On Near Death Experience

A Texas teenager, Ben Breedlove, who cheated death three times despite a dangerous heart condition died on Christmas night from a heart attack, but not before posting a two-part video on YouTube telling his story and describing a series of powerful visions.

Story here,    Youtube videos  Part 1 Part 2

Ghalib!

I think it was 1996. I was very new in USA. I was invited to a private dinner by Ifti (Click). I was sitting next to Javed Akhtar. (Ye woh zamana tha jab log Shabana Azmi ko Javed Akhtar se ziyada jaante the!). Javed Akhtar asked me about my work, Pakistan, my background etc. Than he asked me: "Beta kuch shayeri wayeri bhi parhte ho?" I replied Yes and I added that I love Ghalib! Javed Akhtar smiled and said: "Sahi kehto ho! shayer to sirf Ghalib hai - baqi sab shayer ghaliban hain" (The only poet is Ghalib - all others can be said as probable poets!)...Ghalib ki is se achhi taa'rif main ne aaj tak nahi suni!


Somebody send this interesting article on Ghalib and I think its worth sharing. Mirza Ghalib: Peshawari Turban and Humor (click)

The Descendants

In Holidays' all glamorous movies - George Clooney's independent/art movie "The Descendants" didn't catch much media attention, but it was an awesome work - not only because Clooney did a great piece of acting but the way the whole movie came all together with plot, photography, dialogues, etc.

George Clooney is a busy attorney whose wife become vegetative after a boat accident. While caring for her, he knows she was cheating on him. First, he goes nuts, but as the movie progresses, he deals with his anger. Simultaneously, he has to deal with his 2 spoiled, dysfunctional daughters and his other obligation as trustee of an expensive family fortune.

The theme is that in the end, you must let go of all bitter feelings and carry on with your responsibilities as best as possible.

Trailer here

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Death in Sleep!

Kiya log chale jaane ke baad hame aalme-bala main yaad kerte hain? ya neend main hum sab alame-baala main hote hain?

 .............Aaj main aik aese kawab se bedaar huwa jis main aik bohat purana dost jo ab ja chuka - mere paas betha batain kerta raha. Us ke jaane se pehle hamari laraii hui thi, baat cheet band ho gai thi, taaluqat aese tute ke phir kabhi baat na hui...and we became friends again in my dream! 

 Uth ker kuch der main kafi pareshani ke alam main raha. Yun mehsoos hota tha woh khawab nahi, haqeeqat tha! Main ne Quran khola to ye ayat parhne ko mili: "Woh wahi hai jo raat main tumhae wafat deta hai aur janta hai jo kuch din main kamao, phir tumhe din main uthata hai ke theraii hui mee'ad puri ho - phir usi ki taraf phirna hai - phir woh bata dega jo kuch tum kerte the' (6:60) 

A Quote

 Being happy doesn't result from solving the world's problems, it is a state of mind with which you confront the world's problem. (Dr. Timothy J. Sharp in 100 Ways to Happiness)

Aik kamra - Aur us main ruka waqt!

(There is no exaggeration in following post. Everything is written as found)

Is kamre main lagta hai waqt 'March 2003' pe  aa ker tham gaya hai.
Peechle aath (8) baras main is kamre main kuch nahi badla!

Bister pe rakhe khubsurat 'pillows' ki teh der teh......Bister kinare  'carousel horse' ka woh lamp......Study table pe khuli woh note book. Us note book pe woh pencil aath (8) baras se yunhi pari hai.......Woh compUSA ka kids computer....Bookshelf main khubsurti se saji woh kahanioN ki kitabain........Deewar pe laga woh marker board, jis pe peechle aath (8) baras se us bachhi ke likhe alfaz - "Dance is my life" aaj bhi yunhi tehreer hai....Bathroom main pare woh 'towels'......Sink pe woh 'princess' ka tooth brush.......Calendar pe "March 2003" ka mahina.....

Is kamre main ghari ki sui ruk si gai hai.

Dr. Farhat ki biwi aath (8) baras pehle ghar chor ker chali gai. Jaate jaate beti ko bhi le gai. Us din se Dr. Farhat ke - darkhton (woods) main ghire  - is million dollar mension - ke is kamre main kuch nahi badla. 'Maid' ko sakht hidayat hai ke - safaii zaroor ho - magar koi cheez jagah se na hile.

Is kamre ko main ne pehle bhi dekha hai magar ab ke baras to - mujeh is kamre se khauf aane laga hai jis main yaadoN ke kai bhoot pareet band ho gaye hain!!

Aik Sher!

I am not sure is this sher belongs to Mohsin Bhopali or Mohsin Naqvi, as both used same takhallus - (or some other Mohsin) - but its worth sharing..

Over centuries history changed as bit Mohsin
Than age was stoned, now people are stoned!

Matti Pao!

Is blog pe main ne apne aik dost Barkatullah ka zikar kiya tha (here). 'Positive Attitude' rakhne wale aese log zindagi main bohat kum milte haiN. Barkatullah se main ne zindagi main do (2) 'Magical Words' sikhe! aur woh mujeh zindagi main bohat kaam aaye.


Jub kabhi mohalle main hamara kisi se jhagra ho jaata, hum Cricket ka koi match haar jaate, koi nuqsan ho jaata, koi picnic kharab ho jaati, koi dost dhoka de jaata....Aur jub hum sab dost beth ker - uska afsos kerna shuru kerte - ya gussa utarna shuru kerte ...to Barkatullah apni patloon jharta huwa khara hota aur kehta "Matti Pao" - aur phir kehta "chalo chai piyaiN" ya "chalo film dekhaiN" ya "chalo clifton chalaiN" ya "chalo nihari khate haiN" .....aur hum sab bhi "Haan Haan Matti Pao" keh ker saath chal parte - aur sab kuch bhool jaate!


Zindagi main aksar aese mauqe aaye.....jab main 'frustrate' huwa, jab main udas huwa, pareshan huwa, gussa ayya, nuqsan huwa, koi anhoni ya napasandeedah  baat ho gai...Main dil main kehta hun - "Matti Pao" - aur moveon ho jaata hun...


Bachpan ki kai baatain zindagi bhar saath nahi chortiN

Saima-2

 Somebody send me a personal email asking for a follow up on one story I did on Saima (or here). Here is the follow up.

Saima finally told her husband about her previous illegitimate child from her teenage life and it resulted in following domino effect. I will put everything as factually happened so probably no literary 'chashni'.

1. Saima's husband divorced her and kicked her out of the house!
2. Saima  found her daughter and she accepted her, and actually that's the only good part of this story. They both keep in touch with each other.
3. Saima's husband after divorce lost all his business and Child Support dropped down only to $300 per month which brought Saima literally on street. Though she finds odd job on and off but they pay very minimal money (without any skill).
4. Saima's one son dropped out from college and moved on with his life. He is angry on his mother whom he thinks of as slut now (some brainwashing from dad)!
5. To save second son from dropping out from college she found an old Pakistani married sugar daddy who helps her out financially but naturally she has to pay in some other way! (I will not get judgmental here)
6. Due to above all, she lost all respect in conservative desi community and she is now rarely seen in public.
7. Saima took truth to end by informing the guy who fathered her daughter years ago but he didn't show any interest! (let say didn't give S***)

Sachhai ki bohat bhari qeemat ada ki hai Saima ne

Last time I heard from her about 6 months ago (since she changed her #), when I texted her just to find out how she is doing and she text me back the following song!

On 'Quest of Love'

Much has been written on this topic, but it was best described in the renowned French novel "Madame Bovary." Whether talking of unhappiness in one's relationship - or polygamous relationships - or leaving relationships one after another in quest of perfect/ideal relationship  - one thing needs to be understood:

"Extramarital relationships, polygamous affairs, quickies, one night stands, serial dating - is not a sign of freedom and may sound very exotic on the outside but may turn a soul into as pathetic, possessive and banal as monogamous relationship or marriage itself. In actuality, this so-called sign of freedom may become a bigger psychological, social, and psychological storm...."

There is no perfect answer! As our Gulzar  Sahab said on relationships....

KaantoN ki taaraiN haiN, Pathar ke darwaze!

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On walk from place of worship!

Meri baat aap ko bohat purani aur daqyanusi lage gi!


Mandir ho, masjid ho, kaleesa ho ke kaaba ho. Kisi bhi insaan ko is baat se bohat khushi haasil hoti hai ke - woh apni 'place of worship' se paidal chal ker apne ghar tak aaye! ...........................Agar aap ne zindagi main aesa nahi kiya to ker ke dekhiye - aik achha sakoon milta hai. 


Wajah aap dhundiye, mujeh sirf 'statement' dene dijye.

Man and Woman...

(Both brains work differently)

Give Respect to a Man, and in return he will love you....
Give Love to a Woman, and in return she will respect you......

Diya!

Hamare shehr main aik mandir hai. 


Baqol Faiz:
koi ujra huwa, be-noor purana mandir 
dhundhta hai jo kharabi ke bahane kab se 
Chaak har baam, har ik dum ka dum-e-akhir hai 


Us mandir main kisi shab main ne bhi tumhara naam ka aik diya jalaya hai

A fine line between You and Me

Another beautiful post from Aisha - an highly emotional tale from real life.


"I realize we are all someone's child. And I realize that if I let my heart crack open and bleed like it does right now over moments like this that I will not be able to function in this world full of heartache and sadness as much as its filled with sunflowers and daffodils-- but there are some moments like watching tears of gratitude from a man old enough to be your grandfather because you plugged in a cord-- that make your heart hurt."


Read full Post: On power cords and the fine line between You and Me

At Deathbed - 2

On my previous post, Aasem Bakhshi has views contrary to mine. He prefer to be alone at deathbed due to reason that he does not want loved ones to suffer due to his own death. Actually, his views coincide with Great Leo Tolstoy (who in real life, before death walked out of house but collapsed at nearby train station). Let me quote a paragraph from last page of his story "The Death of Ivan Ilyich".


"At that very moment Ivan Ilych fell through and caught sight of the light, and it was revealed to him that though his life had not been what it should have been, this could still be rectified. He asked himself, "What *is* the right thing?" and grew still, listening. Then he felt that someone was kissing his hand. He opened his eyes, looked at his son, and felt sorry for him. His wife camp up to him and he glanced at her. She was gazing at him open-mouthed, with undried tears on her nose and cheek and a despairing look on her face. He felt sorry for her too.


"Yes, I am making them wretched," he thought. "They are sorry, but it will be better for them when I die." He wished to say this but had not the strength to utter it. "Besides, why speak? I must act," he thought. with a look at his wife he indicated his son and said: "Take him away...sorry for him...sorry for you too...." He tried to add, "Forgive me," but said "Forego" and waved his hand, knowing that He whose understanding mattered would understand.


And suddenly it grew clear to him that what had been oppressing him and would not leave his was all dropping away at once from two sides, from ten sides, and from all sides. He was sorry for them, he must act so as not to hurt them: release them and free himself from these sufferings. "How good and how simple!" he thought. "And the pain?" he asked himself. "What has become of it? Where are you, pain?" He turned his attention to it.

At Deathbed!

 "Who would you like to be with when you are dying"?

I am very good in answering instantly to this type of questions but this took a while for me. Actually, I pondered for a day! I imagined myself dying on deathbed and thought about my siblings, close friends, cousins, relatives, even parents and my kids whom I thought I love most in my life - but I came to a very different answer!

I would not like to have many people around my deathbed while dying. I would like to have only one person whom I love from my heart and have full trust, to be there. Nothing can be more peaceful than that!!

As Ustaq Zauq said:

Kum honge is bisat pe hum jese badqimar

Jo chal hum chale, so nihaye't buri chale

Kirnain -2

Main ne pehle bhi is blog pe likha hai (here): "One of the most 'finest' love story in Urdu is writtten by Shaifqur Rehman called KirnaiN". Zindagi main aksar aese mor aaye hain jub main ne almari se nikal ker is afsane ko phir parha hai. Aaj bhi aesa hi aik din tha......


"Shaffu bhayya ka dil kesa tha? jo na gamoN se jhuka, na aaftoN ne is per koi asar kiya. MaayusioN ke kese toofan aaye lekin use na hila sake.......


"Aur ab! - Ab bhi un ki wahi tanha zindagi hogi, be-kaif zindagi! lekin un ka chehra ab bhi roshan hoga. Shikayat ka aik lafz bhi un ke laboN per na aata hoga. MareezoN ka aadha dukh to woh apni meethi baatoN se dur ker dete hon ge. Rang ba-rang phooloN ka ab bhi shoq hoga. Baag main ab bhi subah subah seetiaN bajate hon ge"


"......Tab main ne socha ke ye ranj-o-gum sab waqti cheezaiN hain. Bilkul naa'paidaar! - Na to khushi hi dair tak rehti hai aur na udasi. Bulke aesi mehboob hastioN ki yaad hamesha ke liye dil maiN mehfooz rehti hai - aur aese masroor lamhoN ki yaad bhi - jo kabhi muskurahatoN main basar huwe the. Yahi zindagi ki weeranioN main rafiq banti hai. Sab kuch ujar jaane per bhi zindagi ki taarikiaN inhi kirnoN se jagmaga uththi haiN. Ye jhilmil jhilmil kerti hui piyari piyari kirnaiN"

Barhwan Khilari (The Twelfth Man)

(One of my all time favorite poem - from Iftikhar Arif)


barhwan khilari bhi 
 kiya ajab khilari hai 
 khel hota rehta hai 
 shor machta rehta hai 
 daad parti rehti hai
 aur woh alag sab se
 intezar karta hai 
 aik aisi sa'at ka
 aik aisay lamhey ka 
 jis main saniha ho jaaye 
 Phir woh khailne niklay 
 taaliyon ke jhurmat main 
 aik jumla-e-khush kun
 aik naara-e-tehseen 
 us kay naam ho ja'aye 
 Sab khilariyon kay saath 
 woh bhi moutabar ho ja'aye 


 tum bhi Iftikhar Arif 
 barhwain khilari ho
 intezar kartey ho
 aik aisay lamhey ka 
 aik aisi saa'at ka 
 jis main hadisa ho ja'aye 
 jis main saniha ho jaye

Meals Ready!

 Worth watching - a short film! - A short tale of love!

Good news? Bad news?

 Over the years - I have learned that a small personality test determines a person's personality. (Biased, obviously).

If you ask a person - Do you want the good news first? Or bad news first?

A person who asks for the good news first is usually more social, let it go, kind of careless, unplanned, happy, lucky go, usually broke but simultaneously optimist and a good friend - and a person who asks for the bad news first is generally cautious, less confident, perfectionist, controlling but simultaneously hard-working, intelligent, no non-sense and frugal people.

It's just two different flavors of people you live with. Nothing major!

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