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The secret of happiness ( from ALCHEMIST))

The secret of happiness ( from ALCHEMIST))
A merchant sent his son to learn the Secret of Happiness from the wisest of men. The young man wandered through the desert for forty days until he reached a beautiful castle at the top of a mountain. There lived the sage that the young man was looking for.
However, instead of finding a holy man, our hero entered a room and saw a great deal of activity; merchants coming and going, people chatting in the corners, a small orchestra playing sweet melodies, and there was a table laden with the most delectable dishes of that part of the world.
The wise man talked to everybody, and the young man had to wait for two hours until it was time for his audience.
With considerable patience, the Sage listened attentively to the reason for the boy’s visit, but told him that at that moment he did not have the time to explain to him the Secret of Happiness.
He suggested that the young man take a stroll around his palace and come back in two hours’ time.
“However, I want to ask you a favor,” he added, handling the boy a teaspoon, in which he poured two drops of oil. “While you walk, carry this spoon and don’t let the oil spill.”
The young man began to climb up and down the palace staircases, always keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. At the end of two hours he returned to the presence of the wise man.
“So,” asked the sage, “did you see the Persian tapestries hanging in my dining room? Did you see the garden that the Master of Gardeners took ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?”
Embarrassed, the young man confessed that he had seen nothing. His only concern was not to spill the drops of oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.
“So, go back and see the wonders of my world,” said the wise man. “You can’t trust a man if you don’t know his house.”
Now more at ease, the young man took the spoon and strolled again through the palace, this time paying attention to all the works of art that hung from the ceiling and walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around the palace, the delicacy of the flowers, the taste with which each work of art was placed in its niche. Returning to the sage, he reported in detail all that he had seen.
“But where are the two drops of oil that I entrusted to you?” asked the sage.
Looking down at the spoon, the young man realized that he had spilled the oil.
“Well, that is the only advice I have to give you,” said the sage of sages. “The Secret of Happiness lies in looking at all the wonders of the world and never forgetting the two drops of oil in the spoon.”
from the book “The Alchemist”
PAULO COELHO:
The story above is taken from my book “The Alchemist”, currently 150 weeks in the New York Times Bestselling list + one of the Top 20 Bestselling Books from all timesTHANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT!

Category:

CULTURE, General, Uncategorized

AAJ SHEHR KI FIZA BAHUT BHAARI HAI

A bitter pill to swallow…
I stay awake all night-that no sounds of cries come.
Look who’s awake—who never stayed up late even in the final exams.
I shiver with fear-that no 1992 history repeats.
Look who’s shivering- who never did, even on seeing the most difficult word problem in the dreadful Physics Exam.
I’m scared inside out-that the humans stay unharmed.
Look who’s scared-who never was so, even when the strictest school Principal reprimanded her in his office.
I pray every minute—that the sanity prevails.
Look who’s praying—who never did so, even before the exam results were due.
Yes, indeed, today I stay awake, shiver, am scared. Not for myself, but for the 1.2 billion who await this dreaded judgement today.
Hence I pray to “God” up in the Heavens and beg to the ”humans” down on the Earth, that let ’sanity prevail in majority’ and ’ human harmony be the order of the day’.
Shahid Bhai ne theek hi to kaha hai: “Na samjhoge to mit jaoge ai Hindositan walon
Tumhari dastan bhi na hogi dastanon men.
Aur Armaan Bhai ka dil rota hai:
दिलों पर इक अजब सा ख़ौफ़ तारी है, Dil par ek ajab sa khof tari hai,
आज शहर की फ़िज़ा बहुत भारी है ! Aj shehr ki fiza bahut bhari hai!
ये ना हो जाये कहीं वो ना हो जाये, Ye na ho jaye kahin woh na ho jaye,
सब मे बेचैनी है , सबको बेक़रारी है! Sab mein bechaini hai sab mein be qarari hai!
सड़कें खाली हैं यूँ, जैसे साहूकार हैं, Sarkein khali hain jaise sahukar ho,
लोग छुपे है, जैसे इन पर उधारी है! Log chupe hain jaise un pe udhari hai!
संगीनो के साये, बूटों की धमक मे, Sangeenon ke saath booton ki damak mein,
हमने देखा , ज़िंदगी बहुत बेचारी है! Hum ne dekha zindagi bahut bechari hai !
नफ़रतो के ठेकेदार अब हमला बोलेंगे, Nafrat ke thekedar ab hamla bolenge,
मुहब्बत वालों तुम्हारी क्या तय्यारी है! Muhabbat waalon tumhari kya tayyari hai!
– अरमान -Armaan.
We need to remind ourselves of what Martin Luther said until his death: ‎”We must learn to live together as brothers, or we are going to perish together as fools.”
We need to revisit what Gandhi ji had told us: My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realising Him.
We need to open our minds to what Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) taught us : “Do you love your creator? Love your fellow-beings first.”
Let us all have faith in tolerance and live a fraction of Martin Luther, Gandhi and Prophet Mohammed(pbuh) in each one of us.
Let’s pledge for peace…
ILMANA FASIH
30 September 2010

Category:

Uncategorized

WHERE MY WORLD BEGAN

Once again Ismail’s writing surprises me.He asked me to edit an essay he was suppose to do an his English assignment.I could not find anything worth editing.A playful,rough n tough football kicking boy has so much sensitivity in him—perhaps I’m blind.
He writes:
Do you know a place which for once you can call perfect? A place which is a temporary but amazing source of inspirations. Where you smile at everything you see. Have you ever spent 15 years of your life there? I can, perhaps even more, I was born there. That place is the heart of the Muslim world amongst the sweet musk-smelling desert of the Middle East: Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The first time my feet touched the rocky surface of the earth, after leaving my mom’s soft envelope, was in Mecca. If there is one thing I would ever long more than anything else, it would be the old childhood days. Just the thought of how every day would go by brings a twinkly tear to my eyes. Just looking at the rainbow in my room, when I woke up caused by the rays of light coming from the window through the colourful curtains. It gave that good-feeling needed to start off my day. And being alone in my room and with the peace made it all that better. It’s amazing that how before going to sleep my room was pitch black with the humming of the AC in the background, and then there I was waking up, in time to see the morning bring its magic to me in my room. When in the outside world, of course accompanied by my parents since I was just 5, I was still old enough to appreciate the streets of Mecca, at least until it became crowded with buzzing people and honking cars. The green grass and trees, the blue skies, the wind blowing in my face, the cats and pigeons roaming around here and there. Now that was an eternal l sight. And during the sunset, the sight of that fireball between the mountainous terrains of Mecca in the horizon was absolutely spectacular.
Environment was amazing, but without any people to communicate with it is worthless. That’s why I had some company along the way .First there was my mom, who cooked up breakfast before dawn, as our school bus used to arrive at 6 am. She would dress me, brush me and put on my shoes on. Funny thing is, I never noticed this because I was too busy watching cartoon network. She kept on teaching though how to do all this, how to tie knot on shoes, how to comb hair and how to button up, which I eventually did. She would stay up with me day to night, to teach me telling time, times tables and nursery rhymes. She would teach me ethics, manners, help me communicate and tell me to study so that I have a good future. It’s incredible how all those words still echo in me and are still helping me in my journey to success. At school, my teacher too was amazing although harsh at times, since preschool was like do work or else stand in the corner, no more toys and all the usual stuff adults do to teach kids. Back then I would not like this, but now looking back I am glad she did because it helped me up to do my homework, study for my tests and work hard all the way. I don’t know where she is now 10 years later, but I will always be thankful to her for showing me the gift of education and teaching me what life is all about.
Mecca is a place which is a hidden land of treasures. How? Perhaps the most amazing thing is the Holy Mosque where Muslims pray their five daily prayers. My mom tells me that people die to get here though some cannot even afford to get there. I always agreed, but in my mind having such a religious blessing is not all you ever want. That’s why we had Jeddah. Jeddah was a nearby city a few kilometers away. It had everything you can ever want. It may not have been known around the globe as a “tourist destination “ but it had lights, economy, amazing livelihood, great lifestyle and best of all no taxes ! Jeddah is known to have every brand of restaurants, clothing, and shoes brands in the world. Name one, and it will surely be there. I enjoyed the amazing restaurants though I didn’t appreciate the clothing and shoes. At least not as much as my mom did. But overall looking at how these brands had globalized and had amazing lights like this and their managers were living in Jeddah finest 7-stars inspired me that I need to work to my highest point to be like these people and live a problem-free future like these people.
Like I said, Mecca is an amazing source of inspiration but it was temporary. After living 15 majestic years I had to unwillingly uproot myself from the place as the rules of that country do not give its expatriates any right to citizenship even after spending an age there. I could never dream to pursue higher aims living there beyond high school. I had to move on to bigger goals in life. So here I am living my eighth month in the True North and Free hoping to make some of my own magic here. To say the least, in less than an year, I can say I call this place,Canada, my home.

Ismail Fasih
27 Sep 2010

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Uncategorized

LIGHTER MOMENTS IN A SERIOUS CONFERENCE

This is how we attended the Conference.

There are moments in a serious conference when atmosphere goes monotonous and one tends to dose off. It is then, when one needs some ‘kicking’ remarks which act as wake up calls.

I was literally asleep at times in 1 UN PLAZA on Sep 21-22 when these snippets served as awakenings:
*” Projects that donot fly are termed Pilot projects.”
* “I donot recommend our US method of moving forward wherein, when for two years guys meet in suits, and finally decide to meet again the next year. “
* “Mobiles phones are our peripheral brains which are gradually taking over our central brains.”
* “In WHO we are observing another epidemic coming up in the health field by the name of Pilotitis.”
* “We Latinos donot eat to be nourished, we eat to be fuul.” a presenter from Dominican Republic.
* “Behind every strong woman , there is a great man.”
* “….. and I live in D.C.(Washington DC) and it happens to be the centre of the Universe.”
* “I am an everyday optimist and I want to get it done before all my hair are gone.I need to rush as you can see only 10% of my hair are left.”
* ” Job of an editor is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and then publish the chaff.”
* ‘I begin by introducing the panelists – some of whom I know since years and with some I have been working very closely with—and by ‘working’ I mean e-Health. Please dont let your great imaginations to fly.” a senior official of a HUGE UN organisation.”
Can imagine how much of ‘serious work’ we were doing for these two days talking about the world’s health!
We were a great bunch of people there, you see….

Dr. Ilmana Fasih
23 September 2010.

Category:

Humour, International, Personal, Uncategorized

ALL THAT GLITTERS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE GOLD.

This an interesting school assignment that my 17 year old son Ismail did for his Grade 12 English class,at the weekend. I had always thought that the modern means of communication like cell phones,emails have made my teenager children more independent and self assertive.
However Ismail’s opinion on it was contrary and perhaps interesting.He has always been a boy who thinks out-of-the-box. He wrote a 500 word assignment and asked me to edit the mistakes. There he goes……
Is technology stunting postsecondary kids’ growth?
The interview raises a valid point that technology is decelerating the students’ growth into adulthood.Personally speaking, I too am amongst one of those students in high school who takes help from the mom. I sometimes e mail her my HW and ask her to look at my work, edit it, give suggestions, etc. Even when I need to take the bus or get lost on the way to certain destinations, I feel the urge to call her or my father on cellphone to Google up the routes, instead of me asking the people for directions.
Before reading the interview I did not feel as if this was a problem. When looking deeper into the issue, as a high school student I understand that the issue creates a lot more problems for university students, more than the high school students. This is because university is the stepping stone for the transition into adulthood. Even after leaving for university, many students aren’t totally away from the parents. I have seen many real life examples like my friends who live in dorms, and text message their friends and family to check their work or evenask to do online research for them on trivial home work assignments.
At one point I found in the article, Ms Moore saying that students and parents should have healthy communication like sending them campus pictures, buildings and monasteries. I felt that it is THIs TYPE of communication, that makes parents want to get involved in their children’s’ student lives. Because when parents get a glimpse of the environment their children are in, it gives them the urge to just get involved and do their best to help their children succeed.
One point that I really found true was the one talking about how students take help from their moms and dads rather than the people on campus. I personally feel this is true because I feel that getting help from my parents is better than getting help from the people available on campus. I think this is because parents are more likely to say good than bad about their child’s work to boost their confidence. (I love you Ismail for writing this, but you never said this on my face ! ) But then again, this not always true as parents who believe in reality check always tell their children the truth.
Last but not least, one point that I find a little difficult to agree on is the one that says that a lot of parents usually get swayed by their children’s emotional reactions on Skype and text messages. I think this is because personally my parents try to keep me strong by telling me that I have to face the world alone one day, so I should learn to deal with my problems on my own.
In conclusion, technology has been helpful but we should not overuse it to bring to us to our downfall.( Ismail, remember this when you sit on PS 3 or WWE on the net)
Hopefully, after reading this interview, I will learn to become more independent, in time, for university.
by Ismail Fasih
Grade 12
John Fraser Sec.School
Posted 3 months ago

Category:

Uncategorized

WE NEED TO CHANGE

Food for thought…

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change that does”.

This is a quote from a famous man. I dare not mention his name, fearing the knee-jerk reaction one would get from a section of our people who have already made our lives unliveable on the face of this earth.

No, this isn’t a puzzle or a riddle. It is a blatant truth that all those who possess sane heads over their shoulders need to accept and pull their ostrich heads out of the sands. In fact, burying our heads in sand for too long has made it metamorphosise into granite and we find it now impossible to pull our heads out without fracturing the cervical vertebrae. Not that I am making myself sound ambiguous out of fear or to look charismatic, but because the message is intended to those who have the willingness to grasp its essence. If others don’t get it—probably it wasn’t meant for them.

1400 and some years ago, Islam itself brought with it a huge change: from survival rights of a female baby to women’s rights to child’s rights to minority rights, and to human rights, in general. That was a huge change.

By ‘change’ I do not imply a revolution. It does not mean rebellion either. But yes, a change which is enough that the bend in the road does not become an end on the road, if we fail to take a turn.

Yesterday when I saw on TV, the much needed aid being distributed to the flood victims in Pakistan—my eyes couldn’t believe that I am alive enough to see this. Yes the aid was coming to the them, but certainly this is not how they deserve to receive it.

‘One plastic bag gave itself up when at least half a dozen needy angels pounced on it for the grab. As if this wasn’t enough—the flour spilled on the dusty road was so desperately being collected up by the kids that they chose to pick up even the straw and dirt in not letting an atom go waste. There were those relief workers with a big heart but small minds who did not have the common sense to bring water in individual containers. They poured water out of their jerry cans from the trucks to the people down below holding their shallow trays and polybags trying to catch every drop they could. And then in the pushing and pulling the poor souls drenched their bodies with it more than their throats. And that old lady who was trying to dip all her face into the polybag to get some sips without bothering if the bag and the water in it could smother her. Gosh, why don’t the poor come born with beaks?’

The truck moved ahead like a Pied Piper of Hamlin and the needy angels (no, they are not rats) ran obediently behind it trying to catch the goody bags thrown at them.

My heart too raced into a paroxysmal atrial tachycardia. I wish I had a cardiac arrest instead.
I wondered what stopped them from distributing the aid in a more dignified manner.

And then came the news report, wherein the myopic MNAs and MPAs who did show up in their constituencies, not to save people, but to save their own lands and properties. The smartest of this smart lot showed up in their constituencies only to breach the bunds toward the lesser smart ones. I couldn’t help but notice the glimmer of hopelessness with which these needy and desperate angels watched on, when these “people’s representatives’ cheered in their heart on saving their side, while deluging the other. Why were the peasants born with eyesight if their Feudal Lords were without vision? I wish I could go into an amblyopia before watching this news clip.

Alas, as if all this was just a trailer and the movie was yet to come. My misfortune that sitting half way across the globe I had to witness the Sialkot incident on TV. The barbarism of the perpetrators and the police wasn’t a surprise. What was heart shattering, instead, was the way those cool bystanders watched, as if Shahrukh Khan was shooting a scene for the next film. If I could, I would certainly want to sample what blood ran in their veins and biopsy their flesh and bones. I am sure each and all in the crowd had a Blackberry, a Nokia or a Motorola in top front pockets over their rib cages, devoid of a human heart. My heart missed a few beats. I wish it had decided not to beat again.

How I wish what my eyes were witnessing through TV were not real happenings in August 2010 but a reconstruction of the dark ages. We call this a civilised world, when even the cave men lived a more dignified life.

After all this do we still need to wait?

No, we need to change.

Yes not only do we need “a “ change and we need “to” change as well.

We need to change the faces that represent us and even if it requires a radical plastic surgery.

We need to change the way we disapprove of what we see on TV and whisper our complaints in our living rooms. And then move on to a soap serial on the next channel.

We need to change the way we shop till we drop and then hunt for a penny at the bottom of our purses, present it to the “cute boy” at the red light signal, driving back home with the feelgood feel of a philanthropist.

We need to change the way compassion pops up in our brains but fails to reach to our hands as if the floods swept away the bridge that transports the thoughts to actions.

We need to change the way we point a finger towards others without realising that the rest four are pointing and poking fun at us.

We need to change the way we look condescendingly at those who do not fit into our frame of faith and feel proud of ourselves.

Yes, we need to change our mindsets, our hearts, our philosophies and our lives. We need to come out of our cocoons and think beyond ourselves.

We need to change, to look at this world from the eyes of those millions who live a life not even a sewer rat would choose to live, if given an option.

Indeed, we need to change. Or we shall perish.

Ilmana Fasih
26 August 2010

Category:

Pakistan, Personal, Social Issues, Uncategorized

THE ‘UGLY’ FACE OF BEAUTIFUL DEMOCRACY

This is from a news report I paste from the TRIBUNE.
Salmaan Taseer’s killing: ‘Political’ murder?
LAHORE/KARACHI: The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has declared the killing of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseera “political murder” timed to occur during a serious political crisis threatening the embattled government.
Taseer, 66, was shot dead outside a café in Islamabad on Tuesday by one of his own security guards incensed by his statements against the controversial blasphemy laws.
It was a political murder, and it did not have any religious motivation, Law Minister Babar Awan, the most vocal cabinet member of the PPP, told journalists outside Taseer’s residence in Lahore. He demanded that the Punjab government unearth the “real motives” and expose “the real culprits.”
Awan also pointed to, what he called, “serious lapses” in Taseer’s security. He said the assassin guard – Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri – was assigned the duty notwithstanding a police special branch report which declared him unfit for the security of VVIPs. Awan faulted the Punjab government but said he was not blaming it for the murder.
The story goes on…
http://tribune.com.pk/story/99807/salmaan-taseers-killing-political-murder/
…………………………..
In the words of Oscar Wilde, “Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people”.
Yes time and again we sing songs of democracy and make it the only viable and sustainable way of governance. No doubt but then the package of ‘DEMOCRACY ’ comes with it’s disadvantage too. Using the situation to their own benefit converting it into public sympathy and then cashing it into votes to win the elections.
There could be no second opinions to the fact that Taseer’s murder by 27 bullets by his own guard of the Elite force was one of the most ugly faces of terrorism that it has shown in the name of religion.
It is also a sad truth that we saw many a places in real life as well as in virtual places like FB people rejoicing his murder either on the pretext of his lifestyle and many simply because they were political supporters to the other party which did not leave any occaision during his lifetime to malign him, both politically as well as personally.
In my personal common sense if this was a politically incited murder then the assassin would’ve been gunned down instantly in order to silence him and erasing the likelihood of being proved a political murder.
Of all you know there may be some grain of truth in it but if the ruling party was really sincere to do more good for the people, for the country and even for the religion ISLAM, they would have conveniently stuck to the stance of this murder being on a religious base.
The assasin himeslf admitted he did it for his religious sentiments against the Governor for speaking against the Blasphemy Law .
The ’moderate’ and ’progressive’ ideology of the ruling party has been condemning the ’black law’ all through.
If the same ruling party was really sincere in repealing or at least stirring a stronger opposition to this ’balck law’ they could have believed in Qadri’s stance of having labelled Taseer as a ‘Gustakh-e- Rasool’.
But unfortunaltey since democracy can only flourish with the ‘will of the people’ and the political parties can only come in power when the will of people gets en cashed into the ‘vote bank’. And the easier way to get a vote bank is not to win the peole by doing good work, but by maligning the opposite group and attempting to minimise their vote bank.
Unfortunately this is what the party of the ‘shaheeds’ resorted to yesterday by giving the statement that it is a ‘political murder’.
But alas, to all political parties, in a democracy, their party interest reigns supreme as against the interest of their people , their country or their religion. Why would then the current ruling party stay behind and sacrifice it’s prospects of the future sympathy wave for itself? Who cares whether Blasphemy Law stays or goes so long as the party stays in power.
After all, they are in a tight position currently and what better time this assassination would have chosen to occur.
Ilmana Fasih
6 January 2010

Category:

Pakistan, Politics, Uncategorized

WORLD PEACE

Peace is not the product of a victory or a command. It has no finishing line, no final deadline, no fixed definition of achievement. Peace is a never-ending process, the work of many decisions. ~Oscar Arias

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Uncategorized