Stones and snakes of relationship

 The following picture is a great metaphor for any disturbed human relationship, particularly a man and a woman.

Often, a man can't see a snake holding a woman to go up on the cliff, making the man confused as to why she is not coming up, though I am holding her hand. And, many times, a woman can't appreciate the weight of the stone a man carries on his back, thinking why he is not making a full effort to pull me up the cliff.

Think of stones and snakes around you!!

Failures as catalyst

 

bin aaye an bane

Getting an Urdu shyr written on a wedding invitation in the USA is unusual. One of my friend's sons is getting married. Loved the beauty of shyr, particularly the last words.. bin aaye an bane

 

Echo

I follow Dr. Shariq Ali's social media postings, musings, and write-ups. I loved one of his posts, so I'm sharing it (he allows it). 

During today's walk, my eyes fell on this bench. Like a storyteller, it whispered in my ear. The tale of two old men who sat there for a few moments, reminiscing about forgotten memories and fears of the future. The hidden hopes in the sparkling conversations of two lovers. The story of a lonely person’s silent regret over past mistakes and the sorrowful remorse over lost love.

It felt as if the silence of this bench was an echo. An echo of human emotions—love, hope, regret, and contemplation.

Shariq Ali
Dunmow, Essex 

 

Zarf

Heard this again after many years. 

So profound...

 

 

Coffee and relationships

And you became like coffee,

in the deliciousness,

and the bitterness,

and the addiction.”

- Mahmoud Darwish

One literary mistake on Ustad's shyr

 Ustad Qamar Jalalvi was called Ustad for two reasons. First, he was a ustad of Urdu poetry. Second, he owned a bicycle mechanic shop and was called Ustad!

One of his shyr was recited wrongly by the masses.

Actual wordings are

Quality of life

I constantly get educated by my patients!

Yesterday, one of my patients said, "I always ask God to give me life with quality. Not only do I want to live not miserably, but I also want my loved ones around me to live with quality and not be miserable because of me. Quality of life is not a personal matter. It's a shared value."

God's mysterious way of working

"I never wanted to travel to India in a hot and humid summer. I was left with no choice when I had to go and finish some last-minute signatures on a property my father sold. I never returned to India since I came here 22 years ago. On my day of landing, my father's very close friend, who was like another father figure for me till I left for the USA, died. 

What makes this strange is when I was leaving for the USA, Chacha Gaurav had said: "Wish I can see you once before I die, and if I can not see you, for some reason, I hope you give lite (Chita) to my body for my Antim Kirya. And I replied: "Don't say that. But if it comes to that, and if All mighty willing, I will be there".

*

Power of nonviolence and humor

 

11:11

 Chris and I go a long way back. He first worked as an electrician in the house I built after my first job. As it was a new township, he got a lot of new contracts. I'm not sure how we became good friends. After his work, he used to stop by the ground next to my newly built house to rearrange stuff in his truck, chat, and puff a couple of weeds before driving to his rural house, a well-90-minute drive from the city.

Later, he moved somewhere else. I met Chris again while driving a Pakistani cardiologist who recently joined our hospital to show the new houses coming up in the city. Meeting him was a pleasant surprise due to his mild manners and always smiling face. He pulled a couple of weeds to keep our tradition, and we started to catch up. As I puffed smoke in the air, I noticed a tattoo on his forearm reading 11:11 and inquired about it.

He said, "You don't know? 11:11 signifies two guardian angels with you. They constantly remind you of your actions and help you stay on the right path!!"

I said in my heart: "Ya Allah! Munkeer Nakeer ne yahan bhi peecha nahi choRa"!!!

Mursheed and Mureed

Maulana Rum wrote many places that once you are ripe, your guide will come to you. I found this true again and again: 

Mursheed (guide) chooses his Mureed (disciples), not the other way around.