On Hope

by Sravanthi Vallampati



Preface:
An artist’s depiction of his desperate state of body and mind as he struggles to find his muse.

A unique sort of pleading monologue, an appeal to the Gods of the creative process to preside over with a smile, so thoughts that demand to be distilled can journey into this world that seems to hold promise to all but him!Though his thoughts bleed with despair, Hope springs eternal in his heart....



My desolate thoughts drift aimlessly into the midnight calm,
I despair, perched on a wall, untold woes my soul’s endur’d;
Bleak promise of bread, tattered garb, soul rife with indigence,
no industry doth suit my desires, my guised maiden eludes still;

To the tide of time stands, my frail body an arduous testimony,
Many have come and gone, their shining masterpieces sporting;
Convict of my own affliction, unyielding conviction, I, my saboteur,
aching for thy je ne sais quoi to carve my oeuvre, ardor ignite!

I feed on dreams of hope through the wakeful night, dreams
that succor me tread the tempestuous raillery of existence,
for, tomorrow may be the morn that brings on its swift wings,
my glimmer of heavenly Hope – my calling, my muse!

Descend on me like the twilight I see from this lowly gutter;
By design or happenstance, Descend, so I may rise to meet thee!
Let me rejoice in your attendance or be consumed by acute privation
should destiny keep you from awarding me sweet deliverance.

Let me not ever awake, lie an appalling waste in my eternal dream,
But take away not mine beloved treasure from me, I implore you!
For my love of life, Hope is all I have,
for triumph or tragedy, Hope is all I will.

Here's to my friends...

Preface:
A remark as I think about all those people that I have met in my lifetime and where they are today in relation to where I stand......
“If we are friends, I believe that our prayers, thoughts and actions are just as steady and loyal as time passes, anchored in the knowledge that our relationship will endure the test of time.
How we look at and feel about things present or past, is only a matter of perspective and my hope is that we manage our lives and appreciate actions of those that are dear to us with much care and understanding."
I consider myself blessed to be part of this bouquet of sweet friendship where each flower with its unique hue, fragrance, form and character fills the air with a certain magic that is impossible to resist.

By Sravanthi Vallampati

Many years from now, when all is said and done,
I know I'll feel thankful and blessed once again,
for friends that stayed alongside my shoulder,
in thick and in thin of my life as I grew older.

On your butterfly wings, I've seen many a rainbow,
my imagination soaring, my hopes ultimately aglow,
through blustery cold winds and super sunshiny days,
in my mind’s eye, so vividly, you were there always.

You have taught me a lesson or two, in Love so true,
leaving me with a kinder heart with much to imbue,
to give without hesitation, care without expectation,
to rise above myself, to be sincere in my appreciation.

You let me be me, listening to all I had to say, stories
from the past, hopes for the future, lingering mysteries,
funny anecdotes, friendly banter, intolerant idealism! Me
wonders what I would make of me if it were not for thee!

I reckon, my friends, I'll take another sweet serving of you,
should I re-enter life's fare and have cherished friends few,
to repay in kind, show you I care and acknowledge with zeal,
until then "I shall grapple you to my soul with hoops of steel"

On Being Mom to Little Angels

May 2009

Preface:
I know that I talk to my little ones a lot and stay super busy all day giving lessons on how to do things, from brushing their teeth in the morning to buttoning up their pajamas at bedtime, not to mention the unending list of ‘Don’t’s’, but putting my most meaningful thoughts down in a non-instructional manner to simply say ‘I love you’ in terms that they can understand has proven not to be easy. The emotion is so basic yet it's expression and affect profound beyond imagination.
Here’s a little something dedicated to my little angels to verify that I have tried, in words they can understand...
My dearest,

Thank you for the wonderful Mother's day gift.
Yesterday was an absolutely happy day when I felt that being 'mom' is the best thing in the whole wide world. I could not have asked for more! I enjoyed hearing 'mom' in every one of your sentences through the afternoon, and the picture you have of me as a caring, loving and forgiving person is a gift that I will cherish for as long as I live. I thank God each day for blessing me with a beautiful child like you! I have heard you tell me things about myself that made me laugh and feel silly, and I am glad that my turn has finally come to tell you what you mean to me.

Your smiles, giggles, hugs, tugs, kisses even your occasional tantrums, squeals and spills, make me feel special as I enjoy my chance to be a kid once again. I don’t remember much from when I was a little girl except that my mom and dad told me often how much they loved me, and that a Big Smile was enough to make me and everyone around me happy. A lot of what they said comes back to me each time I look into your eyes or talk to you, and I must say that everything seems more beautiful when you are around. :)

I am an adult today and you know me only as mom that looks and acts like she knows everything there is to know, but let me tell you a little secret......Do you know that you have been my teacher many times? Just when I thought that I had learned a lot and was smart enough to take care of myself, you came along. What a marvelous day that was! My life had changed forever and now I cannot imagine how it would be without you. From that day forward, loving, laughing, caring and sharing have each acquired a new meaning. I feel like I’ve just begun my journey into the world of toys and gadgets, tiny friends, tender feelings, creative art and imagination unlimited. I am loving the ride into this magical world with you by my side and hoping that it would never end! In your own gentle and forgiving ways you have taught me to be kind and strong at the same time, to smile and forgive more, be happy at all times and for small pleasures, mind my manners, love people for who they are, give praise for little stuff, be spontaneous, use my imagination and improvise, ask questions (endlessly!) and of course, that it is more fun to look up to the stars than it is to gaze at muddy shoes. . See what I mean? Thank you!

Many thoughts come to my mind when I think of you. You know how you break into a grin when you see your favorite flavor of Popsicle or that yummy piece of colorful candy? It’s just like that for me. Every time I think of or look at you, a certain gladness take me over and I feel like I am in that candy store. When it comes to you, I have many favorites. My top choices would have to be your heart-warming smile (ear-to-ear grin, more like), wide-eyed curiosity and trust in people and their kindness, ‘it’s OK’ when I snap, our funny stories about school and kids on the bus, cuddle-time jokes, kicking ball, solving puzzles, writing Madlibs, playing in the sprinklers, snowball fights, loading up Ice-cream sundaes, making our own rules just so we can break them and best of all your ‘Big hug’ with little arms that barely go around me in full circle etc. etc. The list seems endless.... I enjoy every little thing I do with you and I am busy making a memory book in my head and heart that is getting bigger and more priceless by the day. It's pages are filled with color, sounds and shapes, and reading from it is one of my favorite hobbies. As I flip through the pages of my memory book, it is easy to see why I love you the way I do and that I have not done everything perfectly. What I also know is that I have tried to be a mom and a friend to you and that I will keep trying until I get it right! I promise to be more patient and playful, shop and shout less, and do more with you than just cook and clean and be mad at homework time. Oh! yes, how can I forget the demands for more sleepovers and gadgets? Like I said, I am learning with you and sometimes don’t have all the answers you need. Even if I do, it is possible that you may not like some of them and that’s OK too. I don’t either :-). What say you and I find some together?

Last but not least, here's the most important thing I want you to know. I want you to know that I am very very proud of you for who you are! As you grow up, I hope that you say "I can" to yourself many times before you let someone tell you otherwise, and believe that you Can make all your dreams come true.  Just believe!I pray that you ‘Be yourself’ and let the kind and loving person within you shine to help keep that priceless smile upon your lips at all times no matter what!

Soon, you will grow up into a beautiful young girl. I can’t imagine what I will do when you leave home, but for now, all I know is that I must live in this moment and enjoy my days with you. By the time I understand you completely and share you with all the stories that I want to share, your toys will have lost their squeak and you may already have grown up and left home, but I do hope that you comeback from time to time to my cooking, hugs and little nothings knowing that I will always love you and that the doors to my heart and home are always open for you. All you need do is turn around and look.
For whatever the future may hold, I wish you health, happiness and success. God bless you!
Love,
Mom