Thatched House

It angers me to see our girls dropped off early in the morning half dead by some Yakubu or some !dille (ask a Russell Peters' disciple to pronounce that for you). Again it angers me to not have sufficient fiscal resources or the audacity of a Punjabi guy to take our girls out in the evenings. We the menfolk of the trans-Brahmaputra are to be blamed for loving our bottles better than our ladies. The sober ones chicken out and fail to be a man. But I've come to realize that it may not be all that bad to let our sisters out. For instance, I feel safer to travel by the Brahmaputra mail when crossing Lalooland because one of ours is married to that land. I don't know her personally but we have mutual friends in facebook. I already feel closer to Lalooji. Imagine what wonders it can do to have such connections in every state of India and beyond. If I should meet an unfortunate day and is about to be thrashed by the Biharis, I'll yell out the connections.

The Bible is the best selling book of all times. About 25 million Bibles were sold in the US in 2005. There are over 500 English translations and the Bible comes in varying forms. We have the Students Bible, The Grace for the Moment Study Bible, Women Bible, Brides Devotional Bible, Couples Bible, Cowboys Devotional Bible, Soul Surfer Bible, the colorful Rainbow Study Bible, Good News for Modern Man, Super-Heroes Bible, Outdoors Bible, Woman Thou Art Loosed Bible, etc, etc. They come in hard covers, leather bound, bonded-leather, imitation-leather, red letter edition, ribbons, special boxes, special message from Max Lucado and so on. It may not be long before we have customized Bibles, say one with personal autograph from Rick Warren? Nelson inc. got help from the fashion industry color reports to decide on the Bible cover color. The BibleZine drew inspiration from teen girls’ magazines. The sidebars of the Bible sharing beauty secrets as: “Have you ever had a white stain appear under...

As a doctor, I prescribe medicines. But I’ve never cared enough how much the prescription is going to cost my patient. Also I’ve not understood how it feels to be a terminal patient or family of one. I still remember; ‘cure may not be possible but we will try for palliative (supportive) therapy’, my professor said about my brother. After that, there was a season of desperation, sleeplessness, exhaustion and hopelessness. In that situation, God had not forgotten us; your help was a godsend which man cannot repay. Thank you. Now I know to some extent how you must have felt when your beloved passed away. My brother has completed treatment and he’s up and active; continuing in his academic career and restarting a new life. And I think I’ve become a more sensitive doctor. Thanks again and God bless you and your family. RIMS, Imphal, 2006

What joy is this?  Can Heaven have more?   (This is the most painful piece I've ever written...because it talks of highest joy...written in a time of deepest pain)

O my Sunshine Shadows are lengthening As you fade from the horizon

Reality bites me to silence  Each time I try to call out your name