Conversation – A start for a Daily Write-up

Today I chose to write on Conversation. Conversation is nothing special, but a daily affair. This is how we talk to each other and share and exchange ideas.

Just imagine a world without Conversation.

It is mostly men who say women talk a lot. Women who are homemakers spend their time at home looking after the home and in that get busy. And the spare time spent conversing on the phone or a chat now and then with the neighbours. What would this poor soul do without such a liberty

At times too much talking leads to sharing of many thoughts with others. There are some who take advantage of this and then gossip with others. The sharing may have been on something that needed to be kept secret – a lady’s stomach, don’t mean all ladies, cannot hold it long -- but some have the habit of spreading rumours.  Better to control one-self while divulging certain things that need to remain within the family members only.

In a family there need to be chat and exchange of dialogue. Talking with one another and sharing of thoughts and ideas makes up a healthy atmosphere in a family.

It is really difficult to keep mum the whole day without talking. Then if one has taken up a challenge not to talk for a day or more for some strong reasons like working on a therapy that is welcome. But not to converse with one another can make life difficult. Talk as much as necessary and not be named as a ‘Chatter box’.

Sometimes who talk too much, get pleasure in speaking all the time but ultimately end up talking un-meaningful things which is considered as non-sense by the listener. These people are hardly heard when they go on jabbering all the while…listeners lose their patience.

Conversation and talking is necessary for survival. It is better not to cross a line but draw one and stay within limits.

Knowing Creative Art -- Advantage or Disadvantage

Yesterday I sat for about an hour and a half to stitch a Sari Fall. But many may prefer to give it to a tailor in the neighbourhood or get this simple work done by someone else. There are some helping hands, apart from helping the Memsaab at home, does these simple needle work and earn some extra money.

I find no harm in getting a work done with some help. There was a smile on my face to think I am lucky that I can do it. I recollect my schooldays where we had one period in a week for Needle-work. There used to be a teacher, who was so good and taught us so much. Simple stitches from Tacking (long stitches to fasten), Hemming, Blanket stitch, Cross stitch, Chain stitch, the Lazy Daisy, then there was the Feather stitch, the Fern stitch, Button-hole stitch, and some embroidery work. I remember how we got square white cloth pieces, the right size of a hanky, and worked on it. Little colourful flowers came up with the help of Lazy Daisy stitch and the Stem stitch for the stalks of the flowers. Such beautiful experience which is helpful till date.

If the school had not given us this chance of learning the needle work, I think my Ma’s interest in this sort of creative work would surely have made me learn it. The beautiful pieces of table cloths with all the special embroidery on it, pillow covers had so many colours added to them with multi-coloured threads, were works of my lovely Mother … worth appreciation. I also learnt Crochet work from my Mother. Beautiful design laces were knitted with the crochet hook and Bengali ladies liked the laces to be stitched to the length-drop of their petticoats, something they were really proud of in showing off their hand-made lace.

I remember, the first time when I tried with thread and the crochet hook, it seemed so difficult. But the words, “Try, try, try again and you will succeed at last”, kept ringing in my ears and I did not give up instead learnt this (not so) difficult creative work.

There was a time when elders and children preferred hand-knit sweaters, cardigans, shawls, mufflers, different design caps and many more things. So in winter, knitting was something the girls at home learnt and were good at it. That’s the reason I also knitted a lot and my children when they were small they wore sweaters made by me. Till date my elder son likes to wear my hand-knit sweaters apart from the ones bought from the market. It was interesting to learn new designs and also rake up the brain to come up with something new. Whenever I came up with something new and interesting I shared with friends who had a knack for it.

In our house there was a Singer sewing machine which worked on foot and also could be converted to hand-use also. Having interest in working on the sewing machine, I started stitching my skirt at a very young age. Skirts are easy to make but later on stitched many things and also for my little boys…of course till they were small. I liked stitching my own blouses, for they fitted vey well as I took pain to see the fitting from one step to another for perfection. But if you ask me now, I simply say, the cloth goes to the tailor to get the finished product.

I don’t know why I came up with this topic today…maybe my mind wanted to share it with my Blog-friends. There is no boasting of facts and I don’t want to credit myself.

Yes, now it strikes me to why I mentioned all this. All because, these days very few girls get the opportunity or have crave to learn all this. Everything is available in the market. Most ladies and girls will say, “Why all the pain and waste of time.”

I feel learning never stops. Any small thing that is learnt always yields good result. And the joy in seeing and wearing something made with our own hands, putting time and patience together,  is always a reward to one’s own self…the joy and happiness speaks out later on.