One of my cousins runs
a family grocery business.
If he sells the sugar,
in higher price
saying there is no supply,
customers will still give
120 in place of 1o0 rupees.
No boss, no toil,
easy earning.
He barely passed high school,
graduated from village college
with bribes generous.
And he is a millionaire.
His father boasted
at my schoolteacher father’s funeral.
I am a PhD with double master’s
in biosciences,
biofilms, DNA sequencing,
research, publishing.
My youth went in grind,
intense academics, in stress.
Now parenting takes my time,
I can't pursue a regular job
I get cents for flexible writing.
I will remind myself
as I go into another year.
Life is not fair,
effort is not always rewarded,
it's snake ladder game.
Wagon wheel of destiny
keeps on rolling,
no point in comparing.
Whatever comes our way,
we have to find meaning.
About the Creator
Seema Patel
Hi, I am Seema. I have been writing on the internet for 15 years. I have contributed to PubMed, Blogger, Medium, LinkedIn, Substack, and Amazon KDP.
I write about nature, health, parenting, creativity, gardening, and psychology.
Keep reading
More stories from Seema Patel and writers in Poets and other communities.
If You Love Me, You'll Do It
I met Jason when I was five years old. I could say that I loved him from the moment I saw him. He was so handsome to me and I felt in awe by his presence. When they introduced him as the new kid in school, I wanted to be his friend right away. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember his smile and how he didn't seem shy. He appeared confident and ready to learn. I waved at him and said "hello," before anyone else could even say a word. He sat next to me, and I asked him if he wanted to be friends. He looked so happy as he said, "Yes!"
By Sidney Smith (Sid Smith)7 days ago in Fiction
Comments (3)
Parenting is one of the greatest jobs a person can have. I have two bachelor's a master's and a doctorate all in education plus a diploma in nursing, and I did work as a nurse for 17 years as well as a substitute teacher. Writing is a way to share all that we have learned. Keep up the good work.
I see so much truth in this. You’re not alone in feeling it.
You are a beautiful writer Seema. I hope 2025 is much kinder to you! Blessings and love.