In a previous post I mentioned ‘freewriting’ and how it can be used as a tool to overcome writers’ block. You can freewrite with a theme or just start scribbling away with whatever thought grabs you at that moment. Sometimes we put down random, fleeting thoughts. Sometimes it just flows as smoothly as a fresh rain-fed river, like the following piece by Avinash Agarwal. The theme was ‘Earthquake.’

: Free Writing

Earthquake: Mother Nature’s way of getting back with a punishment, hitting hard with a vengeance. After all, could there be any other befitting answer for all the millions of trees cut down every second, animals hunted to a ruthless extinction and every other face of nature annihilated until nothing but ashes remain.

One deep gash along the crust of Mother Earth’s surface- it is ironic to see how fragile and powerless those carefully measured, constructed, man-made monuments now appear- building collapsing flimsily like a pack of cheap cards, wood-metal-brick alloys crashing down to the ground like burnt matchsticks and human bodies strewn all around in a heap of litter.

However, this is just the beginning; the beginning of the end. The future generations will one day ask of us furiously, meeting eye to eye, whether we really had the right to fool around with the inheritance that was rightfully theirs. Were we not solely responsible for carrying, sheltering and passing on this legacy called Mother Earth into their hands in the same, if not a better condition that we received it in?

Man is ‘supposedly’ the smartest of the beasts. At least one part of the statement is true- he’s proved that, ultimately, that’s what he is. A beast, with the same characteristic lust, hunger, anger, greed and mindless mind…

And here’s Lorraine Fernandes’ view on the same topic

Lor Earthquake. Book. Crash. Pow. Mmmm, makes me think of the batman comic strips I’d read as a kid. Okay, maybe it wasn’t batman (did batman go boom, crash or pow?). must be some Sunday morning cartoon? It’s been a long while, I cant seem to remember.

But earthquakes, yes, sad thing that recently happened to Japan. I remember when I was a kid, I would wish some calamity would hit my hometown. Just because the thought of being rescued by a helicopter was cool. The immensity of the situation obviously never hit a five year olds mind.

It still doesn’t actually. I know how bad japan’s been hit. But other that the news of it, I am not moved much. No pity, no genuine sadness. Nothing.

I often wonder how I have come to be so numb of such news. Perhaps its because its japan...a country so far away! But a couple of years ago when Mumbai was hit with its worst flood or even it’s terrorist attacks, I wasn’t moved. Wasn’t it happening it the same country? One state away, so close by!

But still no, nothing, zilch.

Proverbs

In this exercise you take the first half of well known proverbs and add your own words to complete it.   This is what Avinash came up with.

1.      People in glass houses shouldn’t- change clothes in there

2.      Better to be safe than- take mad risks. But then, how will you ever have fun?

3.      Strike while the- going gets tough

4.      It’s always darkest before- the brightest tinge of light appears

5.      Never underestimate the power of- a dream

6.      You can lead a horse to the water but- you can also bring it a bucketful in the stable

7.      Don’t bite the hand that- hasn’t been washed

8.      No news is- a nail biting experience

9.      A miss is as good as- a near failure

10.  You can’t teach an old dog- the joy of being a puppy

11.  If you lie down with dogs, you- are likely to get run over by a tyre

12.  Love all, trust- yourself

13.  The pen is mightier than the-mouth with the tendency to verbal vomit

14.  An idle mind is-a happy, stress-free mind

15.  Where there is smoke, there is-a fire burning itself you

16.  Happy is the bride who- has her husband’s credit card

17.  A penny saved is- a smart move

18.  Two is company, three is-a joint venture

19.  None are so blind as-those without vision

20.  If at first you don’t succeed-it doesn’t mean you never will

21.  You get out of something what you- really want

22.  When the blind lead the blind-they all end up at the same place

23.  There is no fool like- the man who thinks he is the greatest gift to mankind

 Avinash Agarwal and Lorraine Fernandes are copywriters for Shobiz Experiential Communications