Their "lot in life"

Over the last few days, three friends have spoken to me about “lot in life”. To hear them speak, their life has been one of constant misery, with no visible end to their suffering in sight. Not for a moment am I belittling their problems- unless you experience it yourself, you can have no idea what another person is going through.

Yet, the same people also have so much to be thankful for, all of which they take for granted. Yes, it is natural to want more. But when we have so much, shouldn’t we also be counting our blessings? 

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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

I don't lend

“Don’t you hate it when a book you lend is returned with pencil marks?”, someone asked. No, I don’t. Because I don’t lend books.
For a very brief spell, I let a few people borrow my books, but that’s before I realized that when someone borrows a book, ownership virtually passes onto them- they rarely return the book, and when they do you realize they have messed it up.
So I stopped lending books. If someone asks me, I ask them if they will lend me their toothbrush. They get it. If not, I’m happier without them for a friend.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

Isn't a passion meant to give you pleasure?

“My Personal Bests are drying up”, is a comment I often hear from other runners. And I never cease to be surprised.
Why did we start running? Because running gave us something- the time to be with ourselves, the joy of being in resonance with our body, a high that only another runner will understand. Were we even thinking of distances or times? Definitely not.
Then why start now? Why beat yourself up chasing an arbitrary number, if it means giving up the joy that running gave you in the first place? Isn’t a passion meant to give you pleasure?

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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

The seeds you sow

About a year back, I advised someone who was contemplating withdrawing from the first marathon he’d registered for, to go for it. “There is no shame in starting and dropping out”, I’d said. “But if you do finish, you will remember that event for the rest of your life”. Today, he thanked me for it on a public forum.
The deeds you do are like seeds. Once they scatter, you don’t know what happens to them. Most fall on barren ground, or are trampled underfoot. But sometimes, some take root and grow. And when that happens, you can feel proud.

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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

A Shot in the Light

Some months back, I wanted to read “To Kill a Mockingbird”, but couldn’t find my copy anywhere. I looked where it was supposed to be, I looked where it could perhaps be, I even looked where it should not be, but I never found it. Finally, I decided to buy another copy. But when I looked it up online, the covers were not the same as mine. I ended up not buying the book, because for me, a book is necessarily the entire package.

And yet, I’ve downloaded Kindle on my i-pad. And I have just one book on it.

A Flock of Ill Omens- Part I, A Shot in the Light by Hart Johnson for free download today only
In Short Supply: Part II, A Shot in the Light
So This is War: Part III, A Shot in the Light- releasing today

Grab your copies now.




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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

Having it all

“My boss is giving me a really rough time. My mother has to undergo a surgery. My wife is demanding more of my time. My work hours are horrible. And I have no time to run”, said a friend.

While I can empathize with him about things all coming at the same time, I wonder if things really need to be that bad. You can’t really control illnesses in the family, or bad bosses. But when you are barely surviving, do you really need to run? Having it all is a myth- in reality, you need to prioritise what’s important.

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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.