hell it brought Murder, malice Truckloads of lies A slice of heaven Promised delight All for naught Power unchecked, A tragedy wrought!
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Kings can’t smother Smolders of a revolution For when men burn, Sparks reach heaven Ashes color hell A world rebels For those who suffer So history tells
The New Face of Grief is a relevant book because grief is omnipresent in human life. Through the global pandemic, grief is a prevailing emotion. This work aims to help us not to make grief omnipotent in our life.
The author, Katie Rössler, highlights important concepts that we relegate to the background. Grief is not always about death, illness, and separation. Grief abounds in more sub-categories than we realize and accept. For example, a change of location, getting married, or changing jobs may cause grief and it is not just a passing emotion. At the onset, she sets the pace, “The reality, dear reader, is that the journey of grief cannot be rushed.”
The book is full of wisdom, neatly laid down in concise chapters. Initially, I felt the author unnecessarily seemed to justify writing this book because of her personal traumatic experiences. Once you get past that there are real grief stories, too. You find a comprehensive yet deep inquiry into everything within and beyond grief. It touches on ignored topics like humor as a tool to tackle grief, or when grief becomes a family matter.
The New Face of Grief
This book is relevant for those who want to understand and tackle their grief and for caretakers or loved ones to learn how to help a grieving person. While judging and shaming are not expected, telling someone to pull themselves out of “the pit” is also not acceptable. Grief-handling is a delicate and mostly long process that is shrouded in diverse social and emotional inhibitions. However, grief should not be hampered by guilt or the demands to spur back to normal. There are no rules of grief.
The author addresses important aspects of grief that may lead to addiction, depression, and physical and mental ailments. There is power in “ugly crying” and there are “deeper lessons” in the process of grieving. Part 3 of the book is engrossing as it highlights the manifestations of grief in both physical and mental terms. In the end, she talks about the tools of healing.
This book is a succinct treasure trove of all grief-related questions and challenges. I recommend this as a handbook for yourself and also your loved ones. We cannot face what we do not understand. When we find a simple guide, like in the pages of this book, the journey may feel less lonely and far less intimidating.
Suppress them not
Let them ebb and flow
Opinions, notions, emotions
Break the shackles
That bind you to silence
With anchored inhibitions;
In thoughts, voices, words
Our world is made, unmade
In never-ending cycles
A constant alchemy of change.
Last year, I blocked a few people on social media and exited WhatsApp groups due to differences in opinions. Well, not exactly that because different thoughts are enlightening, but due to trolling. Harsh words, bigotry, and bias were the hallmark of these discussions.
Needless to say, even these people must be relieved to have me exit from the group because now no one could challenge their point of view. We all love to believe we are right and our ideology is the best. Fair enough, but then why troll and abuse diverse ideologies. At that point in time, I wrote Trolled into Silence.
Over time, the situation has only worsened. Polarization, in almost all aspects of life, has manifested in crude ways. It is a global phenomenon. Innocent banter and sarcasm are also frowned upon because everyone is oversensitive. The cherry on the top is fear of the repercussions of speaking out.
Musing under the moonlight Streaming through glass doors I wonder if the Moon beings, too Meditate on our blue-green orb Does it work for them and how As we spin on the axis of flaws? Distant flashes alluring, magical Seeking, finding solace in ignorance Across obscure transcendence Such is the destiny of all born
Spookoween is a compilation of 20 spooky winning short stories selected from a collection of 97 submissions received from all over the world for the Spookoween contest organized by WriteFluence in September-October 2021. Here’s a spine-chilling book full of stories that won’t let you sleep.
Features a winning story by me – Shyamli. It is my latest creative effort and a story with various interpretations. Definitely my current favorite 🙂
is a compilation of 20 spooky winning short stories selected from a collection of 97 submissions received from all over the world for the Spookoween contest organized by WriteFluence in September-October 2021. Here’s a spine-chilling book full of stories that won’t let you sleep.
AUTHORS IN THIS BOOK
Aneesha Shewani, Arya Jash, Geeta Nair, Hepi Anesti, John Barber, Mandeep kaur, Niladri Shekhar Mitra, Philip Stenström, Ramya V., Rapti Mukherjee, RC Wallfisch, Ryan de Vas Gunasekera, Sheerin Shahab, Sneha Acharekar, Steve Wade, Thuy Phuong Le, Vaijayanti Panchal, Vandana Nadar, Vandita Shukla and Will Sandkvist
Spookoween is now available for purchase in the paperback format on NotionPress, Amazon.in and Flipkart; and available to download on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.
The paperback is also internationally available for purchase on Amazon.com worldwide.
Here’s a glimpse of the book on Kindle:
WriteFluence is an innovative literary community featuring worthy authors and showcasing their…
Blue Pen Strokes 