HOLIDAYS

“Holidays" are meant for rest and recreation. The severe strain put upon the brain of students by having to remain constantly engaged in studies during several months in the year makes it necessary for the brain to have some rest.  This rest is provided by the vacations.

The holidays should, therefore, be utilized in such a manner as to give some rest to the body and mind, for which they are primarily intended.  This does not, however, mean that the days should be whiled away idly in sleeping and doing nothing. Vacations give complete liberty to student’s liberty from the dull routine of college and liberty from daily duty and responsibility but in enjoying this liberty they should be methodical. Recreations, like walking in open air, rowing, and playing recreations and some good game, should be among the daily pursuits.  Books should not altogether be avoided.  Some reading, without over-burdening mind, should be done.  Old lessons done in college should be revised or else on rejoining college after the vacations everything will be forgotten and it would indeed be hard labor for the students to make up.  The reading of light literature, such as good novels histories and biographies should form an essential part of the vacation routine. It is a good habit on the part of students to read useful books outside their prescribed texts to widen and to improve their language and style of writing and no better time can be found for this purpose than a long vacation.  This is also the time for those students who are weak in any subject or have fallen in arrears with regard to their studies to make up their deficiencies.  At no other time can they expect to get sufficient time and leisure for this purpose.

Paying visits to friends and relatives and thereby having an opportunity to see new places is another pleasant occupation.    Traveling broadens the mental outlook and increase knowledge. The interesting things to be seen in places of historic importance, the natural scenery of places famous for this enliven and refresh the mind.

If holidays are spent in the way indicated above, there is no doubt that every student will have renewed vigor his energy at the close and will be quite fit to take again the hard life of a student and bear the rigors cheerfully.”

NATIONAL HEROS

A national hero is the person, who devotes his life for welfare of mankind, his nation and his country. Everyone loves his nation, but the one who loves mankind and devotes himself for the welfare of mankind without caste and creed, but we Pakistanis are lucky to have one such outstanding personality, and he is Maulana Sattar Edhi, who has been serving the humanity since his youth.  Now for past several years his wife Bilquis Edhi also joined him in his mission.

Maulana Sattar Edhi and his wife are the most famous and important social workers in our country.  They both work day and night for the welfare and progress of poor people in distress.

Maulana Sattar Edhi migrated to from soon after partition and though quite young, he established small social welfare centers one after another.  In 1966 he married a nurse of one of his welfare centre Bilquis who herself devoted to the service of human beings.  Mrs. Bilquis Edhi, a woman of great courage and strong determination co-operated with Maulana Edhi in his welfare works.

The Edhi foundation of Maulana Edhi keeps free ambulance and mobile dispensaries all over country.  The trust has more than 200 welfare centers across the country to help ill and injured poor people with free medical care, food, clothing and shelter.

The life mission of Maulana Edhi and Bilquis is, firstly to help people who get injured in accidents, floods, earthquakes, wars, etc. with medical treatment and monetary support. Secondly, they aim at helping poor and helpless men, women and children and students to start working and earning honorably.  Maulana Edhi and his wife Bilquis themselves live a very simple life and spent most of their time and money they collect on the well-being of the suffering humanity.

We are very proud of having such loving persons and we should be thankful to our God that He has bestowed upon us with Maulana Edhi and Bilquis Edhi who spread love where no ordinary person do not have courage to go.  They both are our real heroes of this period. 

CULTURE AND FAMILY SYSTEM

Family systems vary from culture to culture. In America, the family system is based on individuals: parents and children.   Traditional beliefs and customs have less significance among Americans.  On the contrary in other cultures, the family extends well beyond this.  For example, in the Subcontinent of India and Pakistan cultures, many joint families are living together so as  in the Latin American cultures, the family constitutes an extended family consisting of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and children Amongst these family relationships are warm and cordial and the mutual feelings are expressed intensely than in American or European societies. In America, emphasis on the individual is given more than in the larger families in other cultures. In Asian cultures, especially in India and Pakistan it is more important to build social relationships prior to proceeding for other business. The basic thing about relationships in these societies is that it is tried to feel and maintain a cordial relationship with blood-related relatives. It appears that the culture works very well in these societies because so many joint families are living together so far successfully. 

SMOKING

I am going to tell you my story from which you decide yourselves whether you are against or in favour of smoking.

This story pertains to a very long detailed background, but I will tell you in brief.

Few years back it was diagnosed that there was a hole in my heart, whereas I was apparently normal in all respects of health. The heart specialist whom I was referred by my physician was surprised very much looking at a normal smiling face sitting before him. 

“Why are you here?” He asked me with a curious look. 

“I don’t know, exactly, it is all written here!” I said timidly pointing out at the file he was reading.

“It says that you have a hole in your heart by birth!”

“Yes, as my physician told, and sent me to you” I replied.

“But you look so normal even with that hole, ok tell me do you smoke?”

“No doc, never in my life!” I said.  “Ohhhh….I see, that’s why,  I got it how you survived so far with that hole………………….

I conclude this story here.  What I wanted to emphasize is cleared to all my readers.  It is up to you to decide to be in favour or against smoking……….

How did I start blogging (writing)?

As I have told somewhere here in EC that I am in the habit of reading.  I do not have the interest to read any specific subject.  I read whatever is in my reach, even the scrap of paper I pick up from the floor to throw away.  This reading habit built a desire in me that I would write something, but what, I didn’t have any idea.  Once I happened to visit a shrine, it was/is situated on the beach.  I sat in a corner and looked at the crowds of the people men, women and children were coming paying homage to the saint, they were praying, may be asking for their wishes to be fulfilled.  I saw a girl there, she was mumbling something bowing her head. She might also be praying for her desires. That was a very touchy inspiring scene.   From there the idea of SHE (my very first blog) came in my mind, and I posted it on a culture page of another site.  This was liked by hundreds of readers and I received very encouraging responses from members.  I have also posted SHE here in EC and again it was admired by numbers of readers. 

When I wrote this story, I felt that the suffocation I had been feeling on my heart was removed and I was feeling relieved.  Then I started writing continuously.  I posted many stories there in that forum.  Then the site became deactivated, and all of my friends left it.  One of the female members guided me to here in EC, I joined it.  I am not interested very much of chatting especially in the main room, I never joined it, simply watch sometimes staying away, and then I was happy with my decision not to join the main chat room.  I chat only in private with very selective members.

So my main interest is in posting of blogs.   And now I have posted over 130 blogs so far within a period of one year.  I blog, because this is my oxygen, eases my breathing and relieves the burden from my heart.  I feel easy writing on romance, human feelings, love, suffering, but I also didn’t leave other topics untouched.  The topic which contain data and information etc. are of lesser interest for me. 

The bottom line of blogging this is that I blog, because it gives me satisfaction.  I am behind the curtain of electrons, a majority do not know me but when I blog this works as a projector and my image become visible on the monitors of those who are interested in reading. 

PS: Here is the link to SHE for those who would like to read.

http://www.myenglishclub.com/profiles/blogs/she

OPTIMISM

Optimism is termed as a mental condition in which we expect good results of certain happenings and situations. This is a way of thinking which makes us look at the bright side of situations and makes us expect the best possible results.  On the contrary pessimism is the way of thinking in which one always sees and expects the negative results out of a situation.   I am going to discuss here only the Optimism.

When we are optimistic, we are cheerful, inwardly happy and hopeful, and when we are in such condition, we can think, plan and work in the best of our capacity.   'Hope' or 'optimism' can be described in the psychological term as one of the greatest forces that operates in the mind, something that enters into the structure of a character.    Optimism increases the activity of desire.   It helps us in facing the trouble and misfortunes.  Pessimism creates dejection and inactiveness; in result it discourages us to face the hardships of life.   Hope or optimism also has a positive impact on nation as a whole.   This is one of the main reasons for the struggle and suffering of an individual or a nation over a long period-good expectation for the future.   If we do not entertain any hope of a bright future we might not make any serious, long and continuous efforts at all.

Here is my 18th Blog on the inspiration given by Seekers.

How do you start writing blogs?

Ans) Sometimes it is easy for me, but sometimes it is too difficult. If idea comes easily, then it’s expansion gets blocked.  Sometimes my mind gets stuck and I can’t be able to write a single word.  And of course there are times when there is rain of ideas and flows of words.  The bottom line is this in my case “sometimes this and sometimes that’.

Do you think you are a natural writer or you try hard to write something?

Ans) Romantic ideas grow in my mind naturally, for the topics other than this I have to knit the thoughts.  Yes, of course appearance of words is voluntarily for all sorts of topic.

It means getting new ideas is not a big deal for you?

Ans) They are scattered all around us.  Needs eyes to see and delicate hands to pluck like a gardener who sees and plucks buds and flowers.  Buds: raw ideas, flowers: blossomed thoughts.

Do you think writing is an important part of English learning ?

Ans) Yes its and I always advise to the learners in this regard.

What do you think about comments? Do you welcome negative comments?

Ans) Have to, if one really wants to learn from his/her mistakes.

Do you think you have improved since you joined EC?

Ans) I think so, but let the reader and commentators be the judge.

How do you organize your blogs?

Ans) Sometimes I write blog in my folder, sometimes I directly write on the post.  It depends how much you have confidence upon yourself.

I have observed you are interested in writing ‘writing prompts’. Why so ?

Ans) I am very much interested in writing and I thinks this is the most effective medium for improving the ability to speak and write English.

Do you have any tips for EC bloggers?

I have already given tips in my earlier blog under the umbrella of “Writing Challenge – Bloggers Unite”.

One of my favourite members in EC (She is no more active now), once posted few questions on her blog to which the other members had to answer.  What I answered is given below in the form of a blog…………to “Writing Challenge ~~Bloggers Unite”:

ITS ALL ABOUT LANGUAGES:

Q. WHICH LANGUAGES  IN THE WORLD DO U LOVE OR HATE  ??..

A)  I love English and my Native Language Urdu.

I do not hate any language, how can I?  Languages are Nature’s creation like any other thing.

Q, HOW MANY LANGUAGES CAN U SPEAK  ??..

A)  I can speak, read, and write English, Urdu, Hindi I can speak only, I can not write Hindi in Daonagri fonts.

Q. WOULD U LIKE TO KNOW MANY LANGUAGES?

A) Yes of course, but this is just a wish, not possible at least for an ordinary person like me to fulfill it in such a short span of life.

People with extraordinary ability can do.

Q. IS IT SO HARD TO LEARN MANY LANGUAGES?

A. In my opinion, this is just for the people with an extraordinary ability to learn more than one language at the same time.  For a person with normal I.Q, just stick to one language at a time.  But, I, of course, know some people who speak/spoke up to seven languages.  

Q. IS IT DEPEND ON YOUR LOCATION TO KNOW SOME LANGUAGE OR IT IS DEPEND ON U ??..

Ans) Yes, it is the need to know some languages because of my location.  My background is from Urdu speaking community back there from India. I live in Karachi Pakistan. My parents migrated from India to Pakistan in 1947.  Basically I am Dehlvi. (My ancestors live in Delhi, India).   Karachi is the province of Sindh, its dominating language is Sindhi, I can understand this language, but can not speak or write in spite this is a very rich language having a long cultural historical background.  In other provinces of Pakistan like Punjab, NWFP (Now known as Khyber Pukhtoon Khawa) and Baluchistan. In Punjab, dominating language spoken by mass is Punjabi.  But there are other similar languages, like Sareeki.  In NWFP Pushto, Brahwi and Persian are spoken, whereas, in Baluchistan, Baluchi language is spoken.   We should know all these languages, but like I said earlier this is not possible for an ordinary person.  I can speak Punjabi a little, can understand easily.

Q. IS IT NECESSARY IN YOUR COUNTRY TO KNOW SOME LANGUAGE AND WHY?

Ans) Now come to English:  English is supposed to be our official language.  This language rules in government matter, business, and in some schools whose medium of teaching is English.  So this is must for us to know English if we need a job in a reputable organization, so I did.  English is the requirement of my job.

“The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the World.”

What a man becomes in future depends upon his childhood, which is of two kinds, one which is received in a school and in company of friends, and he other which he receives at home.  At home the greatest influence on the child is exercised by the mother.  The mother’s influence on the child beings before any other influence because it begins when the child is still an infant sucking at the mother’s breast. 

A mother, thus exercises great influence on her child.  A child when comes to school he is there with teachers for 4-5 hours, rest of the time he has to pass with mother and other family members,  besides at school the attention of a teacher is divided among number of children in the class, whereas this is not the case at home.  And at home who could do it better than mother.  Mother with her infinite love and sympathy, her understanding and her intuition is the best teacher for a child.  She can understand her child better than anyone else and, therefore can put the most beneficial influence.

The mother has, thus, a great task to perform.  She has to build up the character of the child.  It is, therefore, necessary that she must be trained for her role.  An educated, well-read and above all cultured mother will be able to help her children, better than an ignorant and uncultured mother.  A mother has the whole future of her child in her hands, just like clay in the hands of a potter.  She must be a skillful potter to mold a good pot out of raw clay. Most great men heave observed that whatever they have been able to achieve was due to the humble training received at the feet of their mothers.  It is indeed true to say: “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the World.”

I am a One-Dollar Bill:

I am a one-dollar bill (note). I was born in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). Washington two years back.  After getting released from there I was sent to central bank, from there to a commercial bank and again from there I was handed over to a man who locked me in a strong iron box along with my other fellow beings.  On the very first day of my life, I discovered that everybody longed to have me in his pocket.  A purse was the safest place to keep me, subject not preyed by any pickpocket.  But it was a pity that nobody kept me for long.  I moved from hand to hand and place to place, but I brought joy and fulfilled the need for those who owned me along with my other brothers, wherever I go.  However, long journeys and frequent change of masters have told upon (affected) my health.  My look is not so charming today, as it was at my birth.  But I am proud to say that I have not lost my worth, even after getting weaker in appearance.  Whatever my condition is, I am always worth of hundred cents. 

The one who suffers knows better:

Once an innocent young man was unfairly imprisoned.  He was released after having suffered this unjustified imprisonment for two years.   One day he was passing through a market.   He saw many birds, shut up in small cages, in a pet shop.  He was looking at those birds and remembering his those days when he was imprisoned.  He asked the shopkeeper what he would charge for all those birds.   The shopkeeper looked at the strange customer and told him the price of all those birds.  The young man paid him the price and set all the birds free.  His joy knew no bounds when he saw them flying in the air.  The shopkeeper asked the young man why he did that for.  The young man replied, “The one who suffers knows betters”.

ENGLISH – The only universal medium of communication:

Few years back a friend of mine who was travelling from a small village in South of France to move to another place.  When he drove on to the next town, on the way, a young man waved to him.  He stopped, the young man asked him for a lift.  As soon as he got into the car he said good morning to him in French and my friend replied in the same language.  Apart from a few words, my friend didn't know any French at all.  Neither of them spoke during the journey.  My friend nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very slowly, “do you speak English?”  Neither of them knew French very much.  Then during rest of the journey they talked with each other very friendly…….in English. 

Scene at a Railway Station:

Railway station in a city like mine is a place of great interest and peculiarity.  When a train comes or ready to depart, the vendors are in a hurry to sell different things, which most of the time are of inferior quality.  The chaotic condition at the railway station is very common especially in all the railway stations of cities of my country.  Passengers seemed to be in a panic condition, they push one another trying to get off (detrain) the train or get on (entrain) the train.   It seems as they are afraid of losing the train and/or seat in the compartment. 

The passengers rush to catch the train, but before long, the engine whistles and the guard gives the signal, the engine begins to move, initially very slowly, but gradually gain the speed.  In this way, the trains arrive or depart throughout the day and night.  When a train arrives it gives the scene of hustle bustle, but when the train has departed, the station gets deserted. 

Same as happens our life, when a member comes in the family (a baby borns there is joy and happiness, but when a soul departed from the family, it looks like a railway station when the train has departed.  Our earthly life is like waiting for the next train at the railway station to get on and depart to the other world.

The topic of my choice:

RELIGION IS REGARDED AS THE GENERAL OBSTACLE IN THE WAY TO DEVELOPMENT:

Religion is the aspect, according to general belief, deals with the spiritual life of mankind and has no harmony with his material world, on the contrary it has a long list of 'don’ts and doe’s', resulting in the obstacles in the development, limiting the resources in allowed and not allowed to meet the needs of life. To understand this it is imperative that we must have the correct conception of religion.

Religion is there since the human race came into existence. It has given the ultimate reality of beliefs. The conflict between religion and science (the main source of progress) is not as old as the religion itself. In ancient times when human knowledge was limited there was no such conflict, actually there was only a set of beliefs which we may call religion, and there was no other knowledge. Everyone believed in the forces of Nature, in God.  He did not understand the reason for natural calamities which he attributed to God’s wrath. The blind beliefs in religious aspects strengthened the idea that religion puts obstacles in the progress of systematic knowledge. No religion in the history of human kinds ever put any hindrance in achieving the ultimate goal of life. 

It is the Nature; the God who always guided the man through religion, faith, beliefs and knowledge, how to live a life and prosper. If religion would have against progress and development, there would not have been Al-Haitham; the great scholar of physics, mathematics, engineering, astronomy and medicine, Al-Beruni, the most famous scholar of mathematics, cosmology, physics, geography, history, culture and civilization, archaeology, comparative religions geology, chemistry and biology, Yaqub Kindi, the famous Arab philosopher, monographer and meteorologist, optician and a musician (discussed music in terms of science; frequencies), Muhammad bin Musa Khawarzmi the famous scholar whose important achievements were two monographs; Hisab on mathematic (decimal) and Aljabar-Wal-Muqabala the first book in the world on Algebra. The real progress that mankind has made is only based on religion.

We do have both the pictures of developments and especially the negative side which the superpowers are practicing at  the present time; utilizing their development in destroying the human civilization. If there is any hindrance religion puts in development, is the one which we are seeing now-a-days;  and in other parts of the third world. Religion never allows this aspect of development. Religion provides the right path walking through which we can not only reach the intimate goal as well as achieve success in spiritual and material live.

Blogging tips from a Seasoned Blogger:

How would I know that I am a Seasoned Blogger and am entitled to give tips for blogging?  Anyway, I give it a try:

1.  Every learner here on EC with a desire to learn and improve English.  I receive continuously requests from the learner to tell them how to improve English.  I always advise them ‘to read more and more, as much as they could’.  It is a bit difficult to develop the zeal, but it is must.  By reading, the treasure of words (vocabulary) increases.

2.   Then I advise them to use the new words they come to know in sentences.  Use them again and again so that they memorize.

3.   With this stock of vocabulary (no matter how limited it is), try write paragraphs (short blog posts), and post them so that others/friends and members get access to them to read and make comments as well as advise the necessary correction.

4.   Read the blogs posted by other members.  We have a treasure of such bloggers, who are so good to be  good authors.  I read them all and learn from them.

5.   Observe the occurrences of events in your life, think upon them compile the thoughts and write about them.

6.   For the beginners just write without compiling or thinking upon them very much.  Just write, even if they are scattered thoughts.  The senior readers and teacher will help how to put them in sequence.

7.   If a story comes in mind.  Do not worry to make it in sequence in relations to the events.  Write what part of  the script comes first in your mind.  I remember once I wrote the end of the story first, then events occurrences without any consecutiveness, then I make the entire story in the sequence of the events.  It is like making of a movie.  Whatever the set is available the scene is filmed, then the editor combines them in a series of events according to the story.

8.   Make it a habit of proofreading of what has been written. 

I think above tips are helpful for the starters.  

Comment Etiquette:

My friend Seeker has already covered some main Etiquettes in his blog.  Such topic is very confined, and stick to the same points covered by other bloggers and repetition is unavoidable.   However, as I have pointed out in my earlier blog that blogging is all about comments, so:

1.   I it makes the reader obliged to respond by his/her comment/s. 

2.   A learner has delicate sensitivity, so if the comments have the same polite delicacy then it will give an encouraging impact.

3.   If the comments are constructive, they are a true lesson to learn for the writer, but merely praising or criticizing are also welcome.

4.   Comments like ‘good work’, keep it up, are emotionless, but they are also needed.

5.   The readers if has the knowledge, do make corrections and advice how to re-fix the error.

6.   Most of us members are learners and want to comment, they are welcome, my advice is that if the seniors and/or teachers see the errors in comments they should correct them, too.  It will help the learner/commentators to improve.

MY DAILY ROUTINE

I wake up at 4:30 a.m. (in summer, in winter time changed).  After having gone through all the necessary morning needs, I make ablution (Wudhu- essential washing for prayers).  Then I go to the mosque to offer fajr prayer.  After the prayer is finished I sit there in my place to recite Quran till Ishraq (rising of the sun) (This is also a routine in summer, in winter routine changes).  Then I go to milk shop to buy milk, curd, and bread if need.  I come back home and put the milk on the stove to get it boiled.  Then I go to take a bath.  After that, I make breakfast for myself just milk and bread, or sometimes coffee.  I watch TV while having breakfast.  I watch TV till 7:30 a.m. then I leave for my job.  I go to bus stop and wait for a colleague of mine who is a manager and own a nice car.  He comes by 7:45 a.m. I get on the car and go to the place where we have to take company shuttle service. As soon as we got on the coaster, it starts to move to the factory.  I come leave my office at 5 p.m. getting lift from another colleague he is also a manager and have a car.  He drops me at a distance where I take public transport and reach my destination (A mosque near my house) to offer Asr Prayer.  (This is also in summer).  I come back home and get ready to prepare dinner for myself and my eldest brother. (My family lives in USA).  

A day with a friend

Ah what you have reminded me. I remember a day I visited her, she welcomed me with smile. She held my hand and took me to her garden and offered me to sit on a bench under a tree. She sat beside me. She was holding an audio player and there attached the air phone. She thrust one end in my ear and the other one in hers. A soft tune started to come into my ears, then to my senses and then through entire of me. I smiled and she smiled back. I raised my arm and held her closed to me. We weren't talking just feeling each other. I didn't know how much time was passed. My eyes were closed and her hand was in my hand. I heard the chirping of the departed birds, I opened my eyes. I was all alone there, and It was not her garden. I was sitting beside a grave under a tree, my hand was on the stone of the grave where she was sleeping. I stood up and left promising her to come next day.

It’s all about the Comments:

It is 8th topic on the subject of ‘blog or blog post’, so naturally I can’t avoid referring to the viewpoints given in my earlier blogs on the subject. Like I have discussed earlier that a writer’s first wish is to be read, read by maximum readers so that he would be able to get their comments to his benefit, to improve language and vocabulary. So blogging, at a learning stage, as we all are at, is all about the comments, which every writer, especially me expects and wait to see after every blog post. It gives me pleasure, encouragement and satisfaction when I see comment/s on my blog, praising or criticizing, it makes no difference even the criticizing one are valuable, because they open the doors to move around in an even more vast span.

A blog having no comments is like the analogy of peacock which I referred in my earlier blogs on the subject, that if it dances in the jungle, no matter how beautiful it dances, but if nobody sees it, it’s ineffective. In the same way if a blog is overlooked by the readers it is ineffective no matter how effective it is. Whenever, I post a blog, if it is for the challenge, I post the link to Tara to have her attention, then I post the link of my blog to all friends in my list (they are over 200, and I can send only to 200 friends), I know not all of them are active, but there are many who are active and respond to me when they get time. Why I do this, I do not know all of my friends in the list very well, but I still do, because “It’s all about the comments”.

My Definition of a Blog

According to IT terminology, a ‘blog’ is a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc.  But in my opinion this is not just posting words in a group of sentences reflecting your experiences, observations, opinions etc.  A blog is a place you show yourself as what you are.  This is a mirror which reflect the energy of your emotions, it also makes other to feel the heat of your passions.  It is like talking to friends and whispering to a lover.

In general blog is the place where one can put his inner feelings.  When one feels suffocation, a burden on the heart, and want to speak, a blog is a place he/she can come and open heart to relieve the very burden which is killing him.  I see things with emotions, not merely lifeless mechanism.   Apparently a blog is a space provided electronically by IT, but if you just diverge your viewing angle you will find this is the place where people meet, communicate, express and where affairs for long term relationship occur.  This ‘My Definition of a Blog’.