Tag: Dissatisfaction

Gratitude

But I want some more…

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As I spent some early morning moments attempting to reach in deep into the reflection of my inner spirit to draw strength from there, I oscillated between moments of thankfulness and the selfish wants of human nature to ask and want for more.hands[1]

I totally appreciate this Summer time spent with family doing things together without the harried mix of school runs and homework in the mix. I was even persuaded to rejoin Karate Dojo classes despite my debacle several years back and yes, yours truly is inching up to a yellow belt in no time (though I suspect that the Sensei (Trainer) is treating me nice šŸ˜‰

The beautiful times spent discovering new things and many raucous moments of sibling squabbles and motherly scolds are all cherished, and surprisingly, my grey hairs didn’t multiply in anguish. We are a palette of individualities meshed together to form one loving and sometimes maddening unit and I can’t have it any other way. If truth be told, I hate to see the Summer season fly past in such a hurry – the good side is that the heat will come down a notch as well – all things being equal.

Underlying my state of thankfulness is certain discontent that I can’t disregard but it doesn’t diminish my gratitude for the blessings of these past days. I guess the Oliver Twistish part of me simply wants more of such goodness so I’ll strive to keep enjoying and living fully in the moments that I’m given.

I hope your heart is grateful for something today.

Shalom

P.S: There are several gratitude/thankful platforms in the blogosphere that you can tune into and get your ithankful going on. I canā€™t express in words the enormity of Joy and fulfilment that comes from having a heart of gratitude. Please check outĀ Mariaā€™s blog, Collineā€™s blog and Bernadetteā€™s for thankful/gratitude challenges

Ā© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

InLinkz

out-of-the-silent-breath 2

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The Daily Post

Wispy clouds of perfection…

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

 

May we not strive for perfection,
for we shall break our backs

In pursuit of such elusive dreams,
we simply break our hearts

for perfection can never be caught,
no matter how hard it is sought

for like fine wisps of cloud,
they melt or move beyond our sights

leaving yawns of dissatisfaction behind,
or sending us on endless quests in our mind.

May we strive for greater purpose,
for contentment is awesome

for satisfaction is a comfortable bed to lay on,
with peace a priceless joy to know.

Perfection

Ā© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book ā€œOut of the silent breathā€ which is available onĀ Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, youĀ support me in an invaluable manner.

 

I absolutely love this book of poems. My favorites are “Love Rations” (for those who love to give the silent treatment) and “Beggars Supper” (which definitely pulls at the heart strings). Two thumbs up!!

Out of the silent breath

Gratitude

My full plate…

jacquelineobyikocha20 Comments

Crowded, Nest, Egg, Full, Overflowing, Overcrowded

For several weeks, I’ve felt listless and dissatisfied and recent incidents in the World emphasizes the sense of futility that I feel about life. My morale justs dips and I practically have to hang on with tenacious tentacles to all the positive mantras and pick-me-ups that I can think of.

My plate is heaped full of things to do and sometimes, taking a mere glimpse at them makes me want to go and lie down and sleep and hopefully, they will get themselves sorted out without much of my help and mental exertion.

I woke up this morning with a message tucked into my head that kept telling me to be appreciative of the privilege to be alive and the opportunity of having interesting things to tackle.

The message kept reverberating in my head that the gift of each day which is given, should never be taken for granted irrespective of our struggles because the death knell is a final and last call on this side of the divide.

As long as there’s life, hope lies within and today I’m grateful for my full plate of busy-ness and the opportunity to feel the Sun’s shine on my face.

I hope thatĀ are you grateful or thankful for something today. We have a lot of privileges surrounding us.

Ā© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Below is my first just published Poetry Book ā€œOut of the silent breathā€ which is available onĀ Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, youĀ support me in an invaluable manner.

Stars, Five Stars, Logo, Icon, Symbol, Five, Rating

From the very first poem, ā€œDreams,ā€ this book captivates with passionate and perceptive words. Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha captures a broad expanse of the human experience in this book of richly layered poems.

Out of the silent breath

The Daily Post

Heading South….

jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

 

Seating in front of the shattered mirror
staring balefully at her reflection with brows in a furrow
she surveyed the expanse of her buxom parts
and noted with dissatisfaction that every jiggly part
was most definitely heading South.

***

Ā© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

South, The Daily Post Prompt.

Below is my first just published Poetry Book ā€œOut of the silent breathā€ which is available onĀ Amazon and Smashwords.

When you buy my book, youĀ support me in an invaluable manner.

Out of the silent breath

Brand me whole as only you can

That the entire score of me

Knows nothing but the fullness of you.

Fiction · Short story

HUSTLE….A short story

jacquelineobyikocha61 Comments

Bus Hustle

Ikem couldn’t stand the penury anymore! He stared at his worn out T-shirt with the words “making a difference” printed on it’s back in disgust and dissatisfaction. He had purchased it three months ago from the bend-down-select aka flea market to add to the other two that he possessed, but frequent use and wash had slackened its neckline and faded it’s vibrant colour. It was time to visit the man with the bell; he sold good second-hand clothes from a heap of clothing on the market floor.

With that dissatisfaction dragging him down, he pulled the T-shirt over his head and shoved his feet into an equally worn out pair of rubber soled slippers. Picking up his wooden pallet, he hastened off, making quick strides to the bus-stop where he could hitch an early morning ride by hanging partially on the side of a Molue. Sometimes the conductors were difficult but on a some good days, they also showed their humane sides.

It is a main market day at Ahia Ogige today and there would be a throng of lorries bringing in goods from neighboring villages. If he rushed, he would probably make a good turn around from customers who needed their goods carried from one end to the other.

Yet, as his strides swallowed the distance from his living quarters at the shanty, to the bus-stop, his grumbling mind would not cease to taunt him. How much difference was it really making in his life, eking out a living that was barely enough to put food in his stomach, pay his own portion of rent and minor bills, not to talk of sending money home to his folks? He queried himself.

Christmas was fast approaching. It would soon be time to go to the village to celebrate, but he wasn’t sure he was up to that this year. He thought he would have achieved more by now and he didn’t want to watch in envy as some of his clansmen came home with their new motorcycles and garbs to show off. Chukwudi had really irritated him last year with all his loud talk of making it big.

His angst grew within him as the day wore on. Wearied of carrying back breaking heavy load for peanuts at the end of the day, he stretched out on his small mattress which had a pride of place on the floor and slept like a log of wood.

Ā© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Mini Glossary

Ikem – An shortened version of an Igbo name for a boy; Ikemefuna – which means, may my strength not go missing.

Chukwudi – An Igbo name for a boy and it means; God lives

Ahia Ogige – A market in Nsukka. A town in the Eastern part of Nigeria

Bend-down-select: A heap of mixed used clothing where customers literally bend down to scrounge through the pile and select an item they want to buy.

Molue: Are the locally redesigned and fabricated 44-seat old buses that ply the roads of the city. The original buses are disused school buses imported from other parts of the World

In fulfillment of Writing 101 – Day 12 Assignment: Play with Word Count

I tried to keep my story within 500 words and I think I did it!