Sunshine Women

My young blogger and FB friend, and a quietly observant and sensitive photographer Swati Maheshwari, recently did a guest photopost for my friend Zephyr Nag. The subject was "the rural woman" as seen through her lens, and the photographs simply oozed strength. 

And it was all about no posing, no accessorizing, no publicity, but a quiet and serious getting on with life, while some urban types suffer diseases caused by the arrogance of abundance.

As Swati says ,

" .....When I look at a woman, my mind is awhirl  with questions, not just one, but plenty that intrigue, tease and make me wonder about the thoughts that go on in her mind. What she is like, who she is in her life, the stories, the joys and sorrows that are etched in the lines of her face.  She is not  just a person, but an entire saga of life itself. As strange as it may seem, every woman is alike in a certain way and yet every woman is unique in her own way. Come with me on the journey of discovery of this wonderful being and her myriad facets...."

Swati blogs at Espial ,  is an amazing photographer,  a PR Consultant , and co-founder at Rustic Art, the creators of an environment friendly and organic range of products.

She is the flower
that blooms,
in the tree’s scheme of things.

Never the “heroine”
pretending,
next to
dahlias and orchids
in bought bouquets,
she faces
the winds
in the bloom of her life,
aware of the fruit
that comes later.

Unarranged, undisplayed,
but oozing strength
in a seasonal blossom,
she tangles with birds,
while allowing the bees,
and moths,
and tolerates
the wandering
of the little ants
all over her.

She blossoms,
with some like her,
some still tiny,
and some
who actually leave
and are taken away
to adorn
someone’s artificial celebration.

And they all learn,
that regardless
of the time of their Life,
it doesn’t matter,
what color you are,
what size you are,
how sharp you are,
or how old you are.

It is about remembering
what the Big Tree taught you,
getting on with others,
being true to yourself,
putting in the great effort,
facing big storms
and emerging, head up,
smiling.

Another day,
Another sun,
and she rises,
brushes off some dewdrops,
and smiles
as she sees
in the distance
the silhouette
of
the little
strong woman
with the camera……..