Monachini's Musings

A Piece on a peaceful mind   It was close by, they said, And that I'd find it someday for sure. But desperation was second nature, And I rushed to figure it out soon. I looked under the crumpled autumn leaves, Turned them over gently, but it wasn't there. I followed the shy, meandering brook, Which seemed to flow majestically, Proudly carrying the secret I didn't yet know. Into the woods, down hidden tracks, High up the mountains and valleys low, I wandered and wandered, lost within, Sought new places and experiences, far and near, And yet, I still hadn't found what I was searching for. As the dice of time were cast and the days moved swiftly along, A doubt rose, like a shadow in my mind: Why should I even pursue further, When I don't even know what it is I’m looking for? A shift in the sudden silence erupted, And I heard the trees sway, passing a mysterious message, Far and wide, for miles along, With a speed I couldn't catch up to at all. Where was I going wro...

(10🐝|| !10🐝), isn't that the question? Ah! It's been so long since I wrote again!!! I consider myself a hardcore realist. It's a bit paradoxical to think of myself as someone who likes to conjure up imaginary things alongside what's definite and real. But at the end of the day, the truth is this: I find myself quite attached to thinking practically about things in general. And for this very reason, I've often been told that I'm pessimistic at times. But in my defense, things are simply the way they are. So, yes I tend to be pragmatic and look at situations in the ways they present themselves. And boy, have I been humbled by reality recently.  I had a wonderful summer this year and got to visit Leh, Ladakh, India with my parents. This place was truly like no other I've ever visited, and that's saying something as someone who's travelled quite a bit! The drive was simply spectacular, with some of the most breathtaking scenes I've ever had the goo...

  Weathering the Seasons We either love all the seasons or brave through them just enough to keep getting by. Or maybe, we keep losing track of the moments we're currently in and keep wishing for something else, something that's completely different from what we've got somehow. Perhaps, a little picturization and glorification of each season with the magic of words can help us "weather" our way through them! As winter makes its way at the end of the year spreading its icy ivory-white cloak with a sudden and surprising swoosh, it's marking up a path across the grey, sooty skies and the murky, moist chocolate soils of the fragrant Earth. Mysterious and misty, it sweeps through the last autumn leaves and emerald green plants in its way, turning them into spectacular crystals of ice and dew; of perfect, transparent frozen wonderfulness, and leaves amazement behind. With every silent step it takes, it leaves everyone to witness drastic transformation of scenes into...

Kaleidoscope of Emotions A long-due hello from your old internet pal, I'm Monachini! Wow! It has been long, hasn't it? You see, I kept telling myself that I should really get back to writing soon but somehow, whenever I planned to sit down, relax, and start pouring my thoughts out, there was always something that kept cropping in from some mysterious nook, ready to pull me back into my work. And it would end up where I wouldn't have anything to write about.  I just realized that I started this blog more than a year ago, so as a little celebratory gift to myself for somehow managing to put up nearly a dozen posts online, I thought I'd share another personal anecdote. This one's titled "Kaleidoscope of Emotions" because, the Kaleidoscope is truly a blank canvas, just waiting for each tiny twist, each minute rotation to generate colorful, complex, and intricate patterns, one more unique than the other and I think it's the same with our emotions too. There...

 A review of the book "Walking the Himalayas" Image Source: Flipkart  In all honesty, this is one of my first attempts at writing a review for a book that I've read and enjoyed very much. One glance at the title, and this is what popped into my mind: Levison Wood – ‘a man who will stare danger in the face and soak up a lot of pain without complaint’. Walking the Himalayas is an adventure-travelogue written by British adventurer, photographer, and journalist Levison Wood. This book is an account of Levison’s expedition of crossing a stretch of the Himalayas from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan to Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan on foot. Inspired by the historical expeditions of ancient explorers and his fascination with the ancient Silk route, Levison strays away from the tourist trail to explore the lesser-known and authentic world of the Himalayan region. Crossing steep mountains and trekking through narrow passes, his journey of nearly 1700 miles focuses on understanding ...

  An attempt at achieving alliteration (No pun intended!) Note: Proceed with caution and seriously, good luck for making it till the end of this! Allow attempts at ascertaining absolute absurd ambitions,  But beware before being baffled, bewildered by blunders, believing baseless beliefs bygone. Confront complexities, contemplate chaotic choices cleverly, consider certain convictions carefully. Dearest dreamer! Dodge dangers, don't dare delve deeper down drowsy, daft daydreams. Evade excruciating evaluation, eschew expectations, endeavor escaping everything extreme. Forget fretting futility! For fear forces failure, fortifies fickle futures, furthers frustration forever. Gather goals galore, grasp glories gigantic! Grow gently, gradual grit generates generous gratification. Honor humility. Hail humor, health, harmony, hospitality. However, hope humans have humanity. Introspect ideas, invest in imagination, imbibing intelligence. Ignore idiocy, illogical intentions. Jettison ju...