Running Water (Woman)

(I wish I knew the source)

Story of a Cherry tree

Once there was a large cherry tree next to a house. 

A little boy who lived in that house loved to come and play around it every day. He used to climb the tree , ate the Cherries, played around and took a nap under the shadow…He loved the tree and the tree loved to see him play. Time went by…The little boy grew, and he no longer played around the tree. 

One day, the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore.” The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, I don’t have money…but you can pick all my Cherries and sell them so you will have money.”     

The boy was so excited. He picked all the Cherries on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’t come back. The tree was sad. 

One day, the boy grown into a man returned. The tree was so excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, I don’t have a house, but you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy didn’t come back afterward. The tree was again lonely and sad. 

 One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” The tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and didn’t come back for a long time. 

 Finally, the man returned after he had been gone for so many years. “Sorry, my boy, but I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more Cherries to give you.” The tree said. “I don’t have teeth to bite,” the man replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now,” the man said. “I really can’t give you anything… the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with sadness. “I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled. 

 The tree in the story represents our parents. When we are young, we love to play with them. When we grow up, we leave them and only come back when we need help. Parents sacrifice their lives for us.

On 'Mortality' & 'Simple Joys of Life'

Few days ago, someone asked me about mortality. Since that day, I wanted to share one finest thing, I ever read on mortality. Its from a well known American novel "Water for Elephants" authored by a Canadian, Sara Gruen. 

"I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other. 

When you're five, you know your age down to the month. 

Even in your twenties you know how old you are. I'm twenty three, you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties something strange starts to happen. It's a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I'm-you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you're not. You're thirty-five. And then you're bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it's decades before you admit it".

and

"Sometimes I think that if I had to choose between an ear of corn or making love to a woman, I'd choose the corn. Not that I wouldn't love to have a final roll in the hay-I am a man yet, and some things never die-but the thought of those sweet kernels bursting between my teeth sure sets my mouth to watering. It's fantasy, I know that. Neither will happen. I just like to weigh the options, as though I were standing in front of Solomon: a final roll in the hay or an ear of corn. What a wonderful dilemma. ...."

On "Caller ID"

2 months ago, I decided to go bare on my home landline features (get rid of all features including caller ID). For a while, I felt like back in 1980s, when home phones were way of life without caller IDs. Where ring of phone in house will turn every head in house with an emotion of curiosity, anticipation and I guess little tachycardia of unknown! (My parents always believed and taught me of picking up phone if we are there).

I realized, how precious is that feeling of unknown expectation, excitement and suspense - and more importantly for human bonding, as people hear you in your voice!

Indeed, technology beyond certain limit is a curse and come with its own price.

Insaan Aur Gadha

Pakistani film star Kamal ko Pakistan ka Raj Kapoor kaha jaata hai, is liye ke un ki shakal aur andaaz Raj Kapoor  se milta tha - magar Pakistan jese bad-naseeb mulk main ye baat bohat kum logoN ne 'appreciate' ki ke Kamal sahab ne Pakistan main 'art films' banane ke 'risky' tajarbe kiye.

Meri umar shayed 7 baras ho gi, jab unki banaii hui film 'Insaan aur Gadha' release hui. Main ghar pe shikayat na ker dun, is dar se cousins mujeh bhi Sunday ka matinee show dikhane le gaye. Us film ne mujh pe bohat gehra asar chora. (since that film  - Film star Nisho remained my all time crush)

Film aik Gadhe (played by Rangeela) ke gird ghumti hai, jo logon ke zulm se taang aa ker khuda se dua kerta hai ke mujhe insaan bana de. Uski Dua qabool hoti hai. Woh insaan ban jaata hai. Magar insaan ban ker use jo tajarbaat hote hain, woh khuda se phir Dua kerta hai - "ya khuda mujeh phir gadha bana de!"

(Kehte hain, Bhutto sahab is film pe kaafi naraz huwe the - kiun ke aik scene main rangeela sahab bhutto ke andaaz main gadhoN ke jalse se khitab kerte hain)

Mujeh insaanoN ki is duniya  main, kabhi kabhi woh film bohat yaad aati hai

Aik French kahawat

Kabhi kahin kisi kitab main parha tha ke - France main aik baat kahi jaati hai:

"Duniya main saare masle tab shuru huwe, jab se aurat ne sex ka maza lena shuru kiya" *

Aksar apni thoRi khujate huwe sochta hun - shayed theek hi hai!

* Life's all problems originated since women start enjoying sex

On 'Forbidden Sin'

Today I had an interesting conversation with a friend about "Forbidden Sin". It reminded me of following poem of Fehmida Riyaz (read it loud to feel the actual depth of this poem)

A quote

(You may agree or may not! - I do)

“Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” ― Napoleon

Con Artist

(Heard this story while at reading and book discussion of Dr. Mubarak Ali's Taareekh, Thug aur Daacu)

Main to 35 baras aik 'Con Artist' ki biwi rahi - magar khuda na kare kisi ghar main koi 'Con Artist' paida ho.  

Kuch log paida hi 'Con Artist' (Dhoke baaz / thag) hote hain. Ye unki sar-sasht main peenha (embedded in Genes) hota hai. Ye waqt aane pe ma-baap, bhai-bahen ya khud apne biwi bachhon ko bhi dhoka dene se nahi chugte. Inka pata tab chalta hai, jab ye aap ki zindai ka hissa bante hain. Ye jhoot bole bagair, logon ko 'cheat' kiye bagar zinda hi nahi reh sakte. Aik nafsiyati marz hai jo aas paas kai logon ko barbad ker deta hai.

Mere shohar ke paas kai 'shankhti card' aur darjano 'passport' the. Us ne Pakistan, Dubai, aur Europe main kai logoN ko chuna lagaya. Mere Ma-baap ke paas kafi daulat thi. Usne mere ghar waloN se jhoot bol ker mujh se shadi ki. Mere baap ki daulat hatyane ke baad us ne  'investment company' banayi - aur aik ke baad aik, kai logoN ko lootta gaya. Kabhi Dubai main construction ki jaali company banaii. Kabhi apne hi business main aag lagwa ker 'insurance' ko loota. Kabhi 'credit card' ko fraud kiya. Pakistan main aik hi makan 4/5 logon ko bech ker farar ho gaya... Khud apne bhai behno ko loot liya. 2 dafa pakra bhi gaya magar wahan se heart attack ka bahana ker ke hospital gaya aur doctor ka roop dhar ke farar ho gaya.

Woh saari zindagi bhagta raha. Mujeh aur hamare do bachhon se barson  dur raha.  Saalon guzar jaate, koi khabar na aati aur phir dheroN paise le ker namudar hota aur wese hi saari daulat le ker gaib ho jaata. ....Aakhri baar jaate mere saare zewar bulke bachhoN ke paise bhi le gaya. Ajeeb baat ye hai ke use na to bare makan main rehne ka shoq tha, na gaari ka, na kapron ka. Har cheez ko thori der 'enjoy' kerta aur phir chor deta.

Akhir kaar aik accident main maara gaya. Us ki mayyat pe na to koi roya na hi koi been hui. 

Main ne Karachi University se nafsiyaat main 'Masters' kiya tha. Main ne 'pathological liars' ke bare main to parha tha, magar 'pathological con artists' ke baare main nahi. 

Allah jane un ki is 'Mental Thrill' ke peeche kis nafsiyati mehroomi ka haat hota hai.

Your love language?

Lately I was very busy working and travelling. One friend complaint that I am not answering his calls, texts and emails - and I am not that old friend as before! It reminded me of famous book by Gary Chapman "The five love languages". Every human eventually fall into one category

1. receiving gifts, - You feel loved by getting gifts
2. quality time, - you feel loved if someone spend time with you
3. words of affirmation, - you like to get acknowledgement 
4. acts of service,  - you feel loved if someone do stuff for you 
5. physical touch - you feel loved by hugs and cuddling

My love language is 'words of affirmation'. My friend's love language is probably 'quality time'. You can check your love language here or here

Breakfast

(A story came in a forward email)

It was a busy Morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an Appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, Knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the Doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

 I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

 He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

 I had to hold back myself as he left, I had goose bumps on my arms.

Aurat

On 'Trusting'

Kan Kun (Miner)

Dr. Shariq Ali practices surgery and lives in England. He loves doing audio pod casts on various subjects. He has beautiful voice. He is one heck of a gem person. He is a man of deep emotional thoughts and has a deep literary sense. He writes poetry, short stories and essays. Recently, he published seven of his essays in Urdu. I thoroughly enjoyed reading each of them, along listening to them. Though he call it short stories - they are more of inshaiyas.

I would advise any reader of this blog  to at least hear his following pod cast. It is a pure delight and gives you an unique look on any simple human life - Kan kun (Miner)

http://valueversity.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/kankun-by-shariq-ali-awazay-urdu-short-story.mp3

You can hear and read all his work at his website http://www.valueversity.com/

A quote on life

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out. 

- Anton Chekhov (master of short stories)

Life is a ....

"Life is a bitch"
"No Sir! You are wrong. Life is a whore. She f*** everyone"!

.

A quote

Today someone said following naked truth of life on my face - and I agreed. 

 He who pays the piper calls the tunes.

On "Adjectives"

Gusse ki Aankh

I read horrible news of a desi family in Houston - where parents got killed in Suicide-cum-Homicide and kids are under 'Child Protective Services' (here). Whatever triggered one parent to pull trigger on whole family, reminded me of my Dadi - who use to remind my father during his usual spells of anger.

"Gusse ki aankh nahi hoti"

(Gussa aag ki ruhani shakal hai - jo qaboo main rahe to tuaam ka intazam kerti hai, be-qaboo ho jaaye to ghar jala deti hai - Anger is the spiritual form of Fire. If it remains in line, it creates food, but if gets out of control, it burns the house).

Sherlock Holmes - 2

2 weeks ago when I blogged a musing about Sherlock Holmes (link), he was on my mind for a while. As I spoke to a colleague at work, he told me one very interesting quote from his adventures which makes a lot of depth and sense. I asked him to find me a link. I waited and finally reminded him - and here it is 

“There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion,” said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. “It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.” (Sherlock Holmes in 'The Naval Treaty' - Part 1)