Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Rain into a paper cup

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

The house was a mess.  What started out as a fix for the seepage spiralled out into a complete restoration project.   The walls scraped and plaster pounded out.  Water pipes replaced and the home rewired.  Rooms painted, furniture polished and then the cleanup.

Cleaning the dust laden house I came across my mother’s notebooks.  As I opened them her handwriting jumped out of the pages.  Engrossed I read as words raced from one page to another, covering philosophy, religion and literature encompassing poems, essays and translations.  To read her quoting Buddha and Thoreau was like being in her company again.

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Written for Friday Fictioneers Word Count : 100.

Returning to Fictioneers after supervising an unexpected restoration project.  This indeed was what occurred today. While cleaning up I found my mother's notebooks.  She used these to write on whatever topic was close to her heart at that time.  She wrote at frantic pace putting to paper the many thoughts that were overflowing in her mind, covering page after page till there was no more space left to write.
The words that I found in her notebook came from Atmashatkam mantra

mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu chidananda rupah shivoʼham shivoʼham

I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory, 
I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes,
I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind,
I am the expression of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva...



The title of my flash this week is a nod to lyrics from Across the Universe (for those of you playing at home).

To go through the closet and find other other stories from this week click here

34 comments :

  1. To clean out the closet can reveal the best of treasures...

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    1. It can indeed. Thanks for reading and commenting Björn.

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  2. Replies
    1. Thank you Susan, I am glad you liked it.

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  3. Today, she would have been a blogger.

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    1. She spoke on the community radio and I had made an audio blog for her. http://umapant.blogspot.in/

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  4. Dear Subroto,

    Across the Universe began to play as I read your title. What a wonderful find that you beautifully worked into your flash. Thank you for sharing something so deeply personal.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Thanks Rochelle. Seeing those notebooks with page after page of writing bought back memories that I could not ignore.

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  5. What a lovely find, thank you for sharing

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    1. Thanks Mike, I am glad you liked it.

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  6. Well worth the effort then. A true reward.

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    1. It did bring back memories. Thanks for your comments Sandra.

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  7. Oh, how I liked this, Subroto! You imply such a strong, living relationship between mother and child. And what a beautiful character study of the mother and her passionate enthusiasms.

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    1. Her thirst for knowledge always left me impressed. Thank you for your comments Penny.

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  8. What a wonderful find you have shared here!

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    1. It was interesting going through them again. Thanks for your comments Liz.

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  9. Anonymous5:41 am

    Thanks for this piece. It is so apt for this prompt.

    Also thanks for the translation of Nirvana shatakam

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    1. Thanks YS I am glad you liked it.

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  10. What a wonderful discovery some closets turn out to be. Thank you for sharing this. Beautiful.

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    1. There are always hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Thanks for your comments Dale.

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  11. I would love to know what happened to all the voluminous letters my mom used to write.

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    1. I guess I am lucky to have found these ones. Thanks for reading and commenting Linda.

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  12. What a touching story! I imagine you will enjoy much time going through these journals.

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    1. It is very nostalgic reading them. Thanks for your comments Karen.

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    1. Thank you Loré, I am glad you liked it.

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  14. Lovely memoir, Subroto. What a great find. :) --- Suzanne

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    1. It was a great find. Thanks for your comments Suzanne, I am glad you liked it.

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