Essaar's Virtual Voyage

The Chaos and The Cacophony

2011-11-06T18:16:00.002+05:00

Obscured by the clouds of deceit

Our visions have been blurred

Truth we seek and find none

Our voices are unheard

In my vision, I see ashes

The remains of useful life

And in reality, I see distorted images

Of wickedness and vice

Is this a religious divide, I wonder

Or the humanity’s diabolical demise

A deviation from our divine epistles

While following loathsome lies

Will we go on marching like this?

Oblivious of the nature’s cries

Or will we opt for righteousness

And struggle to survive

Will this be an unending nemesis?

Of terror reigning our minds

Or will this end be a new beginning?

Leaving all our fears behind

Eid Mubarak - A Word to the Soul [An Audio Greeting]

2011-08-31T12:44:00.003+05:00

And here goes my first audio greeting wishing all Muslims around the world a very blessed Eid-ul-Fitr..Eid Mubarak!

Much love,

Nearing Death

2011-07-03T21:29:00.002+05:00

So vast and pure, and so obscure

Are the mazes of the divine

You think you know, and yet you don't

The boundless flow of life and its times

It's all in YOU, your heart and soul

Your mind and your percipience

Even then you stay a perfect stranger

To the reflection that is thine

You love, you live, you hold them dear

You see, you care, you think, you fear

You need them near, but it all disappears

And in the end you are only left with nothing

But an existence unclear

Just Another Page from a Diary

2011-03-22T03:03:00.005+05:00

"Just like a sunbeam can't separate itself from the sun, and a wave can't separate itself from the ocean, we can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind."

___Marianne Williamson

................And this one indivisible divine mind contains a plethora of parables and experiences for the individuals who seek enlightenment. I always used to wonder that I am on a voyage of self-discovery but I never had known that one tends to discover more when s/he starts deciphering the behavior and attitudes of people around him/her. You might be amazed at finding out a number of similarities that you share with the individuals around you. And this lets you realize that you are not the only one fighting in this whole wide world. It’s not only you who owns a firm faith in Nature’s plans. However, you are one of the many creations who has been picked and chosen for the Divine test and who has been blessed with inherent intelligence being destined for unearthing the celestial acquaintance and the ever-lasting relationship with the Immortal.

The Song of Eternity

2011-02-20T06:27:00.004+05:00

In the temple of her mind, every thought of him

Is a sacred testament reflecting her Love’s divinity

In the heart of her soul that lies battered and disfigured

Lives a passion longing for Eternity

In the blissful extensions that cover her face

One can see the trails of tears so vividly

The tears that were neither wept nor cried

The tears that were hold in her Love’s sanctity

In the sullen and vexed gaze of her eyes

One can trace the unwritten history

Of the jumbled letters that were never worded or uttered

Of the vague and wispy mystery

In the song of her soul or her life’s choir

One can hear solemn notes of agony

The song that could now only be played by him

The song of Eternity…….

The above posted poem is dedicated to my eternal love, Sarfaraz Ali. Moreover, the music being played in the background is one of Yanni's masterpieces.

The Fairy and The Firefly.

2010-09-29T09:26:00.002+05:00

Fireflies are mortals, they are destined to die
How come the fairy had expected it, to show the way to fly?

Trapped in the Cimmerian tunnel of despair and false hope
There resides a lost fairy who still yearns for the light
As the folklore depicts, a fire beetle in the tunnel
Had been once a source for her lambent delight

The fire beetle had its glow, its glimmer and its incandescence
That had radiated warmth and love for the lost
And the lost fairy had danced in its aura of radiance
With her soul entirely engrossed

Awestricken by its warm glimmer, the fairy had not realized
What the fate of a firefly could be
That a firefly may show a way to the wanderer
Or it could go dimmer or possibly flee

How naïve of her that she did not know
‘Tis a fatal attraction that won’t survive
The firefly would either die or flee away
Abandoning her in the middle of nowhere to strive

The fairy should have known better, what she not knew
Those fireflies are mortals, they are destined to die
She should have known that the fire beetles cannot
Show her the way to fly …….

Peeking Through Those Glass Jars..

2010-09-27T08:53:00.006+05:00

Photo by Baronet4Tibet.com

During all these years of my virtual voyage spanning over more than two years of real time, I have come across many people who have influenced my life in one way or the other. A few of them came in my life for a season, a few came in for a reason while many made their way to the heart consequently becoming an inspiration behind my write-ups. One of such individuals is Raheel Ahmed, who I often address as the incredible hulk. Raheel has not only been a good friend but he is also a savior who comes to the rescue whenever he finds that I am having a writer's block. Having said that, let me share a small piece of writing today (I should have been sharing it on Sunday, though) that Raheel had shared with me sometime ago. Please have a read and let me know if the magic works..Here it goes..

It’s just another Sunday and the market is crowded once again with buyers who roam around from stall to stall, each carrying his wishes scribbled on a scrap of paper. Life moves on as an unstoppable train with stations unmarked. Those who board seem to have no choices of their own, their corpses then fall and the rail track appears crimson red. The sheen blinds the eye, but yet the hunger seems eternal.

He walks, his back hunched with age and his gait unsteady carrying his misgivings about the day. He settles on a mound to be prominent to all those who gaze at him with mock. He settles under a straw roof held in place by four withering poles of wood bearing cuts.

He finds a vacant spot and adds another one, “another day another death…” his thoughts wander… “how many more sons would irrigate mother earth with their blood – aimlessly - this is the last pole to bear my marks, I hope I wont have to return next week, for its about time I contributed to quench this thirst….”

Sitting cross legged, an uneasy weary smile adding to the wrinkles on his face, he sizes the crowd through his heavy set spectacles hoping to lessen his burdens he has carried for an immeasurable time. Untying the clumsy knot, he neatly spreads his precious possessions - his earnings from the times he has seen. Wiping each glass jar, attempting to lure people, he sets it all out carefully hiding the stains on the sheet.

He chants out loud “People, I don’t take money, I don’t need your wealth, I don’t want your kind considerations, I just don’t want anything from you but your attention… just for a few moments.” Necks turn around in the direction of the feeble voice that seems to ride on pain; ensuing are hidden laughter, starkly open laughter and surely a couple of concerned looks.

“He is the same old man, why doesn’t God relieve him from his misery?” a shout is heard from somewhere. “Look at him, there isn’t an ounce of flesh on his body, its bones yelling out ha ha ha!” another voice from a young man pierces through his ear drums. But he is steadfast..such chants are very familiar.

And so a young lad driven by curiosity walks up to him and asks “Old man, what have you laid here?”

Hope that had been driving him rekindles his senses and like a proud salesman he adjusts, looks up into the eyes, and finds the purity of innocence. “Such clear eyes, such a clean heart, I wonder how he still survives? Who is the lucky father that bore you son,” he asks in utter amazement. “I live downhill by the lake. I haven’t seen my father for many years and we roam the forest in the day. Night we spend by the fire eating whatever we could find during the day. I haven’t seen more than a few paisas together and my dress has no pockets. Please would you let me look at these jars?”

With moisture in his eyes, his heart swells with empathy as he gets a closer look of the boy’s heart. “Son, this shiny one is called vanity. I chased it in my youth and the rest of my life I spent repenting my choice. The golden one is called greed, and may be it still lives in me, I could never satiate myself. I ran, till my physical existence could no longer carry me. Its like a shadow from the sun shining from behind, you will never be able to catch it, albeit it may give the illusion of originating from you, but remember it would cling to your feet and pull at your heart”. An alien to these possessions, the young lad begins to appear enticed.

He yells at his companions and they all sit in a circle facing the old man. Memories of his time begin to flood his mind - Evenings when they would sit, enchanted by the words of the story teller thinking of realms where the fairy tale characters existed as realities. Only age told him how the tale monger had preyed on their minds leaving them bewildered and derailed in the lands of fantasy.

“What is this murky jar holding, old man?” Another innocent voice sends shivers down his spine. “Memories are my demons, how can I escape? Maybe redemption would salvage some peace for me; I should have left this world with this baggage, why do I have to die a death each time I look at it?” He musters up courage to reply.

Yes the jar contains truth, something they advised him to use carefully and so he did. Each time he exercised discretion his heart had felt heavier and conscious reminded him of sacrilege. “Son, this jar measures your brevity. It reflects upon the very fiber you are made of and it makes you distinguishable in a crowd. It liberates you from the shackles of slavery that this world has in abundance. They wont let you live without being restrained in their brand of freedom. It unites you with the sincerest friend that resides in you – your conscience.”

Amused, the young boy asks, “Then why is it in such a meager quantity?” “Less is more son! less is more. It’s entwined with your soul and you were sent to earth with it. Only that most of us forget to remember that they are born with it. Truth, son, is unlike its nemesis that resembles the beads on a rosary, one leading to the other and all in an unending circle.”

Suddenly loud shouts begin to supersede the aimless banter in the market and grown ups rush towards him. “Look at this old man; he is misleading our generation with his concocted tales. Let him not be spared. Who gave him a right to pollute these innocent minds?”

And there are many more disheartening voices, but the old man remains unflinching. He is peaceful today for when he walks back, he would have to carry lesser burden.

The boys eagerly accept their jars and flee. The old man gets up, beaming with a smile of satisfaction. “O God, thanks be to You, for I have discharged some of my responsibility today. My burden weighs less on me now. Please grant me one more such day and then call me back to You. I exercised my choices and I learnt my lessons. I was misled and I attempted to correct myself. Was I successful or not, remains Your judgment. When I would lie forgotten under a ton of soil, my soul would be with You, begging for mercy.”
The earth continues its revolutions; stars die, newer stars are born in an expanse indefinable by the term infinity. Our individual existence is synonymous to a grain of sand amongst billions by the beach. Yet the human soul, a supreme creation with grandeur surpassing all, roams freely with the power to choose. The discretion of making choices and the ability to redeem make us masters of our destinies.

Fate, we think has been written, and so it has, but the power to navigate and set our sails is still in our hands; and so it has to be passed on before the novices board the train of consequences.

Maybe its time to feel pity for all around who go on marching to the end as if they should, never realizing to think of the paths they chose and the decisions they took. Some stood on egos, some boasted pride, whilst others cherished vanity, whilst a few chose righteousness, and even fewer battled to maintain it…….

What about you? Have you 'chosen' and 'defined' the path ? Or are you just marching along? Pause and ponder..

Eid-ul-Fitr Greetings: A Word to the Soul.

2010-09-11T07:36:00.003+05:00

Let the divinity of Lord’s love penetrate your soul
As you observe Eid-ul-Fitr this year
Let yourself take a pause, and think and reflect
Beyond the ephemeral worldly possessions and fears

Let yourself comprehend the truth of Life
The cycles of pleasure and pain
Let your soul be aware of the virtues being gifted
Let God’s efforts bring you peace and eternal gain

Let your head be bowed before Him
In gratitude, recognition and His praise
Let the day shine through the test of time
Let your faith emerge stronger on the spiritual plane

Here's wishing all Muslims around the world a very blessed Eid-ul-Fitr..Eid Mubarak!

An Ode to Pakistan; An Ode to my Identity.

2010-08-14T22:23:00.008+05:00

Following is an acrostic dedicated to my beloved "Land of Pure" on her 63rd birthday.

Painted in purity, a state was carved

Adding glory to the global canvas

Kingdom was created after a struggle so hard,

Indefatigable and relentless

Soldiers and sailors, people and souls

Talented and blessed and fearless

All fought and toiled for a homeland and formed

Nation that is matchless

May Allah Almighty bless Pakistan! May He protect our identity!

Amen!

I Love You, My Father.

2010-06-21T13:01:00.004+05:00

Photo by Vintage Holiday Crafts

My dear father, on this Father’s Day
Let me share an epistle that I hope conveys
The perpetual love that I have for you
The wishes that I always pray

There’s an abode in my heart where you always stay
No matter if you are here or a little far away
No matter how much we fight, disagree or affray
I believe you would be there as a best friend all the way

I know I have grown up into a woman with time
However, deep within my heart we still share those old ties
And I still need you, my dad to clutch my arms so tight
And tell me that everything’s going to be alright

There might be things, which you never say
There might be things that I hold within
There might be things I never understand
But all I know is that a dad’s a daughter’s best friend

My dear father, on this Father’s Day
Let me tell you something, let my heart say
I Love You, even though I may not be expressing it everyday
And my prayers are never complete unless I send wishes your way

My dear father, have a wondrous Father’s Day!

Recollection: 1ST Annual Pakistan Blog Awards 2010

2010-06-01T13:10:00.006+05:00

“To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event.”

___Henri Cartier-Bresson

Following is a video containing photographs of the blog awards event being held at Regent Plaza in Karachi. The one-of-its-kind blog awards event being organized for the very first time in Pakistan certainly holds significance for the Pakistani blogosphere and the bloggers alike.

Have a look!

And for reading a detailed coverage report of the entire event, you may visit the following links:

CIO Pakistan

The Express Tribune

Converge Weekly

Happy Blogging!

My Mother, Above All Others.

2010-05-09T21:36:00.001+05:00

It is said that the Heaven lies beneath your mother’s feet, which is undoubtedly true as there is no other place than a mother’s lap where you lie down your head in happiness and in times of blue. Her love is incomparable, invaluable and unforgettable. Over the years, a number of poets and writers have expressed love for their mothers in various forms; however, there is always more left to be written and left to be pondered about the God’s greatest creation. My mother, like every other mom, is a perfect woman when you look at her through my eyes because she knows me like no other. She isn’t only a woman who gave birth to me and reared me up but she’s a sculptor who has carved out my personality. Being my closest ally who has always been there during my tough times, she’s the one who always puts me to sleep hushing the demons in my head and she sings the perfect lullaby. She is a tour guide showing me what ways to follow and what to avoid during the course of life. She’s a mind reader who knows what’s bubbling in my mind and before I may express, she comes to know of the whole story. She loves me for who I am even though I may not be a perfect daughter. I seem to have summed up my love for her in a passage of a few words that is too less but my mother’s love for me is unfathomable and limitless.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Damsel’s Morning Delight.

2010-05-05T09:21:00.005+05:00

Photo by Kerrie B. Wrye

As the sun triumphs over the duskiness of the ebony night

Blushing the sky with colors vanquishing the deepest dyes

The damsel lying under the covers slowly opens her sleepy eyes

To the beauty unseen before; the purity of the morning delight

She reaches out to the window and pulls the curtains aside

Listening to the melody of the chirruping birds outside

And somewhere back in the memory, there’s an echo of a distant guy

Whose abode is the neverland and who travels to the wonderland each day to cry

To cry out to the birds in the wild blue skies

To play the divine symphony for the damsel and to fly

What a day it is! She thinks and she shyly smiles

Is this a new dawn, a reality or a fable that would soon die

The dewy tears run down her cheeks, she wipes them off and sighs

Leaving the riddle unsolved and open

The riddle behind the damsel’s morning delight!

This poem is dedicated to a wonderful friend (also known as the incredible hulk by his loved ones) who inspired me to write after a long hiatus. And let me thank Kerrie for allowing me to use one of the beautiful images from her creative collection.

Happy Reading!

A Melody, The Memory

2010-02-11T04:59:00.007+05:00

All the notes in time make the melody
Hold me and sway into the moment we share
Where we can stay so attached to the memory

A Melody, The Memory
------- Performed by Mae

As I traveled down the memory aisle today, I tried gazing at the everlasting and ageless masterpieces of time through the gifted mind’s eye. Painted with laughter, tears, and agony, each of it was an emblem representing reality that exists no more. I felt being an artist for a while putting up and playing with coats and colors that camouflaged my present time. And I also felt being a ballerina dancing to the tunes of time.

Following are the lyrics of one of the melodies by Shayan Italia, which stirs my soul and takes me back into the Utopian times.

Lyrics of the Reflection by Shayan Italia

Believe, that is what you are,
Rushing through the soul, steeling my faith by far.
Creation, words are for you only I write.
Flowing through these hands, sun by day, and moon by night.

And I've tried, to survive.
let it go, lead a normal life,
but from you, I can't escape.
Whats feeling me inside, feelings I can't deny.

I'm trapped within the rhythm of love,
something I just can't get out of,
I'm scorn to be, a passion never to be.
And I'm holding on to something not real,
A mere existence of my world, fighting to face,
one day you'll be gone.
and I've tried in every possible way, to keep you beside me not fade away, into the pieces of a broken glass, into the pieces of a broken glass.

Worship, things are only for you I pray, running through this heart,
steeling my strength every step of the way.

And I've tried, not to cry.
let it go, lead a happy life,
but from you, I can't escape.
Whats killing me inside, emotions I can't deny.

I'm trapped within the rhythm of love,
something i just can't get out of,
I'm scorn to be, a passion never to be.
And I'm holding on to something not real,
A mere existence of my world, fighting to face,
one day you'll be gone.
and I've tried in every possible way, to keep you beside me not fade away, into the pieces of a broken glass, into the pieces of a broken glass.

..More melodies/lyrics to follow.

Another Sarah.

2009-12-02T03:58:00.002+05:00

Born in the caring motherly womb like a precious pearl in a clam
Died as a woebegone woman; in pursuing the merciless love of a man
She opened her eyes to the world; she thought was pure and kind
But she never knew this would be just the illusions of her mind
As she traveled down the path, and reached the prime of her life
She felt being lost in the dark and tried looking for the light
The light that once shone from the innocence of her eyes
The light that was blurred by deceit and the shameful, painful lies
The light that could blind her so that she could not ever see
The fallacious faces of people, their deceit and the misery
The light that could strike her mind and make it numb for eternity
So that she could blindly love without sensing the insincerity
She always had a fight with the soul she was blessed
She was weird for the world and ugly for the rest
She always pondered over if she was the worst amongst the best
Her life revolved around this never-ending quest
Then, there came a time when she got tired and decided to close her eyes
To wander far, far away from the people into the secluded paradise
To rise and reborn, to search and synchronize
The purpose of her existence with the cosmos and the mazes of the mind.

Eid-ul-Azha Greetings.

2009-11-28T15:55:00.005+05:00

Here is to wish all Muslims around the world a very blessed Eid-ul-Azha:

A time to celebrate and deliberate
A time to reassess and reflect upon
The holy act of the divine sacrifice
And the priceless lessons that can be drawn
Of sacrificing in the name of Allah
Of giving up things that are prized
Of sharing Allah’s bounties with the loved and dear ones
And with the needy and the pauperized
Of strengthening our devotion towards the Almighty
Of bracing our humanly ties
Of practicing purity in faith and obedience
Of letting the spirit of piety rise
May this day be filled with pleasure
And with all things nice
May our minds and souls be enlightened
With the divine dimensions of the sacrifice

Happy Eid-ul-Azha :)

Eid-ul-Fitr Greetings.

2009-09-21T15:42:00.006+06:00

Here it is to wish all Muslims around the world a very blessed Eid-ul-Fitr:

As the divine crescent heralds the Eid celebrations

Bringing joy, delight, and immense delectations

Let us greet each other and cherish the valuable relations

With heartiest wishes and words and prayers

Let us bow to Allah with supreme dedication
For blessing us with another moment of jubilation
Let us spread an ambience of love, unity, and affection
With the true spirit of kindness and care

Wish you a very happy

E mbrace
I ts
D ivinity

Mubarik!

Happy Eid-ul-Fitr to all and sundry.

Century's Longest Solar Eclipse on July 22nd - The Divine Solar Slice.

2009-07-24T10:07:00.005+06:00

These images have been shared by one of my friends, Munawar Ahmed, who takes delight in taking pictures of the miracles of Mother Nature.

While I saw these for the first time, it reminded me of a slice of orange and therefore, I decided to name it as the "Divine Solar Slice."

Aren't these beautiful?

Stare at these for a while and let me know :)

5th 20SB Blog Swap - La Meme Chose

2009-07-22T18:36:00.005+06:00

While another post featuring the spectacular "Century's Longest Solar Eclipse" is on its way, it is time to present my first-ever blog partner for the 20SB Blog Swap named Nora. While Nora would be revealing some interesting info about herself on my blog, I will be found sharing an amateur poetic attempt on her blog.

For the time being, here it is what Nora has to say:

Okay, okay, I know this is a meme, but my blog swap partner asked me to add some "color," to her blog, and because I wanted to do this meme and because, perhaps, her readers are interested in learning a bit about me, here I go!

I always...

* Have cheese in my refrigerator. I can't help it, I love cheese!
* Buy my dog new toys, even if he doesn't need them (and perhaps to the chagrin of my boyfriend)
* Hit the snooze button in the morning
* Wish for more hours in the day
* Drink an insane amount of water each day
* Long to be a tad skinnier. I think it's a woman thing.

* Choose Coke over Pepsi and Dr. Pepper over Coke.
* Long for simpler times

I sometimes...

* Stay up so late on a work night that going to bed doesn't even seem purposeful.
* Think about getting a tattoo... but chicken out when someone suggests I commit to the idea
* Get Blogger Envy: yearning for a cooler layout, special URL and more commenters
* Wish that I could round up my favorite bloggers and in-real-life friends, go on one HUGE trip and have one of the best time's of my life
* Contemplate picking up and moving to a new place. New job. New life.
* Become one with the couch, watching too much TV and reading too many blogs

I never...

* get enough sleep. Never, ever.
* handle making a mistake well
* learned to hide my emotions, even if I should

* like being the center of attention
* thought I'd be a part of Corporate America
* realized the power of the blogging community until the last year

* go a day without a piece of chocolate

Nora

Happy Reading!

Rain and Reminiscence.

2009-07-11T07:39:00.002+06:00

Another day and another time of the year, with the same sound of silence around, one could clearly hear the tapping of raindrops on the window pane again. And there she was, standing by the window, staring into the wilderness and deeply immersed in her thoughts. She tried reliving the moments that had brought her joy and wondered if why time and destiny has brought her to a place where she only has her blessed solitude to embrace.

She never realized if how far she had journeyed through time while thinking. Although, she appeared to be an isolated silhouette to many, yet she knew that she was not alone…she knew that God loves her and she knew that He is right there watching over her.

Wiping off the tears, she sat to write and while she started penning down her thoughts onto paper, she recalled one of the favorite lullabies from her childhood times that perfectly harmonized with the heavenly downpour outside.

“I hear the wind as it rustles through the treetops.
I hear the leaves as they drink the falling rain.
I hear a dove softly cooing by my window,
I hear God speak to me.”

___ By Windy, Songbook: Heaven's Magic Songbook

To be continued… When it rains again…

A question arises if who she could be.
None other than the wandering soul in “me”

Punctuations – An Altered Place Could Give an Altered Meaning.

2009-07-01T09:45:00.007+06:00

“The writer who neglects punctuation, or mispunctuates, is liable to be misunderstood. For the want of merely a comma, it often occurs that an axiom appears a paradox, or that sarcasm is converted into a sermonoid.”

___Edgar Allan Poe

It's been a long time since I wrote anything for the blog, and therefore, I thought of creating a short and sweet blog post narrating a text message being sent by one of my closest friends, Anila. While it may sound familiar to many, I decided to put it up on the blog as I found it interesting enough to be shared. The content of the message revolves around the use of punctuation, which could impart different meanings to the same sentence when used at different places with an underlying notion that the perceptions may vary from individual to individual and there is a striking difference in the noetic views when it comes to men versus women. The message goes like this:

An English professor wrote the words, "Woman without her man is nothing" on the blackboard and directed the students to punctuate it correctly.

The boys wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing."

The girls wrote: "Woman: Without her, man is nothing."

Isn't it amusing that the placement of a single comma can change the intent of the entire message?

If you have any other interesting example to cite, please post it in the comments section - and together we shall celebrate the beauty of punctuation.

Happy Reading!

My Maiden Interview at TPS.

2009-05-12T01:27:00.003+06:00

While blogging had always been one of my productive leisurely pursuits, I never expected to be interviewed as a blogger someday. Being interviewed by “The Pakistani Spectator” is one of the memorable experiences for me to be cherished. The lady behind the blog, Ms. Ghazala Khan, is one of the successful bloggers herself, and she has provided a lot of motivation through the recognition of my earnest efforts and time.

If you wish to read more of the maiden interview, you may follow here:

http://www.pakspectator.com/interview-with-blogger-sarah-rahman/

Happy Reading!

An Epistle to my Mother.

2009-05-10T15:29:00.003+06:00

With fountains of love, true, pure and divine
She nourished and nurtured my life
There’s nothing in my world that could be compared
With her million sacrifices and the ways she strived
While I continue to cherish the everlasting bond with my mother
Who is as sweet as the morning dew
Here’s a wish wrapped with love and lots of gratitude
Happy Mother’s Day to you

Tired of Fighting Against Myself

2009-05-06T22:00:00.002+06:00

Haven’t we come a long way fighting with each other?
Pretending as if we do not care if we go asunder
Harassing and hurting through words and ways spelling hatred and displeasure
Marring each one’s divinity to an extent beyond measure
Fighting against ourselves as we explore our lives further
Dawning and dying each day in our thoughts, sentiments, and whispers
Haven’t we come a long way fighting with each other?

Can’t we put an end to it and start life anew together?
Can’t we let the autumn leave and bring in the spring weather?
Can’t we travel hand in hand and vow to leave never
Can’t we be a single soul or just best friends forever?

Life Goes On As It Never Ends.

2009-04-27T00:30:00.001+06:00

Life nowadays seems to pass by fast. About a year ago, I felt myself as a failure having nothing to do in my life; I seemed to have lost in a darkened tunnel that appeared to have stretched over a thousand miles; I was surrounded by feelings of despair and regret and even felt suicidal at times, depression was all that I had. But then if I see myself now, the conditions have improved to a great extent, I never could have imagined that time that I will be gaining my will power again. Two years have passed and I am still waiting for the lost to return, a person who never used to stay without me even for a week went away and hasn’t returned yet. Two years ago, I had been thinking if how I would be able to move on with life with wounds that could never heal but with the passage of time, I occupied myself with varied tasks so as to divert my mind and my life seems to go by too fast now and I am glad it does!

The Seven Wonders of my Life.

2009-03-27T05:02:00.002+05:00

While “life is a necklace of fears” as Björk expresses in the song “Bachelorette,” I may define life as a priceless necklace embellished with beads of miracles, marvels, and momentous experiences woven together by the divine Creator. Among the countless spherules (events) of varied shades and hues, the significant seven of them that impart beauty and spark to my life’s necklace are:

The day my brother was born and I was able to hold him in my lap.

The day I received the results of my matriculation examination since the grades were much higher than expected.

The day I secured admission in the AKHSS.

The moment when I lent my first gaze to the person who was not destined to be mine.

The day I received the first billet doux of my life.

The day when I was notified about one of my poems being published in a book.

And above all, the times when I mustered up my strength with the assistance of my family and friends.

Without a doubt, I can tag the above-mentioned events as the “Seven Wonders of my Life,” which had been infused with diversified kinds of beliefs, emotions and sentiments.

The inspiration for the respective post has been drawn from the WritingFix's Random Daily Prompt Generator and the respected readers are requested to share their wonders of life in the comments section only if they feel comfortable in doing so.

Happy Reading!

From Homey Household to Hostelry.

2009-03-26T03:08:00.001+05:00

Having spent a considerable time of my life in a hostel, I decided to write a few lines about hostel life. As there are two sides to every question, life in a hostel has two faces; it can be advantageous as well as harmful at the same time. Since the atmosphere is entirely different, one learns a lot while staying at a hostel. Hostel life teaches one if how to be dependent on his own. I, myself, became confident after spending time in a hostel otherwise I had been a shy person earlier. Communicating with people having different backgrounds certainly improved my communications skills, though it made me more talkative too. I learned to develop adaptability, which helped me in coping with varied environments. But one of the things that I certainly missed being a hosteler was the care and affection of my parents as I had no one to look after me in times of sickness. I had missed long talks with my loved ones but the little sacrifices that I made definitely paid off.

My Best Teacher in Life.

2009-03-23T22:06:00.002+05:00

We all have various experiences in our life and experience teaches us what nothing else can do. Whether it is a good experience or a bad one, we do learn something from it in the end. However, sometimes we do learn the lessons very late as well. I, too, have many experiences in my entire life, and sometimes I have a feeling that I have experienced much more than the others at an age of 24. The periods of pain, grief and agony have taught me to be patient. They have made me realized if what faith in Allah means and how much is it important and how does belief in Allah results in bestowing blessings upon us. The failures of my life have taught me to struggle more instead of repenting. The experience of betrayals have taught me if who to trust upon. It has helped me in recognizing my friends and foes. Undoubtedly, experience is the best teacher in my life.

Practicing Patience.

2009-03-13T17:29:00.001+05:00

Patience and tolerance are one of the moral acts that should be practiced in our everyday life. Patience empowers us while lack of it causes troubles. But how many people amongst us are practitioners of patience? I am sure there would be a few as you can see hundreds of impatient individuals each day. While driving, each one of us is in a rush to reach our destination and we seldom give way to the ambulances, just because we aren’t being patient enough. Have you ever seen a queue outside a bank, a line of people waiting to get their bills done? You would always find them complaining that the worker doesn’t work well, however, the truth is that the people can’t wait for their turn patiently. What do we do while we are facing hardships in our life? We start complaining to Gods, don’t we? We do realize that everything happens for a reason but we do not realize it then just because of being impatient. Patience needs to be practiced in every sphere of life as it certainly bears fruits in the end.

Communicare - My First Group Assignment at FAIMC (Feroze Ahmed Institute of Mass Communication).

2009-02-13T06:47:00.004+05:00

Mass Communication is a vast and diversified field covering varied literary horizons that keep on expanding with time; however, journalism has always been a significant component of this field, and therefore, being the students of Mass Communication, we had been asked to prepare a sample newspaper as a part of our English assignment. After days of toil and relentless efforts by a team comprising of six students including myself being the editor and Safina, Ibtesam, Rizwan, Fatima and Ailya as the reporters, we finally managed to transform our vision into reality in the form of Communicare.

While working in a group, I realized if what teamwork is in its real essence. I can never forget the little arguments that we had while deciding what needs to be included in the paper or not, the cheers and laughter as we tried putting our creativity in the doodles, and the moral support we gave to each other at different times.

Communicare is indeed a significant part of my scholastic voyage to the world of journalism and media. Below are a few images of Communicare-my first group assignment at FAIMC.

Happy Coup d' oeil!

Untitled.

2009-01-27T00:31:00.002+05:00

To be happy and content with whatever you have in your life is very important. Happiness doesn’t necessarily mean success or achievement or it does not come with winning things only but it is a state where you feel satisfied in whatever you may have achieved. I had always wanted to pursue medical field as a career but I landed up in Mass Communication. I never knew if I could be a writer someday. However, writing is what makes me feel content today and I cannot even dream of living without it. One should always realize that everything happens for a reason and it happens for a good reason most of the time for Allah Almighty can never plan anything that goes against us.

I would request my beloved readers to suggest a suitable title for the post and I will be choosing one soon :)

Believe in Yourself.

2009-01-15T01:27:00.000+05:00

It is said that the easiest thing to find in this world are people who may tell you of things that you cannot do. It is hard to find people who may encourage you morally or motivate you in life but yes, every other person in this world is ready to find out flaws in you. I had a habit of taking my decisions according to what people say but then, I realized that they won’t ever let me explore my hidden talents or capabilities. It was then that I decided to follow my heart. I started doing whatever I felt like doing without lending ears to what others say and this has not only helped me become more confident than before but also lets me achieve things that I had thought that I won’t be able to. Therefore, “believe in yourself and your abilities and aim for the stars and never pay attention to the people who discourage” is one of the significant lessons that I have learnt in my life.

Soliloquy.

2009-01-06T09:49:00.000+05:00

People might consider me insane and crazy but I like having conversations with myself. A man’s best friend is his own inner soul and speaking to oneself helps a great deal in finding solutions to one’s own issues. Whenever I am facing a certain problem, I talk it over with myself. This not only helps me understand the issue more clearly but also provides space to think about the matter again. And there have been times when I had been able to come up with a fruitful conclusion as well. Soliloquy also helps in making me realize my potentials and flaws. It is in solitude that one discovers a lot about himself. Above all, I do not have to bother my friends in my problematic situations as I always have a best friend accompanying me all the time. However, it should be remembered that besides being a best friend, a man is the worst enemy of himself as well. Whether you land up being your own friend or enemy largely depends upon the way you think, the way you converse, and the way you feed your subconscious mind.

Reaction Counts More.

2009-01-01T17:28:00.004+05:00

Once I was having a talk with one of my friends who told me an interesting story, according to which, life consists of 10% of what is happening around us and the rest of the 90% depends on how do we react to it. For instance, there is a family having breakfast on the table and the little girl spills some tea on his father’s shirt unintentionally. The father scolds her daughter and goes upstairs to find another shirt for himself. The girl misses her van because of spending some time crying and her father needs to drop her at school then. He reaches office a little late and gets a scold from his boss, consequently ruining the entire day. However, if her father would have reacted in another way, he wouldn’t have suffered much. What if he did not scold his daughter and she wouldn’t have cried? She wouldn’t have missed her van and her father would have reached his office on time and would have spent a good day. This shows that it is not what happens around us that decides the fate of the day but it is how we react to any situation that does.

Thank you, Dawood for sharing a meaningful story, which, I hope, my readers would find interesting too.

Cherish Little Things in Life.

2008-12-28T12:18:00.000+05:00

I received a text message from a friend yesterday asking me if I ever thanked my friends for their smiles, hellos, and taps at my back, etc while she thanked me for the same. These may appear little things to one but if one notices, it certainly adds value to one’s life and makes it cheerful. No matter how introvert you are and how reserve you stay, you cannot imagine life without people around you, sooner or later you do feel the need of speaking to someone even if it’s a short conversation or just a hello. However, it entirely depends on you if you cherish these minute moments in life. If you do, you will certainly be happy. And if you don’t, then you will be haunted by the joyless shadows. Hence, try celebrating the little things in life like a stranger’s smile, a song sung with friends, or even a morning walk in the University.

Sense of Belonging.

2008-12-24T03:40:00.002+05:00

I always describe myself as an explorer on a way to decipher the untapped, bitter and seraphic realities of life whenever I am being asked to introduce myself. I believe life is a never-ending journey of self-exploration and while one continues to explore himself, he certainly is living a life. As soon as s/he ends the travel of self-discovery, s/he will start finding his/her life a meaningless one. The meaning of life may be different for different individuals but it usually revolves around people you care and with whom you share a certain sense of belonging. A sense of belonging forms the basis of the meaning of life. For instance, we belong to our beloved parents who wish to see our success and therefore, they emphasize on our studies. Since, we belong to them, we do consider if what they want and start considering a sound career and the attainment of education as one of the aims of life. Similarly, for some, keeping their loved ones/spouse happy could be the meaning of life as they feel a sense of attachment to them. While there may be a lot of meanings that could be derived, I am still in quest of one.

The Tender Moments I Yearn for

2008-12-15T12:50:00.001+05:00

The endless treasured talks at night
And the silent solemn promises
The winsome words to make things right
And the comforting seraphic caresses
The morning missives and the goodnight lines
The quixotic hugs and embraces
The cute little cards and the odorous nosegays
Filled with earnest and heartfelt praises
The eternal waits, the never-ending times
And the fondly glance and gazes
The trivial tiffs and the temper tantrums
The acts of mischief and rollicking phases
The long, long drives and shopping sprees
The leisurely walks along the beaches
The heavenly halo and a hand to squeeze
Are the missing elements being needed

Eid-ul-Azha Greetings.

2008-12-09T09:57:00.002+05:00

Here is to wish all Muslims around the world a very blessed Eid-ul-Azha:

Let us commemorate the divine sacrifice
In an ambience of purity and peace
Have a blissful day endowed with all things nice
With special prayers and boundless glee

Happy Eid-ul-Azha :)

Let Us Plan Peace.

2008-10-09T22:27:00.001+06:00

Let us drench our souls with the fountains of pure love

And cleanse our hearts from hatred

Let us free our minds from all the turbulence

All fears, all pains, and all that’s dreaded

Let the melodies of sacred harmony be played and entertained

And the call of the innocent be heard

Let the tranquil aura surround the celestial sphere

And let the true peace be observed

Let the violence end and the bloodshed cease

Which breaches all the peace

Let the wars in the world be abolished and done away with

And the spirits of unity increase

Let the world be a heavenly cosmos

For us to live and share

A pacific place in the holy space

For all the people, dear

Falling in Love Again.

2008-08-28T08:28:00.000+06:00

The dreaded years of sorrows have seemed to reach a close
The bruises are now healing, and so are the painful woes
The times of my life rejuvenate and revive
As the love strikes again letting me feel alive
The evanescing light in my heart seems to glow anew
Eclipsing all the grief that somehow made me blue
Wiping all the tears being shed in vain
I can feel the holy love happening again
And while my life had been as dormant as a sleeping volcano
With nothing to cherish and celebrate
A new spring of love splashes in my heart
Transforming the entire fate
Changing all around me, myself, my fears and pains
It seems like I am falling in love again!

Lonesome without You.

2008-04-29T05:54:00.002+05:00

Have you ever wondered how alone would I be?
While gazing at the moon and walking by the sea
While the gentle wind would play with the tresses of my hair
And the chilly breeze would freeze my salty, flowing tears
While the Mother Nature’s shower would be tapping at the pane
And I could hear the whistling of the distant trains
Have you ever wondered if what is solitary’s pain?
While I would pass by the sweet dwelling that we shared
The times when we had fought, and the moments when we cared
While I would feel affrighted by a terrifying nightmare
The times when I would be surrounded by the unseen fears
When there would be a winning, a time to celebrate
Or a phase of failure, a stroke of ill-fate
While the sonance of the silence would all that be heard
And the surrounding views would go on getting blurred
While the soul would lastly be liberated and set free
Will you then be wondering if how alone I had been?

The Worrying Whys Within

2008-03-31T22:46:00.001+05:00

The worrying whys still haunt my mind
And the Acherontic aura surrounds me
Neither letting me live nor letting me die
The story still confounds me
Had it been the Divine play or the Tempter’s little game
The miraculous reality of my life or a hallucinating dream frame
Had it been a pure devotion or an infatuation ended with time
Had it been my fault or yours masterminded sweet crime
If I had several flaws and never let you feel mine
What made you love me then before choosing to decline
If you had been the one alone to give up and give in
What would you call the stances when
I never treated your lies as sins
If faith was all you had in me, and the affection would have been true
How come you placed false blames on me been based on reasons untrue
And now when we have separate ways to follow and pursue
All I need is a justifiable reply for all the questions from you
Since, worrying whys still haunt my mind
While, the answers to the questions I try to find.

Loving You.

2008-02-29T16:53:00.001+05:00

With brimming tears and aching heart
I kept on wondering what made us part
What made you turn away your face?
Letting me follow the sufferer’s race
And while you turn a deaf ear to
The words I spoke or wrote to you
I wondered if it were really you
An unforeseen illusion becoming true
When times have changed, and so are you
Still, why do I keep doting you?
And when there is nothing left to be true
Yet, why do I keep loving you?

Weird Whispers.

2008-02-29T16:48:00.002+05:00

Alone in my darkened room
Along with the blessed solitude
I lay straight and stare the wall
Figuring out my life's rises and falls
Thinking that I may belong to somewhere else
Knowing it made a little sense
Comprehending the purpose of my existence
Was I being created for practicing persistence
Thinking what forced me for doing wrongs
Why was I destined to hear the melancholic songs?
And when I ended up questioning myself
I saw a ray of light entering the room
I woke up and took a great deep sigh
A sigh of relief, that's what I believe
As Lord has shown me the way to fly
A reason to live; a purpose to die