The Shared World of Small Lives

The Shared World of Small Lives

This reflective poem begins with ordinary domestic incidents—ants in gram, pests in the grains, insects in storage, contamination, and a frog in the kitchen—and gradually widens into a meditation on survival, vigilance, hygiene, coexistence, and Nature’s shared habitation. It reminds us that even the smallest lives shape our daily existence, and that living well demands both care and awareness in a world inhabited by many forms of life.

Many issues I pass always; many erupt suddenly and need dealing with.
Simple interactions occur around, guzzling attention & needing small cures.

I came from Delhi yesterday, as usual, and prepared milk tea at home.
And added ginger, cloves, saunf, black pepper, Tulsi, ilaichi, & curry leaves.
Then I took some dry edible items available here in the house cupboard—
Parched gram, rice chidwa, dry fruit laddu, cashew nuts, & pistachios.

There is a small four-chamber plastic container jar kept at hand.
Different eatables are kept therein for us as and when required.
At present, they hold parched desi & Kabuli chana, and namkeen.
The fourth chamber is vacant and can be used in due course.

I saw some small ants inside the desi chana container there.
They had entered quietly through some opening in the lid.
In plenty, they were consuming the grams as their own food.
So it became necessary to vacate the pot and clear the chamber.

I took the container’s grains onto a plate so the ants could escape.
Then I cleared the chamber, though some might still be there.
So I shall shift the remaining crumbs on the plate elsewhere.
Such simple acts too demand time, care, attention, & remedies.

I see small pests enter various food items and quietly feed there.
Eating the core of lentils, peas, & nuts, they remain hidden inside.
Poking tiny holes, they turn grain into powder, leaving the outer fluff.
Then they multiply in numbers and quietly cause real harm.

I have seen this pattern with moong dal & chana kept at home.
These pests hollowed them, and I had to throw them out.
They seem to enter from nowhere and work in very tiny ways.
Yet they can spoil good stored food in a very short time.

In the last few days, such tiny ants had eaten my cashew nuts.
They left some powder only, and the nuts were almost finished.
Then I shifted them to another jar and changed their position.
Now it seems safer inside the cupboard, for the time being.

From my childhood, I know ghun, sursi, and worms in wheat grains.
They used to eat a great deal of them in the stored gunny bags.
My father washed the wheat and dried it in the sun for cleanliness.
Then it was ground into flour for making rotis and other uses.

A lot of food grains, lentils, grams, and similar things are eaten.
Even when we do care, these tiny creatures still find some entry.
Nowadays, with airtight containers, the problem is somewhat reduced.
But that too is only to some extent, in homes & on smaller levels.

People store grains in containers of glass, plastic, or metal.
Still, the issue remains, though controlled by better storage now.
But at a massive stockist level, great losses surely happen still.
A good deal is wasted through such nuisance and hidden damage.

Biology and Agri-Products Sciences study such losses in full detail.
Heavy damage caused by these pests is carefully examined there.
Farmers, stockists, & households deal with them in different ways.
With new techniques, some rescue & prevention may be possible.

Similarly, rodents eat many grains & foods, and spoil them badly.
Dealing with them, too, is difficult in houses and stores alike.
In harvested crops, a great deal is eaten by birds in the fields.
And people use several tactics and scares to save the grain.

Tiny organisms are entities equipped with survival tactics and likes.
They pierce, sneak through polythene, papers, and hidden openings.
With a small quantity of food, they may grow in large numbers.
They reach places we often think are safely closed and protected.

They are everywhere on earth, in the air, water, and around us.
Outside and inside animals, plants, and even our bodies, too.
Below the outer bark of trees, many small beings take shelter.
They eat pulp, flowers, fruits, leaves, and live in hidden layers.

Some termites infest wood and feed steadily upon its body.
Only a few kinds of wood remain more resistant to such attacks.
I see insects making holes or pits almost anywhere around.
They find leakages easily, climb great distances, and settle quietly.

We may appreciate it or not, this world is their abode too.
They exist in numbers far beyond many visible larger life-forms.
Nature has given us all certain means needed for our survival.
And they too persist wherever conditions favour their quiet growth.

In our bodies, mainly the mouth and intestines, microbes remain.
They enter through the air & water, and the food we consume.
Many are harmless, some useful, and others harmful in neglect.
So we must keep cleanliness, caution, and proper habits regularly.

In animals, too, many parasites and insects cause pain and suffering.
And it becomes difficult to remove them fully in many conditions.
In our hair, lice find a place; bedbugs earlier multiplied in rope cots.
They sucked blood and caused a great deal of discomfort then.

Mosquitoes are a nuisance all over, and we make arrangements always.
Still, in many conditions, they remain in great plurality around us.
Similarly, houseflies are also a great nuisance in warm climates.
They spread filth around food and make cleanliness more difficult.

In wounds, bacteria may enter, and neglected flesh may worsen further.
Sometimes even larvae appear, and treatment may need surgery too.
I see animals suffer from such infections and infestations greatly.
Thus, small unseen life can become serious trouble through neglect.

We see monkeys grooming each other to remove pests and pain.
Even cows, hippos, and others let birds pick their parasites.
They are profuse in sewers, dustbins, peeled vegetables, & rotten fruits.
They are in waters too; we filter and boil before drinking.

Nowadays, with RO systems, potable water is commonly available.
Yet they spoil food, turn milk sour, and make many things unusable.
Even in our refrigerators, eatables last only for some time.
So we use them quickly before they lose freshness and turn stale.

Living is certainly difficult; we must find ways to remain fresh.
Otherwise, pests & microbes can damage much around & within us.
Yet they, too, are Earth’s inhabitants, living by Nature’s own laws.
So care, balance, and vigilance must remain part of daily living.

Recently, I saw a frog sitting on my gas stove in the kitchen.
It was in the Berhampur house, quite unexpectedly present.
My house is on the third floor, and high above the ground.
Then how did it reach there, to that place in the kitchen?

My office boy, Krushna, said monkey tree frogs can jump high.
These local benga frogs can climb or leap over great heights.
I threw it outside the window twice, picking it up with a cloth.
Krushna too did so twice, and still it or another came back.

So now I have closed the kitchen windows more carefully.
Even such a small visitor teaches how shared this world is.
We guard our homes, yet Nature appears in many forms.
And living means caution, coexistence, and attention every day.

 

Pawan Kumar,

27^th May 2026, Wednesday, Time 5.08 P.M.

(From my diary, Berhampur (Odisha), 24th July 2025, Thursday, 9.45 A.M.) 

Rising Above Mundane Affairs

Rising Above Mundane Affairs

This reflective poem presents a life philosophy rooted in duty, teamwork, maturity, service, and widening human concern. Moving from personal responsibility to public purpose, and from practical work to broader care for humanity and Mother Earth, it affirms that meaningful life lies in guided effort, wise conduct, and selfless contribution. 

To rise above mundane affairs, one has to be dedicated to higher realms.
Dedication realizes something noticeable and gets recognized in due time.

I am a tiny flowing worldly element in this vast ocean of affairs.
Though developing that mindset is difficult, one must at least try.
I also do a bit from my side, and that supports many systems.
Though delayed, things remain relevant and work steadily longer.

I am indebted to this universe for bringing me onto life’s platform here.
Life revolves around many tasks under my responsibility here and now.
Being my strengths and complementary forces, I try to involve people.
I cannot be everywhere, but they attend, and the work advances.

I fully trust the good teamwork of the concerned people here.
It is my duty to guide them promptly and push and direct.
Good direction to the workers yields worthy & visible results.
They, in fact, are my eyes and hands where I cannot go.

They keep joint prestige high through committed & sincerity together.
With ground work well done, commitment stands clearly proven in time.
An efficiency wave emerges, and results stand in the public’s gaze.
Such efforts serve greater aims, not just prestige or passing applause.

My life is dedicated fully to humanity, though maybe minuscule.
It is sure that with good work, good results are produced.
So intention remains rooted in service, whatever the overall scale.
I have benefited from this world and must streamline its affairs.

The world is my home, and innumerable tasks are there to handle.
Hence, I must attend with duty-sense to the best possible extent.
Life enriches with many shades, trials, and enlarging experiences.
It is a balance of ups and downs, burdens, and steady growth.

The young often behave childishly in many situations of life.
Generally, prompt reaction is the norm in their daily living scenes.
But as we age and mature, prudence enters the scene more.
We grow sage-like, understand better, and decide more wisely then.

I see this more in the social media and Artificial Intelligence age.
Even an amateur person shows skill in striking and creative forms.
There is great creativity among people waiting to be harnessed well.
And that can surely be directed towards grand & useful purposes.

At times, I am amazed by good acts and finely done things.
They happen with slight guidance, and sometimes on their own, too.
They contribute and know their responsibilities to some real extent.
This gives solace, though it does not complete the larger mission.

I do not rest in small recognitions, though they bring solace too.
Several grand things need completion promptly and with full care.
Small acts accumulate towards a bigger purpose & overall mission.
But consistency is a must, and dedication must not slacken midway.

I am able to produce a huge amount of work; that is expected.
So I dedicate myself with fuller dynamism and inward steadiness.
A life of achievement is a blessing and demands full attention.
One must stay devoted to one’s life-project with steady responsibility.

But I want a system where everyone is given enough respect.
Each person should receive a platform so as to progress further.
The main thing is to condition the mind to react appropriately.
People must be perceptive, wise, & worthy of global citizenship.

They must know their duties towards the world & wider humanity.
An education system should ready prodigies for life’s real projects.
It must also prepare them for service and a generous outlook.
Here, the scope is full Mother Earth, and all creatures are kin.

Micro-life is difficult to see and understand in proper measure.
We often count such beings as a nuisance and dismiss them quickly.
But most are cogs fitting into the smooth working of the world.
In the larger design, there is not always overt opposition.

Weeds, pests, & bugs cause diseases and spread infections around.
Yet Mother Nature has created them for some overall balance, too.
I do not say we should let our things be destroyed by them.
But I do seek a wider understanding of their place and role.

The point is that we often observe things in isolation only.
And this habit of isolation separates us from others and wholes.
People chase to remain charitable without much inward certainty.
They may not know whether they are helping in the right way.

Help is good, but a direct approach is more important sometimes.
By knowing people’s conditions, help becomes more effective & just.
Also, one must extend support to many, not cling to one type.
Many around need direct intervention to improve their harsh lives.

A life fully understood & imparting is certainly a precious boon.
But many are helpless and need real and practical support.
The question is to identify them and do something truly useful.
It is not to waste precious resources in vague and scattered efforts.

Learn all spheres around, and contribute pointedly to daily needs.
The issue is teaching survival tactics where such skills are lacking.
One must also help prepare people for life’s greater demands.
That is a great service, and a meaningful extension of selfless duty.

I wish to produce aids for noble life-goals and larger purposes.
And not to lose attention on people of promise and stature.
They, too, must be checked, guided, & turned towards better pursuits.
That too is service: to guard promise, and guide it towards good.

 

Pawan Kumar,

24^th May 2025, Sunday, 5:16 P.M.

From my Berhampur (Odisha) Diary 8th July, 2025, Tuesday, 10:06 A.M.

The Nectar Within Effort

The Nectar Within Effort

This piece reflects on the need to draw essence from reading and writing, and to align one’s inner good with the broader public good. It suggests that noble dreams gain meaning only when they are brought to the ground through courage, clarity, discussion, and practical effort. In joining oneself with the grand, one receives solace, direction, and a deeper realization of life’s purpose.

In fact, I should know the essence or nectar from any reading or writing I do. For a broad understanding, we need proper discussion and must speak our minds. We must also reiterate the core good in our hearts, which fits within the overall common public good.

We should retell the good stories that give hope to humanity, and should work wholeheartedly to achieve the noble goals cherished by benign dreams. In fact, the immense whole can encompass the full universe, but we remain squeezed in our daily mortal labyrinths and challenges, inflicted by the actual working of the world. Yes, we have some freedom to brood over any gospel and bring it into shape; yet not all thoughts may be practicable to implement. We may not know the right technology, resources, tools, techniques, training, knowledge, or approach.

Nevertheless, one must think grand while finding ways to redeem that on the ground. An able man always ushers in a positive direction and shakes all stakeholders to move. He ensures actual movement on the ground. Fearlessness is one of his abilities; he can speak his mind clearly at times and sensitize all concerned towards the common goal. While brooding over a great purpose, he has to assimilate all concerned into it. If they work together to achieve that, then success is near.

Admittedly, things are severely complex, particularly while doing projects. I have to work on each aspect to facilitate good results on the ground. Yet life will certainly shower great blessings and big solace when we join with the grand. It brings the realization of this very life and its purpose. Man’s courage, fortitude, and action with passion, zeal, energy, and resourcefulness enable him to realize something big.

Life becomes juicy when we churn things with optimum energy, never feel doomed, and see the world with broad hope. Lessen the immoral, and the good will flourish. Yet all making has its own time, and the wise must also endure labour. The nectar is in making, and we are the machine. The present is the processing, and the good result may not be very far.

Pawan Kumar,

New Delhi, 14^th May 2026, Thursday, Time 1.22 P.M.

(From Brahmpur (Odisha) Diary dated 25th June 2025, Wednesday, 9.25 A.M.)

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