Saanams Mind

Has humanity died or did humanity even exist in this selfish world? I just keep wondering of this because with the happenings around the world, I strongly feel as if there is no such thing as humanity anymore. I mean in a world where people are being stoned to death while others stand there to watch and make videos, where is humanity? Where are the feelings of these humans? How selfish is this world? Is this the world I’m a part off? Where are all the so-called human right activists? I feel sick to even consider myself to be a citizen of this selfish, insensitive world full of people.

Someone recently told me that one should look at the percentage of people who are being affected before making an issue out of it or having a biased opinion regarding the issue. My question is simple: How many lives have to be affected before it’s considered to be an “issue” in the eyes of this society? I personally have always felt that every single person that is affected by any kinds of wrong-doings needs to be heard. I don’t need to see proof of thousands of people being affected before I think of helping them. If I was a minority and I had issues, I’d want someone to hear me out too. I’d want someone to help me and be my voice as well. I am sure somewhere in this world, someone else feels and thinks like me too. It shocks me that people refuse to even acknowledge the problems that exist in our society and countries. And then when someone speaks up against such issues, they told that one should not have biased opinions just because something like “that” has happened to someone they know. Are they not humans? Do they not deserve to to be heard and served justice to? Regardless of whether one knows the people who are being affected or not, there is something called humanity and that should exist in each human. Everyone in this world is an equal citizen, they all deserve to have the same rights.

Perfect example is the horrific brutal killing of two brothers on Sialkot, Pakistan. The brothers were assumed/wrongly accused to be the robbers, when in fact they had absolutely NOTHING to do with the robbery that took place. Now since this kind of killings don’t happen so often, it’s such a small number..should we not speak out against it? Should we not ask for justice? Should we just sit back and let it slide considering it’s really only a very very small percentage of people that are being affected? Really??? Now that I think of it, isn’t that what really happened? The people that were standing there along with the police to watch this inhuman incident take place as if it was some circus, isn’t that what they did? Didn’t they have some sort of a duty to prevent this? Did they not step up and try to stop this from happening because they were afraid of getting hurt? If killing wasn’t enough, they were tied and hung upside down to a tree and these pathetic people stood there making videos! Where were these people’s feelings? Is there no such thing as humanity? What would’ve required for these people to have stopped this incident from taking place? Did they need to share some sort of a relation with the boys? The family? Do we all not share a common relation of humanity?

I certainly have never felt so sad and shameful in my life. Feel sick to my stomach every time I think about the boys and their families. I feel sick to think that there are people who exist in this world who would stoop to this level. I pray to God that He makes them pay! He makes them pay for being so heartless and insensitive.

When one looks around all the natural disasters, diseases and innocent lives being taken, you wonder why all this is happening. Why is God doing this? The answer is already there. Because the people of this world have never been appreciative of what we have been blessed with. We are so selfish and greedy that we don’t realize the damage we have done to this world. We have messed up the beautiful earth and made it into a hell. That is what we are paying for. We are paying for our sins and we still don’t learn. You look around and you see how unaffected some people are by all this. The politicians forget and move on within days if not hours. While the innocent lives are being taken, they continue to go on about their business of corruption. They forget that one day they will have to answer to God for all their doings. Don’t they fear God? Don’t they fear karma?

What are we really teaching our current and future generation? I have little cousins, nephews and nieces…is this the example we are setting for them? Is this alright to happen? I wish to be no part of this sick and pathetic world.

It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understanding of who you are – not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within – that you can begin to take control. says Oprah Winfrey & To me spirituality is just that.Getting in touch with the real you, one you can love and like and cleansing yourself of all negative feelings like holding on to grudges, revenge, envy, hatred, anger , one up manship, pride , ego, self importance and most of all learning to love, accept, care and forgive sans any conditions .

I guess a person seeks spirituality or that absolute peace when there is some kind of a turbulence within them .When you don’t fit into the life that is around or when the life around you is not in harmony with you , one seeks for that elusive something that evades and that sets one on a journey on a spiritual path .For if there was joy from within, if there was happiness people would not seek meditation, would not seek refuge in religion

So how does one go about becoming more spiritual? Is it about taking the path of religion blindly ? Is it about introspecting and working on the inside of you in such a way , understanding each action of yours , correcting all that is wrong and making peace within yourself …only to reach out to the divine within you?

As far as my understanding of it goes …spirituality or getting in touch with my inner spirit paves way for me to reach out to te greater force, God, In order to get in touch with myself , I have had to spend time on understanding me, without pretenses, without hypocrisy, without any rose tinted glasses. I had to accept the darker side of me, in order to change that into something positive. I have had to force myself to let go of feelings that encouraged negative feelings in me…to forgive even as I had to wonder if people really merited my forgiveness, to let go of past pain, to let go of thoughts that tore at my mind . I had to make peace with my grief, tide over the rough times and then make a pact not to slip back into a gloom again .

In genuinely changing the core of me, giving up on reacting, on anger and on grudges. Learning to love unconditionally …I have begun on a journey of making that peace within me. Though I would not say I have reached it …I can definitely see a calmer , happier , saner n a more rational me than the person who I was before I feel closer to my God more than I ever did and feel assured that he is there for me every moment of my life .

To me that is a spiritual journey ….what is spirituality to you?

Watched a video of 2 young boys being stoned to death and another 2 men brutally assaulted by cops as people watched with absolutely no feelings ..so apathetically .No one raised a voice or rushed to help.What is our world coming to? With a sense of detachment I look around me.Is it just me, or is the world at large going through humongous changes that are moving at a pace too fast for the human mind to fathom or assimilate ?Are human frustrations reaching to such a frantic phase that inhumane behavior is considered the norm and no longer affects us anymore?

A disquiet in me keeps me from getting a sound nights sleep. So many humans dying, homeless or diseased , floods earthquakes, bomb blasts, nature at her furious best at times and at times inhumane barbaric acts of random violence …. is the world going through a cruel phase or is it just that humans have mutated into some feeling less beings that mutilated limbs, blood and pain have no effects on them?

Politics and corrupt minds seem to rule over kindness and empathy , common people and their pain just something to watch on TV.have we forgotten to feel, to cry for another human …have we lost all our senses or is it just that we have all become so damn selfish that we cannot look beyond us and our own needs that a fellow human’s cry of pain no longer moves us.

I look in the mirror , really look at me and wonder should I not become ashamed at the person I have become ? A human being who is not affected or moved by the pain of another? Why is there so much of Apathy in everyone ? Where is the sensitivity gone? Is the value of human lives so less that we no longer cringe or shed tears when its something to do with a person who is not connected to us.?

Is this why we consider ourselves a higher thinking and superior creation of God? If you ask me human beings are the most retarded of all creations. We need to wake up , learn and start living as we were meant to be. Caring, humane , loving beings.Not the unfeeling selfish robotic morons that we have become .

God save our race from such dismal disgrace !

Mola dil Badal de

I start typing not really knowing or understanding what I want to share so bear with me as I rattle on…My mind seems to be going through yet another blank phase what with viral flu invading my home n every single member inflicted with it. The weather seems so gloomy n cloudy..Gloom …that is what I see around me .

As I have noticed oft late the whole world is gloomy. You open newspapers to the news of natural disasters hitting various parts of the world, you see the effects of global recession hitting the world and the national scene is no good either. Corruption , killings, murder, death , accidents , floods, failure,depression , inflation , relationship breakdowns these seem to be the keywords in the present world. With current local, national and global issues along with personal issues facing almost everyone , it’s no wonder people are finding it more and more difficult to find motivation to carry out their every day tasks like work, fitness,sports or any activity that requires an effort.

Why do we have problems in life? It has been said time n again that we have been sent down to this earth just to learn . To learn – that’s to take on information, and process it in such a way that it becomes integral to our being, our way of life. We learn by trial and error – which necessarily means we make mistakes, and also means we have problems and surmount them. When God created the beautiful Rose, it came with thorns. Even in all of God’s beauty, there will be trials and tribulations. So in life as well, we have problems .

If we actually look at it , a birth of a child is a painful process, both for the mother as well as the baby …but there is joy in it. Growth in itself if you see has so much pain. From infancy, teething, trying to walk n falling everything has pain associated with it.Childhood to puberty …the transition that is most painful… adolescence to adulthood. All wrought in pain but necessary to help grow.So also is life . The problems help us grow as individuals n make us stronger mentally.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar said it so well. In tough times like this one needs to seek motivation on a daily basis . To me , my faith in God helps me through all tough times.Having faith in God doesn’t keep me from having dangerous situations in my life,but He will be with us to help deflect that danger or face it. We may not always understand God’s ways, but He won’t give us any more than we can bear and He is always always with us to keep us going when the going gets tough. While He may not make the choices for us, He did equip us with tools to make the right choices .

So problems are necessary to make us appreciate the good in our lives ….when really troubled “Just ask and faithfully believe and you shall receive,”….. He will help us through it all.When it comes to life, it’s all good but with hope and faith, God will provide the amazing grace it takes to make life great.Just hold onto hope and faith to receive God’s amazing grace. Once you’ve done that, and asked, Life’s problems get a lil easier to handle.

Freedom….!

Growing up with stories about my grandparents and about their freedom struggle, the way they fought the British, the way they went to jail for being a part of the freedom struggle, I was always taught to value the freedom to which I was born. But as I grow older look at the world around and try to understand why I am really here, I wonder do we really know what freedom is???? Do we really value the freedom that our ancestors fought so hard to give us?

What does freedom actually mean to you??There is a reason so many people have trouble defining it. That is because freedom cannot be universally defined. Many people have described their own personal definition. Freedom does not exist, it is an idea which only has meaning in relation to something else. Freedom from: oppression, persecution, slavery, hunger, physical law, etc.

Our freedom is about being able to choose our destiny and live an authentic life that is peculiar to every human being. Nietzsche so aptly defines it as ‘loving fate’, Rollo May explains this in terms of facing our fate directly in that we can know it, dare it, challenge it, quarrel with it or love it.

But if I look at it are we really free??

Our thoughts hold us at ransom so many times since most of us have such close minded thinking that doesn’t allow us to open our minds, hearts and thoughts to a different way of thinking, We live in year 2010 n yet we are still fighting about how we pray n who is superior to whom instead of accepting each one as a beautiful creation of God and respecting each one for who they are .Are we really free from these racist or even sexist thoughts?

We have villages n rural parts of the countries still struggling for electricity, basic education and worse still water n food . Is the progress we see in urban areas n the lifestyles of the rich true freedom.Are the poor really free ??

We have leaders who rape the country and its people of the wealth they can utilize for progress. We have corruption at ever level of the Government offices, right from the security guard, peon, officers , to the top levels of ministers .Are we free from the greed of the avaricious and are we really free from the want for power???

Are we not slaves to the thoughts that create hatred, racism, boundaries,greed, selfishness, ego clashes …..so many things that do not allow us the freedom to just enjoy the joy of being alive ????

The reality is we are invariable co-creators of our fate…“The first act of real freedom is to choose it!” So are we courageous enough to make a choice that lets us say NO to all that is going wrong? Can we choose the path to real freedom for “Freedom is nothing but a choice to be better “.

Happy Independence day…. Both to Pakistanis who celebrate it on 14th Aug n to Indians who celebrate it on 15th.May each one be set free in their minds n thoughts as well to open up and embrace a world of peace and love ! God bless !

Ramadan Mubarak to all of you who are observing this holy month. May you all have a blessed, peaceful, safe, happy and full of divine blessings Ramadan. Feeling absolutely happy and blessed to have been given a chance to be part of another Ramadan. Ramadan is not only a time of fasting and eating but a spiritual time in which the Muslims should set right their affairs with each other in order to obtain the reward of the fasting; as well as ask Allah for His forgiveness and mercy and the good things of this life and the Hereafter. It’s a time to do a lot of soul-searching and pray as much as you can, ask for forgiveness from Allah and do our best to be better human beings. May Allah accept our fasting, prayers and open the doors of rehmat and barkat for us. May He bless us with health, happiness and Inshallah many more Ramadans to be part off. May we all be blessed with His gaze on the first night of this month, may He forgive all of our sins, accept all of our fasts and worship, and may this month be a means of gaining nearness to Him and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H)

Ramadan is my favorite month of the Islamic year because it gives me a chance to truly reflect, do a lot of soul-searching, show gratitude; deepen spirituality and strengthen my relationships. It gives me a chance to ask for God’s forgiveness, pray as much as I can and do my very best to be a better Muslim. It is true what they say about Ramadan being a trying month. Spiritually it is believed that things are especially difficult during these 30 days, because that will be when your patience and effort are tested the most. And above all that, you are also physically challenged for not being able to eat or drink etc during daylight and honestly, I love nothing more than that. If we can make so many sacrifices in our life for other things, why can’t we do so for Allah?

This Ramadan is extremely special for me because this is the first Ramadan in many years that I am spending mostly at home. My Sehri and Iftari will be spent with my family, Inshallah. Usually I’m always breaking my fast in class or in the car driving to or back to class. Feeling really happy about it and will take full advantage to do as much Ibadat as I can during this month. I love to meditate and Ramadan gives me the perfect opportunity to truly reflect on so many things.

Not sure how many of you know but it was during Ramadan in 1947 when both Pakistan and India gained its independence. Once again we are in this month and Ramadan has come upon us, I ask each and every one of you, whether you are a Muslim or not, whether you are fasting or not to please pray for our countries. Pray that God puts some senses into our governments to think about their people and to stop playing games. Pray that God gives every person affected by the floods, terrorist activities and all other natural disasters lots and lots of patience to overcome their loses. May they all stay safe and can soon lead somewhat of a normal life, Inshallah.

Thanks to each and every one of you who is part of my life – you all make me a better person and I hope & pray to God that I can always bring only happiness in your lives. I pray that God keeps His saaya over all of you and your families. Keep me and my family in your prayers as well.

Ramadan Mubarak again Here is a little Dua that I absolutely love and listen to every day.

Click on this for the song…Hum, rahen ya na rahen kal

Hum, rahen ya na rahen kal
Kal yaad aayenge ke ye pal
Pal, ye hain pyar ke pal
Chal, aa mere sang chal
Chal, soche kya
Chhoti si, hai zindagi
Kal, mil jaaye to hogi khush-naseebi
Hum rahen ya na rahen yaad aayenge ye pal

Life never comes with any guarantees , Its such a Fragile thread that even a gust of wind can blow the light away…. tomorrow brings with it so many changes , one never knows what is in store . Things and people we assume are going to be a part of our life forever ,just may not be around tomorrow . Moments, tiny precious moments that make up our time on earth…. how much do we really value them???

Little moments of laughter shared, little moments of love , happiness, smiles , emotions .Moments that touch our hearts and those which make us believe life is bearable. Those which leave footprints in our hearts making memories , making a collage of the beauty we call life … Moments we cherish .

Moments we gather to make a Life … Just Learn to hold them close to your heart …Beautiful , cherished moments of happiness, laughter and shared smiles. Moments of such exsquiste beauty that leaves trails of happy tears in our hearts .

Hold them precious, hold them close, freeze them in your mind ….for sometimes they make life bearable and beautiful.

Happy Wedding Anniversary to the most beautiful and precious couple…my Shona & Rohit jiju. Where do I start guys? You guys are so very special to me that I have no words to even say anything. On this special day, I pray to God that he always keeps his saaya over you guys and keeps you away from any evil eye. May you both always stay happy, healthy and together. May you both grow together in every sorrow and/or happiness that may come your may. I always pray that you both have a long beautiful life together but also pray that you both also always stay part of me and my life. May you both continue to bring out the best of each other, continue to make beautiful memories with each other and also continue to be each others strength in every step of life.

Have learned so much from you both that it’s hard to express in words. You both aren’t just my best friends but also like my parents. You both have given me so much love, happiness and beautiful memories to cherish that I pray to God every moment that I can bring the same [actually much more] into your lives. To never make you sad or hurt you in any way..intentionally or unintentionally.

Here’s couple of songs that I always associate with you both. One of them, I know is already very special to you and the other one is special to me for both of you. <3

Love you both lots.  Lots and lots of duas for you both always.

Happy Anniversary!
Kulfi

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Okie Chockie doesnt know what I intended to do … add to the same post as her but I guess its okie to take that Liberty.

Happy Anniversary to one of the most wonderful couple I have ever had the opportunity to come across in my life Shona n Rohit Bro

I am at a loss for words when it comes to the two of you and I have always seen that I get choked up every time I think of you two or talk of you both. Words seem inadequate to explain what knowing you, having you as friends and what your moral support and being my strength means to me. I never knew that I would develop such a bond with you two that I feel I have known you for years n years . I value each and every moment , each cherished memory, each word of support, love you guys have shared with me . If I have ever seen any couple who have taught me what it is to be together thru thick n thin, with love its you two .So…

Loving Pair

It takes two special people,
To make a loving pair.
There’s a joy just being around you,
A feeling we love to share.

We send anniversary wishes to you,
For years of joy and pleasure.
May each year keep getting better,
With memories to treasure.

(not mine)

I pray and ask God to give you both togetherness, love, Good health and the worlds best ! Love you both lots and Prayers for you both always !

God Bless You!
Saanj di/ akka

“The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.”-Anthony Robbins

Relationships have a way of defining us as people.Most often people look around at the relationships you have and the way you treat them to understand how you are as a person. Each relationship we build, whether its between parents, friends, relations, lovers, siblings , co workers , employers etc affects who we are as people .These bonds we create somewhere along the way changes us as humans .

The relationships we choose to invest in ,demonstrate what we actually value in life . Gradually the person with who we build a relationship gets into us , we imbibe a lot of them into us. Past relationships and the lessons we learn from each one of them colors every future relationship. Relationships will continue to act as mirrors to who we are. I suppose that is what they are there for. Some of them help to remind us of who we are in the first place because it is easy to get away from everything. Every now and then, we all need a reminder. Relationships do the job of keeping us grounded.

When relationships play such a major role in who we are, is it not important to actually invest time and energy in forging them???? Lately we hear of so many estrangements in families, marriages breaking up, siblings not having a cordial relationship with each other, friends turning enemies . Is it the fact that in today’s world of Instant everything, people lack the patience one needs to keep relationships going and that is why there is always talk of breaking away from the family or from the relationship??

Or is it that people are forgetting that a relationship is all about give and take and not just take alone? Or is the foundation so weak that the unwillingness to share, chips away the bond that is there? Is communicating with one another a thing of the past??? Or is the importance of maintaining a relationship and working hard at keeping it going simply an old fashioned thought?

In today’s day…specially where the virtual world reigns , relationships have become so superficial. You get close to people in a matter of a few days and then when at the sign of the first crack, just turn your back, shut them out and walk away. Is that reflecting in our personal lives as well?

Any relationship requires time, effort, patience, giving, care , communication , listening and maybe love as well. A healthy blend of all the above . Selfishness, ego , and sometimes even pride has to take a backseat when it comes to maintaining the fragile thread that holds most relationships together. Do we, as the present generation lack all the necessary qualities we need to forge great relationships? After all they do reflect us as we are , they mold us to be who we are and also are the very pillars of strength when we really need them…. don’t we need to take a little extra care to keep them going? Don’t we need to show special care to the ones who care n try n make them feel special???

“Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.”-Richard Bach

Yes, you read it correct. I’m engaged. I didn’t want to share this news until I had shared it with my besties and now that I’ve shared it with them, it’s only right to finally be open about my status [Yes, this is going out to all those men who hit on me!]

I won’t lie that I wasn’t expecting this because I was. Poor guy has waited long enough for me as it is but completing my education was extremely important to both of us and our families. Hence, why he was made to wait so long. Finally today, it’s official.  I’m sure you guys are dying to know who the lucky guy is [yes, I know he's very lucky and blessed to have ME in his life!]. Well, I won’t make you guys wait too long..as it is I can’t contain my excitement. *shy*

Soon to be Mrs. Khan, Mrs. Chulbul Panday, Mrs. Being Human, Mrs. Prem [From Every Movie!], Mrs. Big Boss, Mrs. 10 Ka Dum and every other Mrs. that there maybe out there.  Yes you heard it right girls, back off! He’s mine and mine only! This is soon to-be Mrs. Salman Khan talking! You all had your chances [many of them at that!] to make him yours, well sorry to burst your bubble, he was meant for me so he’s with me. Duh!

Shocked? I know you guys aren’t because you already knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Today finally got approval from Salma Aunty & Salim Uncle. Mom & Dad also finally agreed, knowing what a great human he is. [Yes I have issues taking his first name...respect yaar!] Passport has been stamped, now none can come in between! Feeling happy, blessed and of course teary! I’m sure he is a bit sad as he thought he would continue to romance me without marrying me but sorry man! I want a commitment. Happy married life to you! No worries though, I’ll keep you really happy. Don’t worry, I do know how to cook your favorite chicken biryani and will send you ghar ka khanna on set at all times.

I’m sure the media wants my interviews and all, but sorry no can do! Hum apni private life ko private hi rakhna chahte hein. Shaadi par zaroor invite karoongi, fikar not!

Thanks for blessing us! [As if you really had a choice, eh?]

Cheers,

Soon-to-be Mrs. Salman Khan aka Anam