Not Everything Contagious Will Make You Sick

I wrote a Sonnet! That’s right! As the world is forced into this recent unfortunate lockdown, I decided to claim back my artsy mojo! The times have been quite unsettling, but I choose to remain positive. In return, the universe appears to be returning the favour by revealing several silver linings. So here I am, writing, finally able to think, articulate and express myself through one of my favourite mediums: words!

Of course, it happened on the world wide web! Where else and how else? We are after all holed up at home. This period has shown me that we are indeed part of a global village. You get people to sit at home long enough, and magic starts to happen. And then that magic also becomes contagious –From live concerts to celebrity conversations and dance parties with celebrity DJs, Instagram has become the hub for magical interactions. I recently experienced a little piece of this ‘magic’ when one of my literary idols hosted a writing workshop on Instagram Live.

I know what you are thinking: How does a writing workshop compare to celebrity DJ live parties? To put it in context, the workshop was hosted by renown Indian/Canadian poet/author, Rupi Kaur! Rupi’s work reminds me of ancient Greek philosophers, very soulful and stirring. Her debut book sold 2.5 million copies worldwide and spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list! And for the millennials; she has 3.9 million followers on Instagram and 645k followers on Facebook. I hope we are now fully aligned on how excited I was to see a post on her Instagram page, inviting ‘us’ to join her for a workshop. If not, just indulge me, please.

When I saw Rupi’s IG notice, I shared the great news with some of my colleagues I felt might be interested. We scheduled and come Friday at 6 pm sharp we were ready, armed with our notepads, pens and very high expectations. We were not alone, there were seven thousand of ‘us’, and Rupi who came across as quite down-to-earth was well prepared. The workshop felt quite intimate; She shared her methods and got us to do some writing exercises where the idea was to let our subconscious take over. At the end of the workshop some people got to share their work, she chose randomly, I wasn’t chosen 🙁

The whole experience felt both exhilarating and fulfilling. I got to convene with like minds and connect with my creative side. By now, you should know that this article cannot be complete unless I share my beautiful piece of art. Hope it inspires you to pick a pen or paintbrush and create some magic.

Umbrella

I am an umbrella

Sturdy, definite, dependable

Most times I feel neglected when I am not outside

I love the rays of the sun on my ribs, it keeps my canopy dry

I worry when it’s windy, I would usually most probably flip

I strive to be reliable, though I sometimes fold up in doubt

The silence of the seasons would usually freak me out

I feel guilty when I wish for rain, morning showers are the best

A reminder of a fresh start; to protect, to serve and shield

Think of me as a true accomplice, ever ready, ever sure

Come rain, come sunshine, come fall, I am here with you through it all.