Amazing Diwali For Me.....

Yes, it is an amazing Diwali for me. Last year as I was hospitalised for four times, and after going through procedures - I used to look outside the hospital window. Where family should have supported me - I was left alone. My husband shuffled between his office, and the hospital room. My parents prayed for me. My doctors stood by me but all other family members had just mocked at my condition. Some friends too an extent even left nasty messages in my inbox. I was not in a position to share what I was going through. I cried, and I prayed to God for justice. Every day - some pigeons used to come to the window. My husband got a loaf of bread for all those days, and asked me to feed them. I asked the pigeons to take my plea to God as they can  fly high...like a child I just requested them. 

God has been kind. He came in different avatars. He blessed me. He took me out my miseries. I could come out of my illness. This Diwali - I have an amazing huge chocolate orders to accomplish. I have made wishing lamps and sold them too. I could restructure my line of business. I could tell people - I am still not retired due to my illness. Thank you God. You saved me!

I am sharing my successful orders in this post with some amazing clicks of my chocolates and diyas that were part of my client orders.

Love

Archana ☺

Thank You Chatroom!

Life is strange. I created a yahoo account two months ago for my haiku submissions. Fortunately - I was mistakingly logged into a chat room. I was not quite familiar with yahoo as I hardly use it but after closing my Hotmail account - this was a good option. 

I was figuring out how to come out of this chat room that too when so many messages were coming. Some erotic stuff that I just hated. I was about to go offline when a message came. Ofcourse - my photo was not there and my name was not appearing as my name. I was not interested but then I read the message. I can make it out - it was US English (slang...!). The introduction was funny and maybe I stopped as it made me laugh....In two months I found a chat buddy who taught me so many good things about his field without knowing me. He comes from a background of biotechnology and doing research. I have read some great papers. How cells work...multiply...I feel literate enough now ;) A person was just bored of studies and entered a chat room to chat; I entered out of mistake.  We read good articles together...:)

I am no more a chat person but a man in his forties made me read his amazing articles, medical patient information research, and showed me a positive side of this chat room stuff. Though I have not shared anything about me but he consults me for my feedback for his work. My advise for his thesis at times. I have booked an hour a week to chat and read. The best part is its only about education here. 

I never knew about Wow Club until I was told by him. Today - I joined this club to travel solo once a while. I have read so many papers around his research. Though I never told that I write but this chat room introduced me to US culture after I had left Deloitte.

Just happy to see good things....also happen in chat rooms. It's all about how to deal with people...and your moral values.

:)

My Haiku and Senryu Updates .....

The third issue of Frozen Butterfly has just been released on YouTube. Congratulations to all the poets who have work in this issue. This includes my work as well. You can listen to my voice as a part of this video. Each haiku poet narrates their work in their own voice. Here is the link . . .

https://youtu.be/oucEgqMXlm0

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Ershik #11 is up with the Russian version of my work included. I am sharing the link to the Russian Version.

http://ershik.com/…/oct-2015/October%202015%20-%20Ershik.pdf

The English Translation is as below:

rehearsals
he combs his hair
over his bald head

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Chrysanthemum 18  is now online and ready to be viewed at:

http://www.bregengemme.net/chrysanthemum/media/Chrysanthemum_18.pdf

Here is my haiku for my readers: (also translated in German)

snow melts …

in my mother’s lap

I collect the sunlight

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My haiku - "masquerade ball" is up at Gnarled Oak.

Here's the link: http://gnarledoak.org/issue-5/masquerade-ball/

You can read my haiku here as well...

masquerade ball
under the makeup
my wrinkles

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I just submitted y senryu and haiku to other journals for the rest of the month as I am keeping too busy with my festive job of chocolates and diyas (wishing lamps). Also, I will be away for a vacation from end of Nov till Dec ...so have to submit. Fingers crossed.

Decemeber is a month for editing the anthology for Author's United and I will be absolutely occupied till Christmas.

Happy Festive Preparations to all of you!

Why Amitie Happened ?

I have been always a very extrovert person, and clear in my conversation, and many actions as well. I am not gender biased or one of those who think how to react before they act. I have been a very free minded person who loves to express what she feels....

BUT I must write - I used to be like this. 

This July - everything changed for me, and I am sure it will be never the same again. Three things once broken can never be amended - glass, heart and trust. You can use the best adhesive but at last all you will see - will be the 'CRACK' in it....lol!!

At times you spend years to know someone, to find a face to a name, and then one day your life changes , and you regret why you came to know things this way. It happened for me.

A mug with few French words prompted me to make it my profile picture. I thought to celebrate friendship (which was a significant part of my real world). But technology and the file properties showed up a different direction - a name that left me thinking 'am I seeing the right name'. I used all the softwares for checking the properties but it showed up the same name. Things changed!!

In few clicks - everything changed. I was furious...angry...hurt....lol...and at the end an illeist, I guess...not sure. Few seconds changed me forever. My mind was numb. My heart just broke into pieces and it will be never beat the same way ever !

I chose to ask. I chose to question. My mind said - Do It! 

But my heart said - Wait. Flip your choice of anger with love. 

I relaxed. In front of me was a beautiful family (maybe I wanted to see). I felt like a rushing wave that can spill a beautiful sandcastle. Being there, I was not there. For the first time - I conquered my anger. I asked no questions. I said nothing. I took all the things within me, and I silently walked away. 

I could have questioned. I could have defended myself for the names called - but at the end, I knew, my love for a friend is above all these silly questions. Maybe I felt like a trash. There were many why(s), if(s), what(s), that will always be there in my heart - but I chose to accept life. 

A room in my heart will have this memory of this friendship. But what about that space that God had created. That's the launch painting of Kala Sutra - Lord Ganesha (as you see below). That's the theme of 2016 Kala Sutra - Divine Friendship. I chose my love for a friend over my anger. I chose my silence over my questions. I chose my friend's happiness over mine. I accepted all blames happily as when you love a friend - you have to accept them as they are. For me - it was a friendship, and  that's how Amitie painting happened. 

And I just left.....forever!!

Maybe some day....don't know....I actually don't know will God change things...

Few seconds of anger control helped me to sustain and stabilise things.

I might be misunderstood forever - but it's better than being a rushing wave towards a sandcastle.

"Rest of your life - you shall live with your hatred..
Rest of my life - I shall live with my love for a friend" ....(unknown)

This Festival Season - Promise Yourself to do good to your loved ones.

Buona Notte!

RL Poetry Award 2014 Anthology

Dear Readers  -

This brings a big smile on my face as the RL Poetry Award 2014 Anthology is up!

Out 960 entries, and in the haiku section two Indians were recognised for their work bringing them in top ten finalists list. This includes me as well. The article in the newspaper, and now the anthology of the same - surely means a lot to me. Keep haiku(ing)!

I have got through the international category so it means a lot to me - as an Indian.

Here is the link for quick access. I will post my haiku on my official author page soon!!

http://thepoetrymail.com/rl-poetry-awards/2014-2/

Hugs,

Archana

Updates about 'POH'.

The October issue of Brass Bell: an online haiku journal includes a haiku of mine. The theme was 'HAPPINESS'.

following

the falling kites . . .

children giggle

- Archana Kapoor Nagpal

I am also writing my next post for my another blog - 'Power of Happiness'. I am quite particular about the topics that I plan to write for this blog. My next post will be up by mid-Oct wherein I am writing about Acceptance v/s Ignorance. Trust me - you will be able to relate to it, very well!

Hugs 

Archana

Our First Cheque Comes Home!

It takes me immense pleasure to share the first royalty received for our four successful anthologies. Honestly, more than the fancy title that I hold at Author’s United (AU) –  this first cheque gives me a reason to be really proud of our efforts, and work published so far. We are one FAMILY, and we are growing very fast. I see the growing likes for our page, and that keeps us moving in the right direction. Here is the link to ‘LIKE’ our page of Author’s United (AU).

https://www.facebook.com/authorsunited?ref=hl

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Hammad Khan who founded this whole idea of bringing authors of different countries, cultures and genre under one roof – known as ‘Author’s United’.

Secondly, I would like to thank the pilot batch of Author’s United as they showed complete trust in us, and the idea of working for a social cause.

 I would like to express my deep gratitude for all those haiku poets who believed in our very first project of Haiku, and contributed their work for the anthology. Not to forget – their contribution and our concept ranked this anthology among the top 100 bestsellers in that category. This was an achievement for AU in itself.

How can I forget to thank all the volunteer editors who worked with us in editing these anthologies? It takes a lot - to design a book, to proofread a book, to write various sections of the book, and above all an error free work for our readers.

AU does not pay to the writers and the editors. Also, AU started the platform with self-publishing tools. This cheque is our belief in the self-publishing tools, and shows our loyalty towards our readers. Good to know – we have not disappointed them!

To mention – AU contributes the royalty received for the social cause. Without your consent – we could not have accomplished this first milestone of social cause. We are planning to start the social cause wing of AU, and will be soon sharing it with AU family and readers.