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Showing posts from March, 2017

Life lessons:

The sun is bright and shining today. This is a truth. A pleasant breeze is blowing, that is another truth. The person walking in the sunshine feels hot. That is also the truth. The person standing in the shade enjoys the slight warmth of the sun as the breeze is affecting him more. Also truth. Such is the reality of our incomplete truths. Such is the wisdom of our deficient perceptions. Such is the nature of our differences often. Until the one standing in the shade walks in the sunlight and until the one in the light is provided with shade. Neither will comprehend the others reality. Since this isn't always possible in normal life, human beings are granted the power of faith and belief. To believe in the possibility of a difference . To believe in  the possibility of a parallel yet alternate reality. The capacity and stamina to tolerate 'islah'. The possibility that 'you' and 'i' might not agree on each other's version but maybe if we look at

A lesson on business management by a twelve year old:

(In an effort to make use of our time in the car together on our way back from school and a failed attempt at his tarbiyah, I happen to learn more every time though) Me:  Wow, look at these street vendors. They are so fast! Him: (licking his ice cream) hmmm, yeah. Me: Doesn't their speed amaze you? Him: ( getting visibly irritated) Mama is this one of those interactive sessions of yours where we try to get inspiration from our surroundings??? !!! Me: ( visibly flustered) Umm, not really! Just trying to have a conversation. Can't we just talk in the car? Him: (back to his cone, totally uninterested) yeah whatever! ( me: 😡) Me: (not giving up) Their speed is awesome, look at how fast they go. I guess those who are faster sell more. Him: Ji Nahi!( not at all)( all the while licking his ice cream) Me: ( he he 😈 بولا تو سہی) Really and why so? Him: (turning around like a professor and gulping down the rest of his ice cream) "You see kids are not stupi

Tips to communicate effectively with children in a crisis (on weekends):

1. Calm down!( they are all alive, the scream was just a normal routine scream) 2. Listen to the children and look around carefully and assess the situation.(There might be a slipper near by which might come in handy) kidding 😬 3. Take deep breaths.( you might not breath properly after you find out what actually happened)🤕🤕😬 4. Ask questions which give them space and offer solutions e.g: "i heard some one screaming and I really hope you all know that the best mannered child is the one who avoids creating such scenes and tries to develop love by sharing and giving" the children will hopefully get the message and immediately look for workable solutions within. ( keep flexing the slipper in your hand 😉) 5. Once and if the crisis subsides momentarily, immediately assign tasks and create small teams so that they remain busy while you finish your own work. Give some a duster and a mop to go clean an area ( make sure you cleaned it earlier) and give some other kid th

A realistic guide for all Abaya/Jilbab owners:

The reversible Abaya: This kind is really good for Formal occasions specially if you have toddlers. Not only does it save you from embarrassment when you get stains on the front side but it also gives variety to the user.It comes in handy also when trying to hide from unwanted company. Just go in a secluded corner, change sides and voila! The stain is hidden and you are unrecognisable to those searching for you!😬 The button down: Be very careful with this one if you have an active toddler. They are bound to rip it open at the most un expected moments showing the real you(in pajamas) in the most critical of situations!( specifically when you are trying to act mature or sophisticated!) The pullover: Excellent for walking, jogging and doing errands which involve excessive walking. A big no no for all women get together ,parties. As taking them off is quite problematic. The electrocuter: I coined this term myself for those specially glittery kind which blow away anyone in their

ON THE BEAUTY OF ........

She sold smiles, Love And strength. Yes! smiles. Smiles with love and strength. In return for each smile she would take a sorrow, a stress or a worry away. Away they went into oblivion and in their stead another smile was born. Her bag was always full. Too many sorrows..... maybe. She was beautiful..... yet invisible to so many. It was a wonder, why people ignored her. Went by her daily. Ignoring! So busy! So full of themselves. She would whirl past each and everyone with her beautiful robes yet....nothing. Her robes were a beautiful red colour. A red fading into orange and then yellow. She was beautiful and..... believed in spreading that beauty. Yet ....... no one seemed interested. It was rare that a lone soul or a child would notice her crimson beauty. They would look at her amazed. Entranced by her strong magical aura. Yet she could see more..... She could see the beautiful colours surrounding such people. They had vibrant auras. Alive and

ON RESPONSIBILITY!

The seemingly inconsequential fly buzzed around incessantly from one nose to another. Some were totally oblivious to its existence, Some bore its buzzing with a somewhat irritated expression while others shooed it away with a wave of their hand. Eventually,  it dived into a teacup. All hell broke loose. “Who let the fly in?”, “What a mess”, “Such a crappy building”, “Who left the window open?” “Who opened the window?”, “Why can’t you put a lid on your cup?”, “Why don’t we have fly screens for these doors and windows?”, “Why don’t we have a fly repellent?” A guy sitting on the far end folded his magazine and squatted the fly as soon as it landed on his desktop. That was ‘The End’ for the fly. (inspired from a real-life scene) We can roughly categorise the two kinds of behaviours/personalities described in the scenario above as ‘reactive’ and ‘proactive’. Out of these two our people fall into the ‘reactive’ category. A nation of reactive individuals who are not willing to tak