I write because….

During exams of my seventh grade, I was asked to write an essay over the topic of library. In those days I didn’t own much books but I often dreamt of having a large and airy library at home.

I wrote an imaginary essay in which I gave desription of my ideal picture of library with two large windows which I imagined opened in garden of my home. I was supposed to write that essay in Urdu and thirteen out of fifteen marks were considered highest in class.

In her remarks, my teacher wrote excellent work on my paper.

I kept that paper for a long time but later lost it during shifting process of my home.

Two weeks ago, I was reading George Orwell’s essay in which he mentioned that he had a lonely child’s habit of making up stories and holding up conversation with imaginary friends. Reading this reminds me of that library essay and I thought I could relate to him for there is this magic in imagination that in most desperate moments of my life, I have always found refuge in secret heaven of my imaginary world.

I write because it gives me an excuse for reading.

I scribble because it provides me glimpse of my own thought process.

I write because it keeps me alive.

It sounds like a cliche but it’s been some time that wtiting has become more of a life line for me. I have found the sensation of giving birth to words painful but the next moment when I saw words on previously blank screen of my laptop, I feel proud of myself.

My mother often scolds me that I also need to learn to explain myself through oral communication which I think I’m quite capable of doing for it seems funny but whenever my mother is furious, I get afraid of her temper and lost control over my speech.

I have no idea of the count of words I have typed so far. I have been interrupted twice and have lost control of my stream of thoughts whose speed I was unable to control. My fingers didn’t keep pace with it.

This post of mine wasn’t suppose to go like this. There were many things which I wanted to write but right now when I’m not able to recall any single of them, I’d like to mention that I write because through writing, I’ve explored many new dimensions of life.

I simply write because writing has provided me with this opportunity to embrace life…

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My travel story

In my childhood when roads were not good the journey towards my native city was long. In those days Motorway was not constructed and eight to ten hours of journey through grand trunk or GT road (South Asia’s oldest and longest major roads) left my parents exhausted. On the other hand we children remained energetic for the mere idea of meeting with cousins and uncles kept us excited.

With time lot has been changed but my nostalgic feelings towards my city and late grandma’s house remained same.

It’s been some time that we wanted to take break from our monotonous hectic routines and this past week when our parents decided to arrange a trip to Attock, I and my sisters got excited.

It was early in the morning when we started our journey.

Province of Punjab is known for it green fields and as we were travelling between its two cities, we saw many beautiful scenes.

After every ten to twenty kilometers, I very much liked to stop and wanted to capture pictures of every scene but my mother reminded me that it would slow down our speed for at home the lunch was ready and every one was anxiously waiting for us.

In golden gleam of October sun, the road ahead was shining. I saw many villages where farmers were busy working in their fields while their cattle were enjoying eating food.

I saw workers along the road were busy in painting tree trunks white. At that time I didn’t understand but later I came to know they were doing this to protect tree bark from splitting and cracking.

While the car was travelling on Motorway, I captured this image. White painted trees are visible in this picture.

After four hours we left Motorway and covered rest of the distance through GT road.

I like this canopy of green leaves. The road ahead was looking neat.

Sitting in front of car my mother kept on reminding me that my phone was not good to capture images but when I saw these horses and couldn’t resist capturing this picture.

This year on August 6, while writing a post on my blog,  I unconsciously mentioned my desire to observe reflection of sunlight in sea and this past week when I visited Attock river, I captured this effect of sunlight in water.

I was happy and amazed for this picture is very near to the picture I saw somewhere on internet.

My favorite moment of family gathering is moment of picnic. We were some thirty people who went to river Attock and to river Haro on two different days.

On that bright day the sun was shining. In the pictures the river looks calm but due to its unpredictable level it was dangerous to go near.

On that day, I didn’t wear my joggers and in order to cross this mountain of sand, I took off my sandals. Sand was warm but I enjoyed my walk.

This is an old Attock bridge that was built in 1883 during English rule in subcontinent. The upper level of bridge is still in use for train movement. It’s been some time that the lower level of bridge is not in use for heavy traffic but still motorbikes and cycles from nearby villages use this bridge.

While we were getting ready for picnic, we heard the sound of tain. I immediately got hold of my phone and tried to make small video on my phone.

What you give is what you get. We waved hands at the passengers in train. They looked grateful and waved back at us.

Sitting on a rock, I particularly enjoyed feeling the sensation of cold water on my feet.

While looking at the foamy waves of water, I silently thanked God for making the world beautiful.

Attock Fort is an important historical place which was built during Akbar reign from 1581 to 1583.

In this picture the outer wall of Attock fort is visible. It’s been a long time that visitors are not allowed to go inside.

It’s been some time that I read somewhere that a person who don’t know about his family roots is not confident in practical life. I have myself experienced that whenever I get a chance to meet with my extended family, I feel myself fresh and more confident.

I’m grateful to God Almighty for this blessing of beautiful blood relations in my life.

Gratitude post

It’s not me that’s for sure but my younger sister is of the view that just like a girl in the picture, I could spend long hours reading a book and that too on my favorite couch in drawing room.

There’s nothing special about this sitting arrangement in my drawing room. It’s only this that this little space is quite secluded from the rest of home and while reading or writing, I could move my head and can observe reflection of sunny sky in green garden outside.

Not always but at times this sitting posture of mine reminds me of Jane Eyre. It’s not that I can relate to her but when Jane in order to escape bullying of her cousins hid herself behind curtains of large window in library, I felt her pleasure in escape which she found in reading book.

I was supposed to write this post earlier but delayed writing it for in these past two or three days, I was busy enjoying the positive effects of a change which I had tried to bring in my behavior.

For some time I was trying to act boss at home. My bossy behavior was making my youngest sister and niece quite annoyed of me__ I have little patience for tolerating mess and kids have lot of stamina for producing it.

Recently, I have decided that instead of changing people in my surrounding why not try to change my own behavior.

It’s seven thirty in the morning when sitting in my favorite space in home, I’m writing these lines and feeling grateful for bringing this change in my behavior. I have stopped being bossy and have noticed that without shrieking and showing any kind of attitude, I can exercise my power on others with patience and respect.

I’m so happy for I’m able to bring this change in my behavior and I’m happy that while writing this gratitude post and I can observe shades of early morning sun outside.

On the other side of a street there’s a large tree whose green leaves among top branches are shining in mellow sunlight. Towards the bottom of tree where the early morning sun has not get an acess yet, I can see some shades of darkness.

But, I’m not afraid of them for I know once the light decides to appear then the darkness of night finds no room to stay.

Previously, I was trying to change behavior of people in my surrounding but I’m happy for this dawn of light upon my thoughts which has taught me that it’s always better to bring change in oneself first.

I’m happy and I’m grateful that I’m able to bring change in my behavior first.

Image Courtesy: Google Image

Gratitude journal day 1

Yesterday, I came across a post on huffingtonpost. It was about benifits of keeping gratitude journal. The idea of maintaining one seemed nice and after reading it, I thought it’s been a long time that I haven’t sit and spend some time over this topic and thought to maintain my own online gratitude journal for atleast three consective days.

It’s ten in the morning when I’m going to read and make some changes in a draft which I wrote two and a half hours ago. The list is in no particular order and I’m going to keep it the way in which my stream of thoughts bombarded my mind this morning.

•  I’m grateful for watching cricket match on TV with my siblings. After a hectic day watching this sport in evening helps in relaxing our minds. More than anything else it’s the first international match with foreign players playing here in Pakistan since 2009 terrorist attack on the then visiting Sirilankan team. It’s been a long time and people are looking happy about the return of cricket in country.
• I’m happy and blessed to have a wonderful elder sister who despite being married always finds time in hearing my long speech on phone. She lives in another country but due to whatsapp and her caring nature she always seems near.
• After watching some videos on youtube about killer whales, I explored a lot about them on internet. It feels good to learn about whales who preferrerd to live in families. The mother whale whose average life span is estimated somewhere around 90 years took care of her children throughout her life. I’m grateful for my internet connection which has helped me in exploring a lot about whales.
• My Samsung Glaxy Tab is of Red color. I also have my mobile phone but I preferred to set morning alarm on my tab. I’m grateful to it for waking me up 5:30 in the morning. Offering the morning prayer is best way to strengthen your bond with God Almighty.
• I’m grateful to hear all these morning voices outside. Sitting on top of trees, birds are chirping. Somewhere near the gardner is busy mowing lawn grass. It’s seven thirty and it’s school time. Two or three houses from my home, crow is sitting on wall. It’s harsh voice is giving background touch to noise of cars and motorbikes on road. I don’t mind hearing all this disturbance. It shows that life never rests, it moves on.
• The sun is shining and the day is bright, I’m happy to start a brand new day

Image Courtesy: Google Image(Scrapbook Adhesive)

It’s been almost an year that I wrote this post titled happiness is… on my blog. The list in a post is very close to my heart. My apologies for not creating hyperlink here.

https://valiantwarrior.wordpress.com/2016/09/26/happiness-is/

 

Writing some random thoughts

Month of August is always warm. Level of humidity in air increases so much that at times it seems impossible to take even a breath. This morning was relatively calm. I woke up early and right now when I’m writing this, I am sitting in my drawing room. I am almost lying on my couch and can see reflection of colorful lights on the screen of my tab. My father admires these decoration lights in home.

In the beginning, I was against this idea of having these lights in home but with passage of time I have developed a sort of liking for them.

They’re here in my drawing room and they’re fixed along the door in the enterance of my home. So, it happens that when someone enters in our home the colorful lights welcome him.

This past week exams and studies left me mentally tired. I wanted some break which I got by meeting with my uncle’s family.

This family get together happened after a gap of two years. Enjoying and laughing with my cousins, I thought of an article which I read in a magzine. It was about the importance of family and the crux of the article was the fact that people who are aware of their family roots are more confident in their practical lives.

It also reminds of a debate that erupted on a dinner table at my home. We received an invitation for dinner from some relatives of ours and other than me and my younger sister none of my sibling was willing to go. At that moment, I made a protest, I wanted everyone to go for I thought of a line from John Donne who is of the view that no man is an island.

Donne is right for we are connected with our environment and people, we can’t live in seclusion.

So, trying to establish my connection with a day, I can consider it a better day in terms of weather. Some parts of country has received rainfall and my city has also received its effects.

It is sunny but the fact that there’s less humidity in air has allowed me to open two windows instead of one. I have also drawn the blinds aside and now my eyes can see the greenish beauty of plants outside.

This dark green color of leaves not only reminds me of chlrophyll which I studied in my science class in school but it also reminds me of green-eyed monster of jealousy in Shakespeare’s world.

My fingers are trying hard to keep pace with my fast thinking mind but ideas are slipping out of my hands.

I can hear the noise of moving vehicles outside my home.

It’s been more than eight months that we are living in this new home but depite remaining positive, I missed my old home and neighbours. It was a small home. The houses on that street were near, so were the people.

Here living in this big home, I missed that connection which I had developed with my neighbours there but life moves on and so do we.

(These are some random thoughts which came to my mind and reminds me of a quote about writing.

“Start writing no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on”

Hello world

Much like a novice in programming world who writes a simple hello world program to get himself acquainted with the syntax of programming language, I’m writing this post to remind myself that I belong to this world of blogging.

For six months, I remained disconnected with the world of writing and two months ago when I tried to post something on my blog, I felt uncomfortable.

I’m still not sure if that was a good idea but for some reason or other, I removed the post.

In these past months, in the absence of any kind of interaction through writing when I was off screen, studies kept me busy.

Further lack of inspiration and faulty laptop were some reasons behind my long absence.

You can assess the gravity of situation from the fact that right at the moment, I’m using borrowed laptop and that too of my elder sister to whom I really feel afraid of 🙂

Like a preface to a book in which author mentions the names of people to which he feels indebted to, I very much like to include the name of my sister who not only allowed me to use her laptop but also reminds me that I need not to show any kind of laziness from writing.

I like to share and love to write more but after six months of hiatus from writing, I think this short warm up post is more than enough.

Hello to the blogging world, I’m glad to be back.

The Benificant

There’s a small vegetable bed in my garden. The gardener has made it with great care and love and these days when the doctor has recommended my youngest sister to eat as much of green vegetables as a cure for her poor eye-sight, she’s enjoying eating fresh salad leaves from garden.

Yesterday, mother while working in kitchen asked me to get some coriander leaves. She was in hurry but I never forget to take a picture with them.

They were fresh and they smell good and that reminds me all the blessings of Allah Almighty in life.

Late in night while everyone was sound asleep, I put on my headphones and started hearing these verses from Holy Quran.

This is Surah Rahman with English translation in which the Almighty asked us over and over again

“So which of the favors of your Lord would you Deny?”