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Merry Christmas

by Ninagracia, posted in Once, Briefly, Writing

The year 2020 has been tough. People around the world will celebrate Christmas filled with new hopes and dreams, and for the first time in a while, it will give us new strength to build our goals and calm us down from all the fears that have taken over our lives.

If we could only smile, just think of all the happiness it will bring into our lives.

Let us not forget too, the people who were with us on this journey.

It has been a long and challenging one year.

To all my followers, I genuinely thank you for your support.

Ninagracia.com made it through its first year.

Let’s get into the spirit of Christmas and celebrate.

Created By: https://nathanmayartist.wixsite.com/nathanmayfine-arts

A special acknowledgment to Nathan May for creating this video clip.

From all of us, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


Images by http://www.nicepng.com


Take care and enjoy the pleasures of life.


Ninagracia

Music by: https://www.youtube.com/
Song: Michael Bublé – White Christmas 

Let’s Celebrate

by Ninagracia, posted in From Other Voices, Inspiration

25 BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS QUOTES

The year 2020 rolled out so many challenges beyond our grip. It put us through severe tests, and we faced a series of trials. It stripped us of our privileges to enjoy life, to earn a living, and to be with the company of our friends and families.

The year froze to a stand-still. Our mental and emotional strengths were put into the spotlight – how courageous we are and how strong we are.

There are so many of us who might find no reason to celebrate Christmas because deep in our hearts, we carry so much pain and hurt. We think there is nothing to be thankful for.

Let us not look what is in front of us but look at a greater distance farther away. It will make things visible to us and illuminate the dark year that crippled our hopes and dreams.

There is always something to be thankful for, no matter how big or small it is.

Hopefully, if we could all look back, the new year that is just on its way here would be easy to welcome.

Let us all think of the true meaning of Christmas.

These quotations I collected might bring new hope for the new year and give us heaps of reasons to celebrate with our friends loved ones.

Don’t forget too that no one should never be alone on Christmas.

“Good news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a child is given,
To crown us with the joy of heaven.”
– Martin Luther

“I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.”
– Taylor Caldwell

“Christ was born in the first century, yet he belongs to all centuries. He was born a Jew, yet He belongs to all races. He was born in Bethlehem, yet He belongs to all countries.”
– George W Truett

“All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.”
– David Jeremiah

Source: https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/meaning-of-christmas.html

“At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart? Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others with God’s own love and concern.”
-Mother Teresa


“You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell him you have received his Christmas gift.”
– John R. Rice


“Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again.”
– George Whitefield

Source:https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/inspiring-quotes/25-quotes-about-christ-for-your-christmas.html

“Christmas can be celebrated in the school room with pine trees, tinsel and reindeers, but there must be no mention of the man whose birthday is being celebrated. One wonders how a teacher would answer if a student asked why it was called Christmas.”
– Ronald Reagan

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
  – Hamilton Wright Mabie   

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow   

“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.”                                                         

– Charles M. Schulz

Source:https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/christmas

“Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.”
– Helen Steiner Rice

“Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
– Oren Arnold

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, but softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small.
– Eva K. Logue 


“The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”
– Burton Hillis

“There is no name so sweet on earth, no name so sweet in heaven, The name, before His wondrous birth, to Christ the Savior given.”
– George W. Bethune


“Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.”
  – G.K. Chesterton, Brave New Family

Source: https://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/quotations.htm

“There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions.”
– Bill Mckibben, Hundred Dollar Holiday

“Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.”
– Eric Sevareid, attributed, Opening the Gifts of Christmas

“Much of the beauty of Christmas lies in its challenge to look further, deeper, until we find its secret in the heart of God. But we never find that unless we look beyond the presents under the tree.”  
– Dale Evans, A Happy Trails Christmas

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.”
-Janice Maeditere    

Source: http://www.notable-quotes.com/c/christmas_quotes_vi.html

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.”
– by Andy Rooney

“At Christmas, all roads lead home.”
  – Marjorie Holmes

“Christmas is joy, religious joy, an inner joy of light and peace.”
– Pope Francis 

“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”
– Peg Bracken 

Source: https://pixelsquote.net/christmas-quotes/

Till next time, Merry Christmas.

See the good in people and enjoy the pleasures of life.


Ninagracia

Images by: https://www.nicepng.com/









The Power of Words: Shall We Sing?

by Ninagracia, posted in Once, Briefly, Writing

Let’s admit it. When we hear dance music, it is hard to ignore the beat. So, we tap our feet, snap our fingers, tilt our heads to the left and to the right, and we sing along with it. That rush of excitement made us dance (when there’s no one watching) or if you are brave enough, grab someone to dance along with you.

Image by: https://www.nicepng.com/

Okay, that is how I imagined we would typically do it. But what about if we read song lyrics? What would you do aside from singing it to yourself?

This is your writing prompt number 5.

You can sing the song, or you can do something with it.

When we listen to music, it grabs our attention, and we momentarily get lost in the tune, beat and melody of the song. Sometimes we don’t even realise that every word or phrase on those songs convey some thoughts and emotions.

Because every song has a story behind it.

Reading song lyrics can make our minds wander around. The words in the song can inhibit new ideas, images, unlock memories and emotions.

We can create something new or write a new story, poem, or even a new song based on the song lyrics. The possibilities are endless.

Okay, let’s begin. Let’s do it one bite-size at a time.

For those who love the “Blues”, here are a few lines that would be great to start with.

GIVE ME ONE REASON (By Tracy Chapman)

Give me one reason to stay here
And I’ll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I’ll turn right back around

Said I don’t wanna leave you lonely
You got to make me change my mind

MISTY BLUE (By Dorothy Moore)

Oh, it’s been such a long, long time
Look like I’d get you off of my mind
But I can’t
Just the thought of you (just the thought of you)
Turns my whole world misty blue (misty blue)

Oh honey, just the mention of your name (just your name)
Turns the flicker to a flame
Listen to me good, baby
I think of the things we used to do
And my whole world turns (misty blue) misty blue

For the lovers of “Country Music”, I got these for you…

HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT
(By Kris Kristofferson, Lorrie Morgan)

Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Laying’ soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early morning’ light
All I’m takin’ is your time
Help me make it through the night

SUSPICIOUS MINDS (By Elvis Presley)

We’re caught in a trap
I can’t walk out
Because I love you too much baby
Why can’t you see
What you’re doing to me
When you don’t believe a word I say?
We can’t go on together
With suspicious minds (suspicious minds)
And we can’t build our dreams
On suspicious minds

Feel like “Dancing”? I got that covered too…

HAPPY (By Pharrell Williams)

It might seem crazy what I’m ’bout to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way
Huh, because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

MAN IN THE MIRROR (By Michael Jackson)

I’m gonna make a change,
For once I’m my life
It’s gonna feel real good,
Gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right
As I, turn up the collar on
My favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the streets,
With not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs
A summer disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind ya’ know
‘Cause they got nowhere to go
That’s why I want you to know
I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you want to make the world a better place
(If you want to make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah

You don’t have to be old to like “Jazz”. Raise your hand if you are…

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (By Louis Armstrong)

I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying
“I love you”

DON’T KNOW WHY (By Nora Jones)

I waited ’til I saw the sun
I don’t know why I didn’t come
I left you by the house of fun
I don’t know why I didn’t come
I don’t know why I didn’t come
When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away
Instead of kneeling in the sand
Catching teardrops in my hand
My heart is drenched in wine
But you’ll be on my mind
Forever

When we hear the name Michael Jackson, what comes to mind is “Rhythm and Blues“.

ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE (By Michael Jackson)

One day in your life
You’ll remember a place
Someone touching your face
You’ll come back and you’ll look around, you’ll

One day in your life
You’ll remember the love you found here
You’ll remember me somehow
Though you don’t need me now
I will stay in your heart
And when things fall apart
You’ll remember one day

END OF THE ROAD (By Boyz II Men)

Girl you know we belong together
I don’t have no time for you to be playing with my heart like this
You’ll be mine forever baby
You just wait

We belong together
And you know that I am right
Why do you play with my heart?
Why do you play with my mind?
Said we’d be forever
Said it’d never die

How could you love me and leave me and never
Say goodbye?

If you want fantastic music that “Rock”, I got you covered too…

MEMORIES (Elvis Presley)

Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind
Memories, sweetened through the ages just like wine
Quiet thought come floating down
And settle softly to the ground
Like golden autumn leaves around my feet
I touched them and they burst apart with sweet memories
Sweet memories

BLOWING IN THE WIND (By Bob Dylan)

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, ‘n’ how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind

Some people say music is good for the “Soul” …

LEAN ON ME (By Bill Withers)

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow
Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART (By Al Green)

I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do
I could never see tomorrow, but I was never told about the sorrow
And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again

Had enough?

Music can lift our spirit and mood. It encourages us to seek inspiration to create something new.

Pen a story, a poem, a new song, or new characters for your story.

Use the power of words. Use those lyrics to inspire your creativity.

Till next time, remember – “Music eases the mind and puts all worries behind”.

And oh – as long as you don’t ask me to sing, we’ll be best friends forever.


See ya!



Ninagracia

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
Lyrics: https://www.music.youtube.com/











Rhythm and Rhymes: The Road Not Taken (By: Robert Frost)

by Ninagracia, posted in In Conversation with the Poems, Reading and Watching

The Road Not Taken

By

Robert Frost
(1874-1963)

“The Road Not Taken”  is a narrative poem published in 1916. It is one of the most famous poems that captured the fascination of so many people and often misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Some people would say that there is no single meaning or interpretation of a poem and its significance lie in the mind of the writer at the time he wrote the poem.



Image by: https://www.subpng.com/


The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference. (Source)

Here’s a short recap of the poem:

The narrator in the poem encountered a problem when the road he was travelling became two separate paths. As a solo traveller, he could not take both routes. He stood for long to see where each road would lead him. Since he cannot travel on both paths, he was considering the best possible option before deciding which direction to take. However, he could not see the road very well because the forest was dense with leaves and vines.

He figured out that taking the other path was a better option because it was grassy. It looked like no one had walked there. Upon walking on that road, he realised that the grass had worn away the same as the other road because they both been travelled equally. In other words, the same number of people must have walked on that road.

Both roads have a similar condition of wear. Without uncertainty, he decided that over time he would take the other road even though he had doubts if he would ever come back there again.

At some point in the future, he would tell that he was confronted with a problem when two roads diverged in some wood. He had to make a hard choice about which route to take. His decision to take the road that was less travelled by made all the difference in his life.

**********

The Road Not Taken is the most well-known poem of our time. After reading it through, I was deeply immersed in thoughts for its complexities and sophistication.

Poems are presented to us to be enjoyed and interpreted. It is not something that we can argue or prove, instead, it is for us to understand the significance of every single word the writer was trying to express.

The message in this poem is about making a choice. Every day in our lives we make simple choices– what food to eat, what clothes to wear, what shows to watch on the television, or where to go for our next holiday. We make hard choices too where our lives, our friends and families, our total well-being, our future and career entirely depend on that choice.

Making a choice is more difficult if what we are hoping to achieve is not visible on the other side of the road. Making a wise decision and picking the right path is the choice that we all have to take.

If our actions resulted in the improvement of our lives, then that decision to take that path had a positive outcome.

No matter which road we take, it is a considerable risk, and all we can do is hope for the best. Our choices will always make a big difference in our lives.

This is my personal view of this poem. If you have your own, I’ll be glad to hear it from you.

Till next time, enjoy the pleasures of life.


Ninagracia

____________________

References:

https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/frost/section7/page/2/
https://susanbaroncini-moe.com/please-stop-misinterpreting-the-road-not-taken/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Road_Not_Taken






                               

Read-view: Way of the Peaceful Warrior

by Ninagracia, posted in Reading and Watching, Shush! We're Reading

WAY OF THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR
A Book that Changes Lives

By: Dan Millman

The book says it would change lives, but I don’t think it changed mine.

Here’s why…

  • Way of the Peaceful Warrior is a real-life story of a world-champion athlete, Dan Millman, the author himself. He spoke about his spiritual journey and his search for true happiness.
  • The author describes his close relationship with his friend Socrates and how they develop a teacher-student relationship where trust and loyalty existed between them.
  • The story is partly fictional and partly autobiographical; hence it was written as a novel.
  • The author incorporated some made-up events, which made me agonise over the validity of the story and regarded that such events were real.
  • The author didn’t say why Socrates was given a job to educate him to be a warrior. I struggled to believe that out of the billions of people here on earth, he was hand-picked by some unknown universal power to learn about the ways and life of a warrior.
  • There were some excellent passages in the story that I genuinely love. Still, I found it very difficult to put my faith into those teachings. First, it only tells you what to do, but it never tells you how to do it. Second, I believe that to apply it to your life, you will need someone to give more detailed information and perhaps dig deeper into the meaning of those passages. Reading it alone would not help that much.

The story goes into astonishing levels of details and unnecessary amount of information.

The ending of the story was not something I anticipated. I was expecting for that BIG ending – the big lesson in life like the ultimate discovery of true happiness.

I was hoping for something I could take with me as a gift of enlightenment or searching for my soul to find my true calling. But I guess, this book is only for pure entertainment, and not a “How-to” manual.

And yes, I believe that Socrates was real. He was a living, breathing human being who suffered from a heart attack. 

And no, I don’t believe that he had some kind of magic or mystical power. I am not convinced that he can transport himself to different places and can read and manipulate your mind. I am not convinced either that he glows and can make himself disappear without a trace, which by the way, it seemed like it did not bother the author.

It seemed odd too that Joy (or Joyce) was also part of Socrates mystical adventure. Through his intervention, she met Dan. And then he sent her to “dreamland”, made her disappear and re-appear again and then back into Dan’s real world and then get married.

It would have been a nice fiction-fantasy story if it was intended to entertain. If the purpose of the story is to help change lives as initially claimed, then a real and accurate account of every event would perhaps speak highly for the integrity of the story.

You may and may not agree with me, and I would love to know your thoughts on this book.

All in all, there was some light humour that put a smile on my face.

So, next time you stop at the gas station, watch out for an old man with shiny hair. You never know, you could be his next student.

Till next time, enjoy the pleasures of life.


Ninagracia

Quotes By Oscar Wilde

by Ninagracia, posted in From Other Voices, Inspiration

Motivational and inspirational quotes can boost our moods and change the way we feel about our life, surroundings, and even our feelings at that very moment.

Some quotes can make you smile, and some can lift your spirit.

But first, here’s a little bit about Oscar Wilde…

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms, he became one of London’s most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. He was born on October 16, 1854 at Dublin, Ireland. He was known for his works “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Oscar Wilde passed away on November 30, 1900 at Paris, France.

Here are a few of the quotes by Oscar Wilde.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”

Image By: nicepng.com

For me, the essence of this quote is about self-love. Loving oneself is accepting who you are. It means recognising your strengths,  weaknesses, and limitations. When you learn to trust, love, and respect yourself, you feel happy and motivated to believe in yourself to go after what you want.


“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”

Image By: nicepng.com

My personal take on this quote is: Some people bring joy and happiness whenever they are around. Their joyful personality, even their smile brings warmth to someone’s heart. Whereas some people make others happy whenever they leave because they bear judgement and criticism, and their presence leaves an everlasting trail of hatred and bitterness.

“Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.”

Image By: nicepng.com

My personal view on this quote is: It is not easy to forgive someone who did something terrible to us. It takes so much time to lift the burden that is residing deep our heart. But once we allow for healing, forgiving someone becomes easy. It annoys the person who offended us because it shows that our body may be weak, but our hearts are stronger and can take any pain that is thrown at us.

“Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one.”

Image By: nicepng.com

They said laughter is the best medicine. We laugh because we are happy, which make people get drawn to us because of our fun-loving attitude. But, laughing at someone’s misfortune or misery because we think it’s funny, cause others to resent us.

“Between men and women, there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship.”

Image By: nicepng.com

My personal view on this quote is that friendship between a man and a woman is possible. The foundation of a good friendship is based on mutual respect. It is not easy to maintain and keep the friendship. Still, if a strong bond between two friends is formed, it gives greater happiness and comfort, just like having a brother or a sister standing next to you all the time.

So, what do you think? Do you agree?

“Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”

Image By: nicepng.com

Sometimes, it is a good icebreaker. Don’t we all do that?

“The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.”

Image By: nicepng.com

We are all given a role to play in this world. How we perform is entirely up to us. Our “award” for best performance comes at the end of that play.

“A critic should be taught to criticise a work of art without making any reference to the personality of the author.”

Image By: nicepng.com

Sometimes, the author or the artist’s personality is what makes the critic notice the art.

“There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up.“

Image By: nicepng.com

My personal view on this quote is: We all have junks or unwanted stuff lying around here or there or kept in our cupboards collecting dust. We hesitate to throw them away because of personal attachment we have on those objects. Others did not want to throw them because of the value or amount they paid for those items, and that someone else might take them for free.

Catch up with you next time. Enjoy the pleasures of life.


Ninagracia

References:

Oscar Wilde Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/oscar_wilde_103614.

Images By: https://www.nicepng.com/



Do You Know Your Story Teller?

by Ninagracia, posted in In the Margins, Writing

I was only ten years old when I first read a paperback novel passed on to me by a friend in my class. It was a romance novel by Barbara Cartland. At a very tender age, I began to wonder how she could write beautiful stories, or whether she imagined them all, or if she knew those people.

I grew up admiring her, even though I don’t know anything about her. I love reading her books.  I read at least ten of her books if I could remember it. You see, my friend had stopped passing any books to me because her older cousins didn’t have any more books left.

Image By: https://www.nicepng.com


Now, I have read other books written by different authors, and I began to understand how those beautiful stories were written, or sometimes why they wrote those stories.

Knowing the real-life biography of your storyteller sometimes help to understand their writing. We don’t need to go deeper into their life story, but it is nice to know that they are also human just like us. They experienced sadness, loss, or tragedy. 

Authors write to entertain, to heal, to give hope, to love, and to inspire. And, despite all those events in their lives, they were able to weave beautiful stories that offer hope, or stories that made us and those young children laugh.

Most of their stories were accounts of feelings and emotions were meaningful imaginations and impressions of real events.

Some stories pierce our hearts because beneath the surface of that imagined events lies a part of the author’s revelations of their life and experiences that were partly truthful and colourful.

As an aspiring author, just like you and me, and everybody else, the authors’ real-life story inspires us to be the best we can be. The difficulties that they have to go through and still able to write their book offers us the strength to continue on with confidence and with positive thinking.

Let us learn from the best and understand their work, because once upon a time, they were just like us learning from the best.

Eventually, we too one day, will share our life story to others so we can inspire and give them the strength to write that story that they have been holding off for a very long time.

Till next time, enjoy the pleasures of life.

Ninagracia


A Love Affair with the Moon

by Ninagracia, posted in Once, Briefly, Writing

“Someone out there is also looking at the same stars and moon I am looking at now.”

Have you heard this before? Write something about your affair with the moon.

This is your writing prompt number 4.

Just like some other people, I love to stare at the moon when it comes in the late evening.

It is calming, gentle, and breathtaking. I feel deeply connected with it because it offers me a complete relaxation and a source of tranquility and ethereal stillness.

And it’s a love affair. It comes every night, wherever I am, to give me light where there is ultimate darkness.

Image by: NicePng.com/moonlight

Now, let me share with you mine.

Here’s an excerpt from my work-in-progress romance novel, “Thinner than Water“.

This is what Russell said to Viven …

“I once had a love affair with the moon.  A star fell on my hand, and it glittered like a big diamond.  Then the moon told me, ‘I give it to you to light up your paths.’  She kissed me and whispered, ‘If you wanted to see me, just lookup.  I will always be on the other side looking at you too.’  When I opened my eyes, she was gone.”

Till next time.

Dream big and make it happen.

Ninagracia


Some Women Are…

by Ninagracia, posted in Quiet Verses, Writing

Let us take a break to breathe in some air, drop our shoulders to relax, and let us celebrate the little moments that make our lives glitter and colourful.

Today, our beautiful cousin is celebrating her birthday.

This is the milestone in her life and to be with friends and family
that she adores would complete her day.

From all of us, here’s a gift of poetry specially written for you…


From all of us,

Happy Birthday cousin!

Read-view: Two by Two

by Ninagracia, posted in Reading and Watching, Shush! We're Reading

Two by two
By: Nicholas sparks

Two by Two is a story that shows no one should never walk alone during the difficult times in their life.

This post is my interpretation of the story and what brought me to react towards certain things and change my perception of everything around me.

Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks is a first-person narrative. The story is told by a character named Russell Green.

Russell’s narrative voice is very appealing. Most of the time he is earnest, but there is always an air of humour and fun every now and then when he speaks. He uses some common modern slang expressions. When he is angry, sad, or worried, it is not hard to detect all those feelings in his tone of voice.

First, the characters in the story, who are they?

Russell Green is the central character in the story.

He is a successful advertising executive, married with a young daughter, and owns a beautiful house in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The other characters in the story show different personalities, attitudes and views of the world and the life they live in.

For instance, Vivian, Russell’s wife – after a long absence from work, she recently got a job as an in-house PR Officer working directly with the CEO of a real estate developer. Before she met Russell, she was a successful publicist for a talk show host in New York. Having a child prompted her to stay at home and look after their daughter and the household. She wants to raise her daughter according to the lifestyle she imagines and establishes it early in her childhood. Her materialistic ideals, such as an easy life, job security, and money, was unimpressive and selfish. Vivian is a strong-willed woman, ambitious and manipulative.

Marge, on the other hand, is not only Russell’s older sister but is the driving force in Russell’s life. She is also a best friend, a confidant, a companion, and adviser – all rolled into one. When life seems too much for Russell to bear, she will be there for him to lean on. Marge is the type of person you wish she were your sister also.

Russell describes his close relationship with his parents and how they accepted the concept of same-sex relationships. They are very supportive of Marge and her partner Liz on their journey.

And then, London is the daughter of Russell and Vivian. She is almost six years old, and her bubbly personality always puts a smile on Russell’s face.

Lastly, Emily was Russell’s former girlfriend.  Her unexpected presence in his life became the moment when a surprising and beautiful friendship is formed.  

Now, here’s a little bit about the story…

Two by Two is about love and relationships – love between husband and wife, between friends, between parents and children, and love between brother and sister.

It is a story of a family going through significant changes and loss, and how each and every one of them has their own way of dealing with their grief. It shows that loss has a way of bringing out the best in each of them.

The story brings about a hard choice between the life that Russell thinks he can still fix and a life that is simple and uncomplicated.

When it seems like Russell has it all, and success is at the top of its peak, an unexpected turn of events suddenly changes the course of his life. His marriage, his livelihood and his career took the hardest hit.

Here’s what I think about the book and the story…

The book is a long read. It goes into astonishing levels of details. There is unnecessary small talk that could have been omitted to make the story flow faster and read a lot easier. It is easy to lose one’s concentration, and I lagged behind and lingered for a little while because of so many details and the amount of information in the story, which I think is not essential. I felt like I was dragging my feet to move on to the next chapter.

There are flashbacks in every chapter of the story, introducing each character and events in his past life. Sometimes, there are too many, too much and too long introductions.

Nevertheless, the author took me out of my real world, and he took me on a journey into Russell’s world. When I was in his kitchen, I smelt the sweet aroma of the glazed carrots he was cooking in the oven. Then, I was in his living room, witnessing the argument going on between him and his wife, Vivian. I felt the sudden need to butt in and give Vivian a piece of my mind. Somehow, it made me very angry, and I wanted to pull Russell’s earlobe and tell him off-“Stand up for yourself, will you!”

I started hating Vivian for her selfishness and the way she treats Russell. I saw everything and heard everything, and it made my blood boil.

I am not satisfied at all with the ending of the story, especially with Vivian’s change of heart and getting away with a clean slate. Whatever transpired when Vivian and Marge met up to say their good-byes, my suspicion was that Marge had something to do with it. Marge always fixes everything. Vivian suddenly became one of the good guys. Whatever happened at that time, I guess we will never know. As for me, it did not change anything. I still don’t like Vivian.

What moved me…

There are some beautiful moments in the story. One of them was the dance that Russell and his little daughter had that day. This is what is going through in his mind at that very moment…

          “It was, I realized, the first dance I’d ever shared with my daughter, and I didn’t know when or if it would happen again. I couldn’t imagine dancing with her in a few years – by then, the idea would probably embarrass her – so I lived in the moment and gave myself over to the dance, thankful for yet another wonder at the end of an already unforgettable week.”

We often lose sight of the fact that as we watched our children grow over the years, their free spirits would always fill our hearts with hopes and dreams. They may not know what we are going through in our lives, but they still help us get through the day. It is seldom that we will find a soul who will hold your hand or walk beside you to pass through that untried door, but good friends and family will always stand by your side all the time.

Our society is also rapidly becoming focused on the socio-economic status of every individual. We always aspire to live on the high-end of the spectrum, a jet-setting lifestyle, lots of money and power. That makes me ask these questions: When is it enough? How much is enough?

Apart from that, would it make you think twice if this story happened to you? Would you feel what Russell feels and would you consider doing what you want Russell to do?

Till next time.



Cheers!



Ninagracia