I was in the 7th grade when I had to recite a poem on stage. That was my first solo performance. My deep-rooted stage fear had always prevented me from volunteering for any events, except maybe a play where I could blend in with the crowd. But then, I selected Wordsworth’s Daffodils and stuttered my way through the entire recitation, despite days and hours of preparation. I don’t remember much except for the flush that enveloped my ears, making it feel as if I was reciting from the seabed. Yet, my love affair with poetry continued unabated despite this fiasco.
I cannot travel by train without recalling Stevenson’s From a Railway Carriage, nor can I let a brook pass by without remembering Tennyson’s “Men may come and men may go, but I go on forever.”
Feelings and emotions play a vital role in the well-being of our minds and thought processes, which influences our relationships on a personal and societal level. How successfully we express ourselves determines the response to our actions.
Can you imagine having maximum attendance of many thousands at a virtual book launch? That seems like a nearly impossible task, doesn’t it? Well, the renowned author Megha Bajaj has this and more to her credit in her glorious list of achievements.
In school these days, all of us have been learning different types of texts, and ‘tips’ articles are one of them. It can get confusing (I have first-hand experience), so I decided to write something to aid all of you.
1. Be Conversational
Use direct address with your reader. You don’t want your reader to feel left out or ignored in any way. They will feel encompassed in your words.
2. Maintain a Semi-Formal Tone
Have the perfect semi-formal tone to appeal to all audiences. A formal register frightens away adolescents, and a casual one might not resonate with more mature individuals.
Matcha is a traditional Asian tea. It is a finely ground powder that is made of crushed green tea leaves, traditionally called tencha, which are from the plant Camellia sinensis. The leaves are kept in the shade for around 20 days before the matcha is produced. It is now a common ingredient used in various dishes, both traditional and modern. Let’s have a glance at its history and origins.
Well, if you are pondering a little over the title, let me elucidate that for you. I was just having a little fun playing with the different meanings of the word ‘figure’. By the way, that was a figure of speech used, a pun, well intended. If this brought a grin on your beautiful face, the purpose is served.
It was evening. The sky was a painter’s dream of accomplishment. But how could one capture this heavenly beauty that seemingly lit every corner of the Earth? The sun was slowly steeping into the ground while its scattered yellow lights bid goodbye to the worn-out people of the land. The moon was now peeping from between the fluffy white clouds, glowing softly. Its softness numbed my pricking worries, letting my mind live life for once. The wind was blowing softly. Brushing my cheeks, it quietly landed on each tree, making their nettled leaves sway gently. I stared. My restless red eyes were soaking in the simplicity of this beauty. “Even an eternity wouldn’t do justice to such a paradise,” I said quietly to myself. This moment was my escape from reality. This is when I would pretend that the world was this phenomenal dwelling of peace and love. But alas, one’s imagination can only last so long. Aware that reluctance was tugging at my heart, I turned my glance at the people around. Predictably, what lay in front of me was- in a word – “chaos”. It was quite amusing to see people so wrapped up in their problems, that not even a paradise for a solution would dare distract them. “Mortals,” I said, shaking my head in disappointment.
“God believes in creating infinite variety because he believes variety is the spice of life.”
Pluck any two leaves from the tree. Aren’t they different? Then how can two children be the same? Teachers, parents and grown-ups need to understand that each child is born with a unique set of talents, personality traits, abilities and interests to make this world a beautiful and colorful mosaic. Imagine how dull and dreadful life would be if everyone was either an engineer or a doctor?
