LIFE AS IT IS

"When you draw or paint a tree, you do not imitate the tree; you do not copy it exactly as it is, which would be mere photography. To be free to paint a tree or a flower or a sunset, you have to feel what it conveys to you: the significance, the meaning of it."  # paintingdiaries

Like the petal that gently floats in the air, we float in our imaginary world, feeling light & carefree. #paintingdiary

Sitting under a star-studded sky, she sang the song of life.  # paintingdiary Medium: Watercolor 

Medium: Watercolor

MOTHERS are protective; they are protective by nature. Mothers shield their offspring, try to keep them out of harm's way every time, all the time. Mothers want the best for their children for sure. However, some mothers are not only protective, they are 'overprotective' about their kids. While a mother's protectiveness is instinctive and critical to a child's survival, is a mother's 'overprotectiveness' desirable or healthy for a child? Are there sometimes high costs associated with a mother's overprotective nature?  When Elora Roushan, 36, a full-time professional and a mother of two, was in her adolescence, she switched to wearing salwar kameez upon her mother's wish. A salwar suit accompanied by a dupatta was the only outfit she was allowed to wear outside. While her friends always wore jeans, she almost never wore them on the streets of Dhaka. Today, she believes that her mother's overprotectiveness made her a shy person and af

The aroma of crispy lentil fritters, crunchy jilapi, flavoursome haleem and sweet-plump dates is missing in the air, so is the ambience of Ramadan. But life goes on; Bangladeshis living in different corners of the globe observe Ramadan in their own way, thousands of miles away from their roots.  The Daily Star link  June 20, 2017 While some manage to prepare spicy-savoury chickpeas, fried delicacies and fresh lemonade for iftar throughout the holy month, there are others who do not even find the time to eat a traditional iftar, except perhaps on the weekends.  Fasting in a foreign country is a different experience altogether. “We fast for nearly 17 hours here in Toronto. Being without food and water for 17 hours is not easy, but our bodies have adapted to the rituals here,” said Sabrin S, 36, a medical doctor and a graduate student who lives in Canada. “There have been many occasions when I missed my iftar because I was attending an evening class,” Sabrin further added. “Ra