Sat 25 Mar 2006
Contemplation“If people lived forever-if they never got any older-if they could just go on living in this world, never dying, always healthy-do you think they’d bother to think hard about things, the way we’re doing now?”
- The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
Mon 20 Mar 2006
I don’t know how would anyone feel after watching “Roman Holidays“, “C’era una volta il West” (Once upon a time in West), “One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest” and Al Pacino’s remarkable “Scent of a Woman” in just three days. But I tell you what I feel after watching them almost in a row.
Poignant or indifferent it may seem to you, ladies and gentlemen, but downright honest it sure is.
Wed 1 Mar 2006
I have a theory to tell you. I can see some eyebrows (of my friends) raising already with “not-again” look, of course. But nevertheless here it is and it’s also inspired by my youngest brother, Zain. At home, he can show us attitude and how “nakhraloo” he is by walking silently to his bed, get his blanket over it and lie there down for a while until any of us discovers him. Of course something must’ve upset him and him being the youngest he can sometimes feel very frustrated at our “stupid” logics. So he becomes mad and sad. And the moment I whisper into his ears that let’s just forget it, they (other siblings) are all idiots and don’t know anything, let’s go have ice cream coz it’s cool to have ice cream even during noon or any time of the day. And he rises all happy and gay throwing his arms around me as if nothing happened in the first place and telling me stories of how “wise” it is to eat different flavors ice creams (for him, Walls Strawberry is a different flavored than Yummy’s. And of course it’s not just two different brands but slightly different, well may be.) And it goes on like this.
I often look at him and get frustrated thinking, he’s such a kid. And then, logic kicks in and I think, oh yeah, why not the hell. He is a kid. He is 11-12 only. He’s youngest too. He’s supposed to be doing all of this. That’s what other kids do. That’s what they are “designed” and “programmed” to be doing.
That brings me back to my theory. I just came to office with a very tired day behind and a little tiring ride over U11 bus. And yet I am more energetic and happy and ready to kick start my day than the ones I saw and often see on my way to office and back. Why are all of these people so tired and over-age looking, I wonder. It’s because of this:
We, humans, are not designed and programmed to be sitting infront of computer screen for 16 hours a day, for goodness sake. I know many of my own friends have been telling me this but being an introvert, I had to learn this in my way 
Anyways, We were meant to chop wood, carry water, work the land and be active, be wild and spontaneous - Natural. Be natural. We weren’ meant to eat plastic foods manufactured in plants. We were meant to eat food grown from THE EARTH that provides the nutrients, minerals, energy and building blocks for every cell and organ in our body. We also weren’ meant to spend so much time indoors. We were meant to walk along the water, sit under the trees and dream under the stars. That’ why so many people who live in big cities such as New York are naturally drawn to parks (something I was reflecting on few days back in a conversation with my CEO).
So, I believe that when we Get Wild, Act Naturally and Sponatenously or just do what we were designed to do happiness increases and energy soars. With more energy in you, you can do more beautiful things, touch more hearts in nicer ways and so on. I can’t tell you what is it you must do. You know it already, you just seem to have forgotten it and have to look back and figure it out.
One of the things I miss in Karachi is nature, green trees and a lot of rain which is becoming such a rarity. But there’re brilliantly beautiful and peaceful green parks in my locality which are only second to Lahore’s Defence Phase Y’s ones I used to visit some years back. And then, I have found good enough interest and strange peace in visiting few shopping malls and watching others shop and passer-bys. Now, that may be classified as “poondi” according to lahoris but it’s not or I just choose not to acknowledge it as one. I would also like to jog as much as sitting in the parks and have a refreshing time by just looking at the crazy kids around or the couples or just in my own thoughts, I find my solace and freshness… We may think a lot of things in our lives are indispensible and more important or we are just tied to them so we can’t find out time to be doing what we are supposed to be doing. It’s just “self-denial” This may prolong the discussion and take it somewhere else but suffice to say that there’s no such thing as indispensible or imperishable or something you can’t change. We are the most beautiful creature on planet earth and if we bloody well can’t exist forever, what else can you expect to exist forever or longer than you wish. Khair, that’d be covered some other time.
For your visual voyeuristic taste, here’s something I compiled from some of my flickr favorites. And I title them “Colors of Gray“.
click here to view/download
