Snakes and Ladders

31st December 2021 Dr Beena

Hello everyone😊. Unbelievable that we are coming to the end of 2021!! The year seemed to have flown. Many who follow me on this website may have observed that I usually included two gals in my paintings😊. Have you watched the change over time😊? I am impressed with what I have done this time😊. In this picture, I have done most of it using a pencil. Then I coloured some areas with watercolour pencils. Yeap, that is right!

Since I achieved this significant task of drawing my two gals, I feel great😊. I am still grateful despite all the ups and downs that I faced in 2021. Many of my friends were overwhelmed by challenging circumstances. It was hard to keep one’s head up. I felt it was like playing a game of snakes and ladders. Have you played that when you were young? I used to play that game and never enjoyed it☹. Why? You are never sure of winning☹. As an adult now, I think life is a game of snakes and ladders ☹ . Sometimes, you win, and other times you lose. However, the origin of this board game began in Ancient India, and it signified karma and kama (destiny and desire). The game had more snakes than ladders. In 1890, the English made the snakes and ladders equal in number (for every sin, there is a chance for redemption😊😊😊. The association of this game to morality was a reminder that the path to one’s goal is challenging.

Learning anything new is a challenge. It takes commitment and passion for fulfilling that goal. Hence, today, I present my two girls with a New Year greeting filled with Peace and Hope. I want to thank Allan for inspiring me to paint and write; to Kala, Vasanthi, Teresa, Suchitra, Shobha and Annie Teo for contributing their stories. I appreciate that Hwai Jen, Elizabeth Tang, Vivian Tan, Nandakumar, Esther Ng permitted me to write my thoughts on their paintings. I thank Thomas Sim for designing this website, without which, the pandemic would be unbearable.

Hence, thank you very much, my dear friends, who made all those inspiring comments. I hope we continue to post more artwork in 2022. May the coming year be filled with Peace and Hope. Stay safe despite the snakes and ladders😊.

8 thoughts on “Snakes and Ladders

  1. You have been an inspiration and a delight watch learn and try to emulate.Keep doing and let me enjoy it from sidelines
    Love
    Geeta

  2. Karma and Kama. Destiny and desire. Must pronounce carefully.! That’s such an interesting concept for a game and so true in life, too. One’s destiny may not be what one desired originally. There is indeed a lot of morality behind this simple game of chance for children. I remember a couple of long, fat snakes waiting gleefully, as if to say : the higher you climb, the greater the fall. And I’m then reminded of the serpent in the Garden of Eden. I’ve fallen many times, but thanks be to God, have managed to be up on my feet again. There’s always peace and hope as we wind our way through our desires to our ultimate destiny.

    1. Haha Nyuk, I never knew this game was based on morality, until I researched the game. But even before that, I always felt that life is like this game. We just have to accept the natural snakes in our lives and maybe give milk (the food that snakes love). :):). If only we can always find that food.:). Thanks, Nyuk.

  3. I bought a game set for my grand son and one of the games happens to be snakes & ladders. As I have never played it, only yesterday did I ask an English friend if she would teach us. This to say that your post comes right on the dot and I read it with much interest (and forwarded it to my friend).
    Many thanks, Beena and a happy new year to you and everyone here.

    1. Haha it is such an old game that I didnt think anyone would know about it. But it is good to keep traditions alive. Playing board games is a way of bonding. Keep it alive😄😄

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