Reflection

Crystal’s Gait

Flash Fiction

Crystal walked in the centre of the quiet road, laughing, frolicking, humming a sweet tune, breaking away from the role of the pedestrian, swaying and moving forward, sideways and backwards, sideways.

Reaching on time didn’t bother her, so she jumped out of joy, tapping on the road as if saying hello. The road, a bit confused, said “where to?” And Crystal tapped, tapped, tapped and said, “do you change and grow bigger when it’s quiet?”

Quietly the road began observing itself (and continues to do so even now).

Walking ahead Crystal met a tall tree that mimed some ten thousand stories, each one blowing away with the wind, now and then. She sat to listen, then walked away carrying a dozen (stories) in her pocket.

She has been walking since so long, she doesn’t remember when and where did she start. But nothing is amiss and so she continues ahead with now some hundreds of stories in her pocket.

Crystal stops only near water-wells to drink the cool calming water and see her reflection in it before gulping it down. An older self beams back at her from deep within the well and Crystal, checking her hairstyle, waves a greeting, rippling the water.

The stone steps, the tiny plants, the rope and tin bucket, in union with the well, then tell the visitor (Crystal) a story about the well and the sky. She is carrying this tale along, she dropped some (stories) there to make some space.

And she is walking, walking, walking away… laughing and frolicking, humming a tune, breaking away from the role of the pedestrian, dancing on those days when it rains.

**Crystal**
[Image by Piyapong Saydaung from Pixabay]

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Which One?

Posted on April 23, 2023 by Jagriti Rumi Constant Movement Fish Floating Leaves Ideas Journey Life Listen To Message Old Masters One Reflection Saga Tall Trees Three Worlds Time

Commentary

*Three Worlds* by M. C. Escher. Lithograph, 1955.
[Source – Wikipedia]

Out of the three worlds, this time, which one can you hear? Which one appeals to you more? The fish’s saga, the floating leaves’ travelogue or the tall dry trees’ declaration?

Is it clear then that the fish is frantically slow and brokenly quick, dashing here and there, carrying a wide-eyed moustache-o message for one and all?

And that the floating leaves, united and wet, surge to take over the stick, the feather, the boat and the paddles? A spirit of wilfulness rises in every seemingly dead leaf that allows it to fade at its own pace… green, red, brown, and skeletal leaves speak a different language.

The tall dry trees say nothing that time can capture in the garb of winters, autumns, summers, springs or monsoons, for the tall dry trees declared it long back that it is all just one big movement, constant movement, and stays so whether you measure it or not.

Is it clear then that the trees are old masters and not just a reflection of our ideas?

Out of the three worlds, now, which one do you listen to? Which one swirls you as if on a joy ride? Which one’s too fast, which one’s too slow?

Which one? Or is there simply just one?

**One big movement!**
**[Source – Pixabay]**

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Night Jasmine

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Jagriti Rumi Divine Light Flowers Life Night Jasmine Path Peace Perfection Reflection Truth

Poem

Six petals in sync
With orange centre as link

Adorned with white peace
Singing with the trees

Fragrant, pure and polite

Holding the divine light

For it begins at dusk

And greets all at dawn

Resting on the leaves

Or on the path, it weaves

A true reflection

Of perfection.

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Reflection

Posted on August 29, 2017 by Jagriti Rumi Golden Rain Tree Myself Quiet Reflection Smiled Steps Weather Wind Window

Flash Fiction

The window was closed and I stood staring, the reflection looked better, I thought.

I took a step forward and could still see myself, but also the wind blowing outside. The flying leaves passed right through me and the golden rain tree caressed me gently.

**The wonderful golden rain tree.**
**Image by Suanpa from Pixabay**

Few more steps towards the window and I got closer to myself. The reflection was quiet… unlike the weather outside. I could even hear the wind, the music it played was resonant.

I forgot the reflection and saw through it as I stood by the window. The live drama outside and the rhythms playing caught me and I hummed along. I smiled.

Just then like a flash I again noticed my reflection on the window, it was also smiling this time. Immediately I changed my focus and tuned to watching the wind’s performance, smiling the whole while.

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Reflection

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Jagriti Rumi Circle Life Reflection Revelation Stories Time Travel To Kill a Mockingbird

How brilliant it is that we can time travel? The art of storytelling can take us anywhere we want.

Recently, I met Scout and Jem in America; it was the unforgettable 1940s then. While I got to know their daily routine and the way they spent their summer holidays, I realised that it wasn’t much different from the way I and my brother spent ours.

Of course, the fact that we were brought up here in India, our games, and our ways were a bit different but the spirit was the same.

And who cares about the dry, old facts when feelings rule high?

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is wonderfully written and is a complete circle. The events start and hold your attention throughout.

You reach the end and find that you, along with Scout, have drawn a circle, a perfect one.

Though you wish to read more and know more, after keeping the book down you are left to ponder upon a great number of things just like one feels after a revelation.

Time flies so fast and gives us an impression of change but what changes and what doesn’t remain uncertain.

To me, this novel shares a feeling that things might appear to but they don’t actually change.

In fact, things just shift from one level to the other.

But wait, all of this is more powerful than one can think. We still want to hear what Scout has to say.

Her story remains as engaging as it was for the people back then.

This is what a soulful story does, it continues and flies and sometimes even time travels.