The Eyes that Gave Birth...

 I look in the mirror

And though I love who I see

It's my eyes that make me pause

They look so clear

Clearer than ever before

No longer decorated by illusions

Or accentuated by false promises

Or outlined by society's dark expectations 

I have never seen them like this

They appear barren 

Devoid of a lot 

But no longer pregnant with tears and expectations 

It's as if my eyes have finally given birth

After carrying a burden for so long 

They have seen enough 

Sadly, they were never seen enough 

Never looked into

Only shown how invisible I was

I will do for my eyes what I have done in my relationships

Offer them grace 

Hold for them space

To grieve

To rest

But never again to make the mistake

Of unseeing what someone shows you of themselves

Of shrinking myself to fit another's vision

Hiba

Jan 2023

How the Teacup Meets the Wood

 With a tremble, sometimes

With a dash of shakiness
With whiffs of unsteadiness

How the teacup meets the wood
This meeting is so revealing of age, stage and phase of life

In youth, the teacups are drank with more speed
Put down with more fervor
Picked up again and sipped  with more confidence
The arrogance of youth and plenty of time left

In old age, they are sipped with more intention
With more patience,  each sip is experienced more fully
The sugar felt, the temperature judged, the taste deciphered
Maybe because with age, you are never sure if the teacup will meet the wood again ....

Hiba
Dehradun
July 2022
Visits to my mother's friends