Wednesday, March 17, 2010

INVICTUS

I always loved this piece of work by William Henley and when a movie with the same title appeared, I had to watch it. And today, I am ever more inspired.

INVICTUS by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,Black as the pit from pole to pole,I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloudUnder the bludgeonings of chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms but the Horror of the shade,And yet the menace of the yearsFinds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll,I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul.

Friday, March 5, 2010

A day in a life

A phone call woke me up. I thought it did. But it was an alarm I had set the previous night. Oh it wasn't the previous night. It was a bunch of hours earlier. Still, I felt like I didn't sleep a wink.

I took a quick shower and accepted my flatmate's invitation to have a cup of coffee with him in the kitchen. As always, I went for black, without sugar.

We got dressed, walked a few yards and met our Bhutanese friends- a couple, who were heading back to Bhutan. I said my goodbye. My heart felt heavy as I boarded the bus that took me to my university. I suck at goodbyes.

I had a meeting with my course advisor, an angel in a professor's disguise. She loved the topic I proposed for my research. A friend waited for me outside. We were hungry. A Japanese restaurant we picked offered to convert one of their recepies into vegetarian. Or else I would have starved.

It rained hard. My flatmates had the dinner ready. I chose to give them company with a glass of wine before withdrawing into our respective rooms. I watched Julie and Julia, an impressive act by Merryl Streep.

It is almost 11:00 pm. Thus  I have lived another day of my life. We all do. Nobody acknowledges.