Tag: #selfreflection

A Turtle That Couldn’t Swim…

~ Joyce Mary J ~ 12 Comments

My 7 year old daughter told me a story recently. She is really good in making up stories and comes up with something new very often. Now this one was about a turtle which couldn’t swim. The story goes like this…..

Once, there lived a turtle on a rock near to the pond. He used to cry everyday looking at the water. One day, a crow saw him crying and asked the reason. He said that he is a turtle but cannot swim. This makes him sad and that is why he is crying. Then the crow said, “I can only teach you fly, sorry.” After saying that the crow flew away.

After a few days, one of the fishes in the pond saw him crying. Fish asked him about the reason for being so sad. He said, “I’m a turtle but I cannot swim.” Fish said, “You cannot swim because you are not trying enough. You just sit on the rock and cry all day. That is not going to make you swim. You need to try harder.” Listening to that, he became sadder and started to cry louder.

Then, one day, he saw a happy tortoise walking slowly near the pond nibbling flowers and leaves. At that moment, he realised that he couldn’t swim because he was not a turtle, he was a tortoise!

The story is short and simple. But, it has a huge lesson to give us. It’s about self awareness. We will be crying all our lives thinking about all the things that we cannot do or we don’t have if we don’t know exactly who we are just like that tortoise who thought it was a turtle. With self awareness, we learn our own strengths and weaknesses which in turn helps in our own development.

This story, also teaches us that unless we help ourselves no-one can help us in understanding the real us. Our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues can only give their own views and perceptions about us which may not be true. The act of gaining self awareness may take time and energy as you will have to go through a lot of reflection and introspection but it is worth it for all good reasons.

I don’t know how a 7 year old can come up with something like this, but, she surprises me everyday. And I’m, just a proud mom.

-JMJ

The Night

~ Joyce Mary J ~ 20 Comments 
When the night falls,
Sun leaves you and the darkness starts to fill your eyeballs,
When you stumble on every rock on your way,
All alone on a road in a land far far away,
When all you can hear are the screams of stillness,
And you find signs of increasing frailness,
Open your eyes and look in the sky,
As the moon and stars are not saying you goodbye,
Feel the ground,
And walk as if you own the land,
Listen to the sound of wind in the trees,
The music of the rustling leaves,
Settle your nerves,
Because you are a part of this powerful universe.
-JMJ



			

	


				
					


	

		
Beauty! Where is it?
	

				

			 ~ Joyce Mary J			 ~ 17 Comments					

				

		








With a flawless skin which has no sign of aging,
And dark long hair which can be really engaging,
Deep blue eyes which has an ocean inside,
Anyone would love to dive in without knowing what is inside,
She has a perfect smile that can lit up the sky,
But with a dark heart reflecting all the evils under the sky.



Other one is an epitome of ugliness that's how the world see,
With no facial features or perfect teeth,
People love to swipe quickly as her picture comes on screen,
But her acts of kindnesses are always honoured behind the screen.
Her eyes are doves symbolizing peace and love,
And hands so warm that can calm any storm with a touch or a hug,
She is a free spirit woman who you can never tame,
So, if I want to define beauty what it would be?
     -JMJ


			

	


				
					


	

		
As Years Pass By
	

				

			 ~ Joyce Mary J			 ~ 36 Comments					

				

		






As years pass by,
I wonder if would ever see anyone to whom I said goodbye,
All my friends from my childhood,
And the people who lived in my neighborhood.


The teachers who taught me the right from wrong,
My first crush with whom I never got along,
The people who encouraged me to dance and paint,
The grandma next door who told the story of a saint.


As years pass by,
I wonder to how many people I have said goodbye,
The people who once I thought that I could not live without,
Now, sometimes I think what was that about?


As years pass by,
I wonder how fast the time flies by,
If I could ever walk back my life,
I would never miss a chance to say a proper goodbye even though we had a strife.
                      -JMJ

			

	


				
					


	

		
The Mirror..
	

				

			 ~ Joyce Mary J			 ~ 29 Comments					

				

		







I saw dark circles under my eyes,
But they always told the truth and never the lies,
They have hope beyond the troubles in the world,
Even when I was feeling all crumbled.
I saw wrinkles on my face,
But they reminded me of all the laughters and the grace,
They were not only the signs of my love and care,
But also my strong determination and will that you must beware.
I saw my hairs are turning grey,
That's not a reason for dismay,
That salt and pepper hairs on my head,
Are the signs that I have come so far ahead.
                    -JMJ