One of the green roads of Maaley (Male’) City, from my lens during an early morning ride. The traffic is like hell during the day.
We live through this life,
Life full of traffic lights.
A red one forces us to halt and just wait,
The wait, many a times -
a blessing in disguise.
Forces our minds to wander on this and that!
And mine sometimes goes on what IFs.
What if I’d gone a bit faster -
I would not have had to stop!
What if I’d driven a bit slower -
I could go through the light without waiting!
I wish I had taken a different path years ago!
I wish I met someone sooner than I did!
I wish I had done this on that day!
I wish I had not waited!
From my time in Thrivananthapuram, India, recently.
I craved to own one of those wicker swings.
It was just a simple wish.
I regret not buying one of those for my balcony,
for my time-out from this crazy world.
The how of carrying it to Maldives in my luggage,
was the only obstacle
The only bumper that stopped me from buying it.
And life is like that.
Speed bumps, traffic lights, on-the-spot decisions.
Some regrets as simple as the above.
Some regrets larger than life and regretted for life.
A day to go on the regretful day list. I wish it did not come to that. But it did.
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P.S. on the photo challenge:
The theme for this week [Regrets] was a bit difficult to pin down;
I mean how to we show regret in a photo!!!
I can think of regretful occurrences around us, but those haven’t come under my camera lens!!!
But here it is, regret as I can come up with 
P.S. on other stuff
The Maldives is creating history.
A president for the first time in Maldives resigns.
A democratically elected president for the first time did not get to complete his term of office.
A President for the first time has been overthrown by a coup of sorts.
A vice president who came to be with another party’s manifesto has sworn in as President.
And the police and MNDF brutality is at max.
The civilians are going crazy over avenging.
Other than that life is going ok.
Pending work is pretty much pending, not able to concentrate.
To my surprise I found 2012
[the movie about the end of the world in 2012]
in my stacked DVD pile.
Don’t remember buying it, remember wanting to buy it.
Anyway, I just watched that AWESOME movie.
I should have watched it ages ago.
It is just tooooo good. The story awesome, the direction superb.
the special effects just SPECIAL.
And above all, it’s a movie that can be watched with kids too.
The best quote from the movie (a conversation between monks?)
Nima: … what if our world is indeed coming to an end?
[Lama Rinpoche responds by pouring tea into Tenzin's cup, causing it to overflow]
Nima: It is full, great Rinpoche [indicating the overflowing cup].
[after a moment, Rinpoche stops]
Lama Ripoche: Like this cup, you are full of opinions and speculations. To see the light of wisdom… you first must empty your cup.
I also watched Bridesmaids & Horrible bosses
Both average on the wow factor. A good time pass.
But nothing crazily special about those.
It drives me nuts when excessive nudity comes in.
I thought the same thing you did….how do we show Regret?!!
Nice piece and photos, Amira. Lovely poem….you just whipped that one up…. Amazing! It’s something we all can relate to!
I want one of those swings too!
PS…we saw a show on Maldives the other day. It was a house out in the water on stilts…with a hammock in the water nearby! It was very posh with a fancy bathroom and all sorts of amenities….and everywhere you looked was the glorious turquoise water!
thanks Judy
waiting at the traffic light just is the best time to think
ah yes, the resorts in Maldives … they are just too lavish.
the resort islands are totally isolated from where the locals like myself live.
and yes nothing fancy about our houses .. ie of average people like me
but yes, blue is all around us
With the recent events in Maldives … scratch it off my list to visit.
well, I can understand that.
but I can assure you that the resorts are totally safe.
and we Maldivians know that tourism is our life line …
and the animosity is between the political parties. nothing more than that.
if it’s human rights and doing the right thing by a democracy and what not … there again there is debate. Some are convinved it is not a coup. some have no doubt it’s a coup. The one thing that is promising is that our newest president is a very experienced and educated person who worked at the United Nations too.
I feel bad about how things have turned out. But in all honestly, with all the crossing unnecessary boundaries and provocative actions by the previous president, especially when there are 13 opposition parties, was not the smartest thing to do. dialogue is what was needed … And the ex President is now calling for a new election and demanding it be held by end of 2 months latest … I think things are gonna go alright
I hope you do change your mind …take a moment but do change your mind when you are ready
Amira, the photo of India, I could have sworn I went to the same place last year! I so wanted one of those chairs! Instead I bought a couple of small embroidered pouches and flower seeds and stuff.
Well trivandrum is not such a big place dho. and that particular shop was on a main road. I remember passing the shop a couple of times and everytime my eyes were on the shop as far as I can see.
And that particular day, I just asked the auto driver to stop at the shop … I was sure I wanted to buy it that very day
I certainly would have if I was alone
I guess i won’t watch bridesmaids now
And The poem! It’s awesome!!!! It was tough though
Life really is nothing without regrets! And what is life without not doing the things we regret ?
good idea. I did not mean to say it’s a bad movie. Just nothing too special about it
thanks for the compliments … but what was tough ?
But yes, there is a pleasure in doing things even when we know we will regret it later
Lovely and true! As much as i hate regrets, they’re good in the aspect that they influence your future decisions!
well said Maria
future is a reflection of the good things and the not so good stuff we went through in the past
If we regretted something, for sure we will improve on it in the future
I love the green colors and trees Mona Amie!
That’s the kind of place I want to live in, surrounded by the sound of trees, water, people, but less cars, and all the noise pollution though sometimes I find this inspiring. 
Great pics and awesome words as usual! … It’s great to get a taste of Maaley, finally!
“I wish I met someone sooner than I did!”
… ya, I’ve said this many times.
Green is not that common here
that one road is the best… but the air pollution from the horns of impatient motorbikes and cars would drive one crazy during the peak hours.
early morning rides are just the best
hmm so I guess I shuold be bringing more of Male’ to you
Just so that you know Male’ is the proper way to write the name of our city.
for obvious reasons
But I simply loathe writing male
we pronounce it as Maaley
I share your words…every bit of it. I have asked myself so many “If” too and said lots of “I wish,” but no matter what, it already happened. All we can do is try again, hoping we are right this time. This keeps us all going…win or loose, joy or sadness, love or pain…what matters is we lived our life well. Best wishes to you and your family my friend….
Yeah it already happened and we know there is no returning to that time.
Nonetheless we just go on wishing for things past and regreting times past
The beauty of it is that we gain valuable experience and learn lessons from those regrets
wish you all the best too
Hey Amira!
Your words on regret and how it,”was a bit difficult to pin down;
I mean how to we show regret in a photo!!!” stuck with me. I’m still wondering. As I am looking for a lesson here, perhaps it is difficult because regret is meant to be experienced as life in the now. Like your wish for the wicker swing may be a regret but now you have a photo as a treasure to remember not only the chair but your trip as well. Thanks for sharing and bringing out my thoughts for some exercise.
Yeah that’s true sunshine.
I am thankful for the photo and I do treasure it.
And I reassure myself that there will be a next time, ie if I am meant to have it
So I am happy.
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I love this – the what ifs and the wishes – even if they can be frustrating, somehow hopefully it all works out in the end when they take us on those different, unexpected paths
very true Sheila.
things somehow works out in the end
Nice work!
love the way you describe it
thank you dear
Your wellcome as always
greetings by
http://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/weekly-photo-challenge-regret/
I’m not sure if this is Maaveyo Magu or Sosun Magu..nice photo
not either of those Flora
Sosun magu is also as green as this.
I don’t ride along Maaveyo magu too often so it I am not very sure.
That there is Ameenee magu … Fizzes light
Exactly. We all have regrets… part of living.
Yes, part of living.
But sometimes regrets tend to become larger than life
and brings in gloom in the form of dark dark clouds.
It’s sometimes hard to get out of it