It looks so nice to see the heart gets involve and acquainted once again, with love.  But when see how much time has gone by, how much the dust of distances has settled in feet as well as in the hair, and you and I are encircling in the circles of our lives just as far away in the infinity of the sky, two stars which seem so close to each other, but actually there is an orbit of solitude of millions of miles between them. How this vast orbit can be crossed? You are in your orbit, and I am in mine.  Rather impossible to cross the gap.  So, would it not be better, that you get circling in your orbit and me in mine like those two stars who at least look shining and twinkling together.

I and my wife are not of same nature. I am rather carefree and she is too caring and cheerful. I do not like tidiness of the house, but she is immaculate. She likes to see the things in their proper places, whereas I throw my belongings here and there and then make hue and cry to find them. She finds them for me and helps me get ready. One day, just for a change I put all my things on their proper places so that I could find them easily in the morning. Next day I got ready on my own. My wife not knowing all this woke up as usual and I found her in a shock when I got ready without asking any help from her. 

In the evening I found her in the same faded mood. “What’s up?” I asked holding her in my arms. “You do not love me anymore!” She said with tears in her eyes. “How come you say that” I asked her in curiosity. “You did not let me help you get ready in the morning” She said in a timid voice. “OH! I see!” Saying this I started throwing my things here and there as usual.

I do not like to go for shopping. All the shopping for me and kids are done by my wife. Last week she very casually asked me whether I was coming with her. She had to make some shopping for her and kids.

 “Ok” I nodded in affirmation. “Oh! You are coming!” Her smile was showing her pleasure while there was surprise in her eyes.

First we went to Bahadurabad, where she started wandering shop to shop. I was just following her quietly. She purchased two shalwar kameez suits for herself and two four our daughter. Then we moved towards Tariq Road. At the intersection of Bahadurabad and Tariq Road we had to cross the road. That is a four way road. Too much traffic was there.

“Let’s cross from there” She held my hand and moved towards the island made between two lanes. She crossed the road holding my hand as I was a child, but it didn’t hurt my “manhood” rather I felt a satisfaction being protected and cared.

We crossed on the other side of the road where Tariq Road starts. At the corner of Tariq Road, there a plaza or a mall was under construction, so half of the road was covered with concrete, cement, iron bars and the mixing machines. There was water and mud spread all over the place. The hullabaloo of the labors and the cacophony of the machines were hammering my nerves.

“Let’s move over there” My wife is a good face reader. She took no time to feel my nerves, and hold me from arm and carried to the other side of the road.

“Now, what we have to do here on Tariq Road?” I asked her.

“I have to see some things for the kids; you just come along with me”

‘Ok” I submitted and followed her holding the bags of previous shopping.

She went into a shoe shop. It was a very big shop. There were all types of footwear. She bought a sandal and shoe for our son. She very well knows the sizes we all wear.

She turned to me saying, “You choose a sandal and a shoe for yourself” 

“Why? I do not need ones, and you said you have to shop for the kids”

 “And what you are. You are no more than a kid”. “Am I not taking you everywhere holding your finger” There was a bright smile on her face. I felt a sensational pleasure within me.

If we have inner understanding with our love ones, especially wife, a stage would come in our life when we forget missing our mother, because we have been compensated by the Nature with a loving and caring wife.

I, no! She selected a pair of shoe and sandal for me. There was no chance to object or argue, because that was a perfect selection in shape and quality both. She knows very well that I like soft leather.

“Shall we go back now” I asked her.

“No not now. I have to buy mud mask for our daughter.   She said decisively.

“Have we to go to that grocery shop in that congested street?” I almost shouted.

“You remember it” She smiled.

“How could I forget that cheat. They once sold me an expired cream”

“It was your fault, why didn’t you check before leaving the shop” She again put the responsibility upon me.

My wife always stresses upon to be responsible even for others how they act. In her opinion if we are conscious about our own acts we can be saved from the wrong deed of others also. This is her philosophy.

That shop is in the street in front of Liberty Hotel. That is a very narrow street and very congested too. The shop I mentioned is quite a big one. My wife bought mud mask. It is imported from Singapore. It is a piece of dry mud, and used after soaking in the water. It is good for pimples and other sort of face problem.

“Shall we go now?” I asked with request in my tone.

“Ok yes it is done, let’s take a taxi.” She said with a consoling smile.

We at last reached back our home. She was full of energetic pleasure, and me, completely exhausted and lackadaisical.

I saw someone, like star

I loved someone as of my own

I liked someone like flowers

Someone so beautiful

How I tell about that one

Days been created for the one

So as the nights for someone

Not seen seeing anyone

meetings were with me but none

 the hair fragrant and face was bright like sun

eyes with all magic, the lashes like crescent

hmm she was similar like you

talking also was like you

Yes,  very much like you

Naughty and nimble

But

She forgot me as you, too

Disappeared like starts

Moved away as flowers plugged

Gone, could not find any more.

Why got you shocked

It is not you I talked

I said when, it was you,

all these complaints are for, who!

This is just my expression

Will be glad if you have impression

I loved her like my own

This is my 400th blog

It looks so nice to see the heart gets involve and acquainted once again, with love.  But when see how much time has gone by, how much the dust of distances has settled in feet as well as in the hair, and you and I are encircling in the circles of our lives just as far away in the infinity of the sky, two stars which seem so close to each other, but actually there is an orbit of solitude of millions of miles between them. How this vast orbit can be crossed? You are in your orbit, and I am in mine.  Rather impossible to cross the gap.  So, would it not be better, that you get circling in your orbit and me in mine like those two stars who at least look shining and twinkling together.

The last words of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs from his deathbed:

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success.

However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to.

At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death.

In the darkness, I look at the green lights from the life supporting machines and hear the humming mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of god of death drawing closer …

Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth …

Should be something that is more important:

Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days

Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.

God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth.

The wealth I have won in my life I cannot bring with me. What I can bring is only the memories precipitated by love.

That’s the true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on.

Love can travel a thousand miles. Life has no limit. Go where you want to go. Reach the height you want to reach. It is all in your heart and in your hands.

What is the most expensive bed in the world?

Sick bed … 

You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you.

Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost — Life.

When a person goes into the operating room, he will realize that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading — Book of Healthy Life.

Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.

Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends.

Treat yourself well. Cherish others.”

Source Internet.

Where would I go wearing a new dress and set my hair for whom?

He left the city, Would I go out, for whom?

Gone the sun that cooled my heart

Would I wander in deserted streets, for whom?

I use to meet all the people because of him,

He is gone, would I meet aimless people, for whom?

There is no one like him in the city to be center of my poetry,

Would I decorate the vase in the house of poetry, for whom?

No one has visited in this house since long,

Would I light the candles in the empty rooms, for whom?

It is an instinct that when we fall in love, we make the beloved our center for all aspects and activities.  We wear the new dresses and set our hair to make ourselves attractive to enchant the beloved. But when the beloved is gone leaving us behind, would we wear new dresses and set our hair, but for whom?

We feel comfort in the company of our beloved.  We wander hither and thither. The heat of the day and the sun does not bother us, on the contrary, there is a feeling of coolness, coolness of the love in our heart.  Our beloved is like a sun for us giving us light, but it cools our heart.  When this sun (beloved) is gone, would we wander in the deserted streets, but for whom?

The company of all the people whom we meet does not bother us because we are in the company of our beloved. When the beloved is gone, would we meet these aimless people, but for whom?

Our beloved is the center of our all aspects and activities.  We even say poetry in praising his/her handsomeness/beauties.  Poetry becomes like decoration, garlanding, blossoming flowers.   When the beloved is gone, would I decorate the vases in the house of poetry, but for whom?

When the beloved is gone, the heart (house) become deserted. We use to light the house when we know our beloved is there to see. When the beloved is gone, would I light the candles in the empty rooms of the house, but for whom?

The inspiration for the translation is from Urdu poetry.  In explanation, I have tried to make it easier for the readers to understand the in-depth meaning of the Ghazal.

My translation is not good because I could not be successful in maintaining the beauty of the poem which only can be felt when reading in its original language. 

" Education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's  being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't."

Education is the main medium on which depends the progress of intellect of an individual as well as a nation. This is the education which gets an individual out of ignorant…(ignorance is “what you don’t know”) and guide him to the right path…………the path of wisdom (wisdom is what “you do know”).  

Education is the only source of progress of constructive attitude in human being. Education gives us knowledge of ‘rules and regulations’ of political, social, cultural  without which a nation is nothing but a soulless body.  Absence of education, or at least the status quo of further progress of education in a nation, takes it to nothingness and this nothingness is again the inability to differentiate between what you know and what you don't."

 The aim of education isn’t how much we have committed to our memory for the sake of passing certain exams nor it is just for earning money for living, but its purpose is to train intelligence, attitude and morale of an individual. Intelligence, attitude or behavior and moral are so linked with each other like body and soul. Its purpose is not just gaining of information, but its purpose is to polish a person’s intellect, and abilities. In brief, it can be said that EDUCATION IS FOR BUILDING CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY OF A PERSON.

 How could all these qualities be developed? Of course by Education, but according to the above quote ……………….. It's  being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't."

The portion of the quote “what you don’t” means the dark side of our behavioral intelligence which does not allow us to see the bad deeds or the sins  we commit. Ignorance is a sin, it is tyranny (zulm )(and we are Zaalim)(Tyrant), because sometimes ignorance takes us to behave like a tyrant.   So knowing (education) is the ability to differentiate between knowing and not knowing, when an individual gets to the realization of his status, and mend him/herself there comes a healthy educated society, in resultant there comes peace, love and harmony.

Once an old man was sitting with his son, he heard the voice of a crow, but could not recognize it. He asked his son, "Son what is this voice of?" "It is a crow papa." The son replied. The old man once again heard the voice and could not recognize.  He had also forgotten that he had already asked his son.  He again asked, "Son what is this voice of?" "This is a crow crowing papa!" This time son got irritated. A few minutes later the crow once again called, once again the old man could not recognize it and again forgot that he had already asked his son twice before about it. He again asked, "What is this voice of, son?" "CROW! CROW!! CROW!!!" This time the son lost his temper and shouted WHY ARE YOU ASKING REPEATEDLY WHEN I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS WAS A CROW CALLING!". 

Seeing his son angry, the father got upset and sad, he went inside, and began to rummage a big box and came back with a slate, on which kid start learning to write. He handed the slate to his son and went inside quietly. When the son saw the slate, there were written in a child's writing crow, crow, crow, crow, crow on both sides of the slate. The son remembered when he was a kid he was sitting by the side of his father, and he heard a bird's voice, he asked his father "What is this voice of, papa? "it is a crow, son, ok now write the word on the slate, C R O W, good." The son wrote the word as his father told him to do. The crow once again called, the son once again asked and the father replied to him lovingly. In this way, he repeatedly kept asking and the father kept replying, the boy kept writing on the slate, so as the slate got filled on both sides.

The boy was recalling this and the drops of tears were falling on the slate.

Warda, a new member of MyEC, (have been my virtual sweet daughter since long from the other forum) commented on my blog 'Selfless Love" and mentioned about her neighboring couple's love.  With her permission I used the facts of the couple's love to build this story.  So I hereby attribute this story to Warda:

Unique Love 

The aspects of love are very strange, sometimes one person seeks for it, but could not find.  On the other hand, sometimes, it falls in to one’s lap like ripe apple.  There are couples who become under wedlock because of family obligations, but there is no love as the ‘love’ is considered in itself.  It is also seen that because of some untoward hardship of life one of the couple (lovers) become under test of their love. I happened to be acquainted with one of such couple. They were our neighbors.  The couple was leading their life happily.  They both loved each other very much.

Then hardship fell upon them.  Unfortunately, the husband got paralyzed due to some disease and confined to bed.  It was the time when they have already got the major part of their life passed and now in old age. All the kids were grown up, married and settled abroad.  He became totally unable to move without help. And the old lady, his beloved wife was there to help him.   She was always there for him.  She took care of him always. She loved him so much that she confined herself to the house  so that she would be there when her husband needed her.  She just go out when it was extremely necessary.  She fed, him, toweled him, kept his room neat and clean.

By the time his condition got worse.  He started to forgetting people. But it was surprising his wife was never wiped out from his memory.  He used to call her by name when he could not remember the names of the other closed ones. He knew very well that she was his life partner. His life companion, whereas for other closed ones (relatives who visited him time to time) he got confused who they were.

I also used to visit him, and try to relieve him by making jokes.  Once I said to him, “Uncle I heard you have a granddaughter who resembled your wife.”  He said, “No my wife is prettier than her, she is the prettiest of them all.”

Once he was in ICU, he always asked of the doctor or the nurse about his wife, who had to be outside the room.  When relative visited him in the hospital, he asked about his wife, and when told that she is outside and will come soon, then he got calm.  His wife stayed up on nights to take care of him, to look after him.  He was well aware of her presence and asked her to get some rest.

When he was on his death bed. It was his time to depart.  She was beside him. He was holding her hand. She stayed up all night to be with him to see the love of her life dying slowly and painfully before her eyes.

He passed away in the hospital at the age of 70+. 

When I met his wife. She said in Arabic to me in a poetic way: 

” Those were the days of bliss I have lived with him, and now he left me alone with his memories.”

That was the unique couple, and their love was unique, too.

I came back home very late.  Found my pa at the door, angry waiting for me.

“Where have you been?” He asked with anger.

“I was with my friend at his house.”  I replied very timidly.

My pa knows all of my friends.  He immediately called my 10 friends one by one to confirm.

Four of my friends confirmed one by one, “Yes uncle he was with me.”

Three of them said “yes uncle he has just left.”

Two said, “Yes uncle he is here with me, shall I give him the phone?”

One of them went to the extreme, he spoke with my father in my own voice, “Yes papa, what is it, I am here with……………………”

On this my pa could not stop his smile. And said “Now I understand, we may not find friends in life, but WE CAN FIND LIFE IN FRIENDS.”

Why you always lost in finding me

I went nowhere, here or there 

Nor I stopped anywhere.

If you do not find me in the beats of your

then believe I AM NOWHERE.

Her face: Like calm and peaceful light of moon.

Her eyes: Like black glittering pearls lying on white shining velvet.

Her hair: Like black velvet encircling sleeping beauty.

Her lips: Like rose petals resting on bed of white flowers

Her tears: Like drops of dew rolling down on the petal of rose.

Her speaking: Like rain of flowers and jingle of bells.

Her Body: Like flexible branch of a flowers.

Feeling for her: like book of love.

And her Heart: Like a crystal and the key to enter is the LOVE

From my imagination fit to everybody's beloved.

Use of certain words in poetry (no rule of grammar) still gives meaning.

In this poetic lines there is the impression of a trika of ME, YOU and LOVE see how absence of one makes it in complete.  

(Idea borrowed from an Urdu poem):

Me you and love

Strange! Together but not gather.

When I am there you are not

When you are, I am not there

When we are there love is not.

This is a long story of are-aren’t and is-isn’t

If I am not there, don’t know why not there

If you are not there then being you where

If no love is there why we are together

It is a confusing puzzle try hard can’t solve

When together only two are there

The third one is not there.

Be contented with what you have

Forget which you couldn’t get

What doors have now for you closed,

Don’t get upon them dejected

Whatever in love you have wound

Never have gloom upon that

Companions what are the pain of heart

Accept them all as your fate.

These are the gatherings in your name

So be happy, dampen your eyes be let

This is a style of your beloved

Do not be discouraged

The bright light of hope is far away

Do not putout the lamp of night.

He was a middle-aged man, visiting the hospital to get his stitching cut.  He was insisting the staff nurse to rush.  The nurse was getting ready to cut the stitches, but he was asking, again and again, to be quick at the same time he was looking at his wristwatch and repeating to be quick.  The nurse asked him whether he had some errand.  He told her that he had to reach a nursing home at 9 a.m. to feed his wife her breakfast.  The nurse asked why she was in the hospital. He told that she was suffering from a very chronic disease because of which she not in her senses and can’t help herself in her daily routine. The nurse asked whether she wait for him.  He said that she was even unable to recognize him. Then the nurse said why he was so worried to feed her breakfast, it made no difference if any staff nurse of the hospice would feed her, because she even didn’t recognize you.  “yes,” the old man said, “she doesn’t recognize me for last five years, but I very well recognize her who is she of me, and it will be a betrayal with her if I will not be there with her in her needs.”

Idea borrowed.

  Are you a good listener? Let's find out.

On a scale of 25-100 (100 = highest), how do you rate yourself as a listener? _____

Let’s find out how accurate your perception is. Rate yourself in the following situations and total your score.

4 = Usually, 3 = Frequently, 2 = Sometimes, 1 = Seldom

____ I try to listen carefully even when I’m not interested in the topic.

____ I’m open to viewpoints that are different from my own.

____ I make eye contact with the speaker when I’m listening.

____ I try to avoid being defensive when a speaker is venting negative emotions.

____ I try to recognize the emotion under the speaker’s words.

____ I anticipate how the other person will react when I speak.

____ I take notes when it’s necessary to remember what I’ve heard.

____ I listen without judgment or criticism.

____ I stay focused even when I hear things I don’t agree with or don’t want to hear.

____ I don’t allow distractions when I’m intent on listening.

____ I don’t avoid difficult situations.

____ I can ignore a speaker’s mannerisms and appearance.

____ I avoid leaping to conclusions when listening.

____ I learn something, however small, from every person I meet.

____ I try not to form my next response while listening.

____ I listen for main ideas, not just details.

____ I know my own hot buttons.

____ I think about what I’m trying to communicate when I speak.

____ I try to communicate at the best possible time for success.

____ I don’t assume a certain level of understanding in my listeners when speaking.

____ I usually get my message across when I communicate.

____ I consider which form of communication is best: email, phone, in-person, etc.

____ I tend to listen for more than just what I want to hear.

____ I can resist daydreaming when I’m not interested in a speaker.

____ I can easily paraphrase in my own words what I’ve just heard.

____ Total

Scoring

75-100 = You’re an excellent listener and communicator. Keep it up.
50-74 = You’re trying to be a good listener, but it’s time to brush up.
25-49 = Listening isn’t one of your strong points. Start paying attention.

Taken from internet.

This is in response to Onee's  Blog Challenge ---Not Only....But Also

Who can have love
It is only a game of letters-----l o v e.

Yes, it's love when you
not only have a sensitive heart
but also, be devoted to love.

Yes, it's love when you
not only are trustworthy
but also have trust in love.

Yes, it's love when
not only do you shine with these qualities
you also show others the path to love.

But is it that easy to find love?