Friday, October 12, 2012

Life is so incomplete without Love.

Love, I remember a few years back when I was in school, my english literature teacher was telling us about Romeo and Juliet and then she asked us, What is love?, a goofy kid from the back said “miss, love is friendship” and the whole class started laughing. Now lets get a little serious, What is love? Well, whatever it is, true love is definitely something hard to find these days. The story I’m going to tell you is the absolute truth of my life and I hope you like it.
I still remember the day I first saw her. It was my cousin’s wedding and she was sitting alone in a corner. She was looking beautiful, but the aspect that impressed me most about her was her simplicity. During prayer time she was the only girl who covered her head with a scarf. Her eyes had that innocence that I fell for her. I had never been taken down like that from any girl. I was certain I was in love and it was love at First-sight. Before that day I used to laugh at the concept of love at first-sight, sometimes I used to laugh at love. But I’m not laughing now.
About a week later, that same girl shows up at my math class. I was shocked, at first I thought I’d never see her again, but maybe God has some other plans for me. I was absolutely ecstatic, however, I found it really hard to talk to her because I was extremely nervous. So one day I deliberately left my pen in the car and then randomly asked her ” You gotta pen”, she replied ” yeah there you go”. After class I returned her pen back and thanked her, we exchanged names and then she left. My best friend was standing right behind me and asked ” You like her, dont you?”, I replied “ haha what, no bro, what makes you say that?”, he responds ” come on its written all over your face and I know you”. I confessed but told him not to say a word about it.
Slowly and gradually I became really good friends with that girl sharing almost everything with each other. My best friend was guiding me all the way. One day after class she comes to me and tells me her dad is sending her to America for further studies. It came to me as a shock, I told my best friend about the whole situation, he told me that I had to tell her right -away how I feel about her before its too late. This was the hardest part, I was extremely afraid because I knew my friendship might be at risk as well, but I had to to do it  because she was leaving in around four months time, and it had become a now or never situation for me.
I called her in this newly opened restaurant Dejavu, I told her the whole tuition group will be there for dinner. Over there I had planned to tell her how I felt about her, I didn’t intend to ask her out or anything, I just wanted to tell her that I was in love with her. I still remember that night at Dejavu, she was dressed in white and was looking extremely gorgeous. After the dinner when all my friends were leaving, I told her to stay back, only my best friend pretended that he had left but he was at the back watching how I do. “Hey Z I think” …….(small pause) I just closed my eyes and said ” Z I’m in love with you”. I kept my eyes closed, there was this moment of silence for like five seconds. Five very long seconds which seemed to be as long as a day. When I opened my eyes she had sat on a chair right next to me which frightened me even more. I said “please say something”, for some reason or the other she started smiling and then suddenly said ” I gotta go” and ran off.  My best friend came running towards me “What the hell happened bro ?, when I told him what had happened he thought I had been rejected. But I thought otherwise, it didn’t seem like a rejection to me. I was really confused, there were several ideas going through my head and all of a sudden around 1 A.M I received a text from her saying ” I’m so sorry for running of like that, its just that I had never been in a situation like that and I panicked” a couple of minutes later I received another text from her saying” I really like you too”.
I was over the moon when I read that message, I can’t really describe in words how happy I was. That night proved to be the night of my life, we chatted on the internet for like three hours, mainly taking about how our relationship should be like, this was the first relationship for both of us and we both wanted it to be special. After that day, my life changed drastically, everything seemed great. She had become a source of motivation for me to work hard and do well in my studies. I remember that she used call me and wake me up every morning for school, so that I didn’t miss my classes. She made sure that I was prepared for my tests and my exams. Sometimes she was more hard on me than my own mother. But I still loved her more than anything in this world, she meant the world to me and I could’ve done anything for her. Those three and a half months were definitely the best days of my life.
Now came the time, summer had started and she was about to leave in a week for America. She came up to me and said ” I’ll talk to my dad and tell him I don’t wanna go, I’m happy here, there is no reason for me to go”.  I still think of that day and ask myself “why did I let her go”. The reason I wanted her to go was because our country was in trouble and I wanted her to be safe. She also got robbed a month ago on gun-point, that incident made me even more conscious about her safety. I told her ” Hey Z listen, right now the situation of our city is very unstable, so this is your chance  you have to go and I’ll join you in spring.”
It was August 7th, the night she was leaving, we met in the evening at a cafĂ©, this is the moment I can never forget. She was in tears and said” I want you to be a good boy, stay out of trouble” and then she kissed my forehead and said “You better call me every night or I’ll kill you”. Even I was about to break into tears but somehow I held myself together.
Now she was gone, a few weeks after she left, I started to realize her importance in my life. I missed her like anything, we used to call each other almost every day. One night I called her, her phone was not responding, I thought she might’ve run out of battery so I left her a message. When I woke up in the morning, I eagerly grabbed my phone to see whether she had called or texted back, but there was no response so I went back to sleep. Around a couple of hours later my phone rang, I thought it was her, I quickly grabbed my phone but it was her best friend who told me Z had been involved in a car accident, I was shaken, I said” she’s gonna be alright right? I mean it’s not serious is it ?” Her friend replied “ her car was taken down by a drunk truck driver, and it’s quite serious”. I grew extremely worried, and I for the first time in my life I felt helpless because I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t even be there with her when she needed me the most. I prayed for her, and cried while I prayed, the same night I got the news she had past away.
I couldn’t really believe what had happened, it seemed like one bad nightmare, I went into a state of shock, because I never expected life to take me down like this. I went through a long phase of depression. I couldn’t deal with the fact that she was no longer going to be in my life anymore. I was completely shattered and it was extremely tough to cope with this situation. Its been two years now since her death, I’ve never even thought about getting into a relationship with anyone else. I will always love her no matter what and I’m definitely still missing her. All of those who are reading this, I want to give you all one advice, if you are truly in love with a person, never let that person go far away from you.

Four-leaf clovers

I was at a picnic and saw a woman sitting on the grass who seemed to be looking for something.  Every couple of minutes she would pick out a four-leaf clover.  I asked her, “How are you finding so many?”  She said, “I just know that they’re there.”  Some of the people who were standing nearby sat down and began to search and most of them didn’t find any.  But some were finding them steadily.  I asked them all how they did it.  They all said, “I just know they’re there.”
This story applies to four-leaf clovers and life.  If you’re looking for something, just know that it’s there and keep looking.  But you have to believe.

Sometimes and Always

Sometimes occasionally goes by the rules but mostly does his own thing. He is more worried about being everyone’s friend than doing his school work. He gets into trouble a lot but managed to charm his way through it. His parents have gone to school a lot to have parent teacher conferences. Always is a boy who always goes by the book, never breaks the rules and is never in trouble. He always pleased his family and friends and never let them down. He is usually stressed out and gets headaches and stomach aches from stress. Always became very ill one day and had to be rushed to the hospital. The doctors were baffled at what could be wrong with him. Many tests were run and in the end they were inconclusive. He was released and went home only to be stressed some more about missing school and possibly letting everyone down if he received a grade less than an A. Now Sometimes was doing poorly in school and he knew it. He decided that he would just do what he could to get by, he thought ” Why should I stress out look what happened to Always.” Well Always was having the same thoughts ” Why should I stress and make myself sick, sometimes gets by ok” and at that time he started missing school and just barely got passing grades. Their parents decided to sit the boys down and talk to them and tell them that they just need to do their best and that is all that can be asked of them. They do not need to stress and get ill but also do not slack off and get failing grades. Their parents just wanted them to know that whatever they did, they would be proud of them as long as they did their best. Finally, Sometimes spoke up and said ” You mean even if we don’t do well all the time that you will still love us and be proud of us ?? ” The parents answered the question, “Yes we will love you , ALWAYS !!!!” The moral is: To our children: Do your best at whatever you can do within your capability; that is all that can be expected of you and you will turn out just fine; your parents will still love and care for you, no matter what. And for parents: Do not pressurise your children to perform or excel according to your dreams. Don’t live your dreams through your children. Allow them the opportunity to compete within himself or herself and excel in their own special abilities. -Submitted by Daniel Kanu - Original author: unknown

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Laughter

Laughter is a unique quality endowed to mankind;
It is completely denied to the animal mind.

When humour is dwelt upon and reared,
There emanates laughter and is shared.

Roaring laughter is contagious,
And humour is surely infectious.

Laughter escalates hilarity and happiness,
And humour diminishes weariness.

One can laugh at a joke, ridiculous,
And can scoff at another one, meticulous.

One needs to be like a child, so jolly,
Egoless and innocent to laugh so merrily.

Laughter requires a bit of intelligence,
As well as presence of mind and good sense.

Benefits of laughter are numerous,
It bestows a wealth of health on us.

Laughter boosts the immunity system,
And lowers the stress hormone item.

With laughter the whole body is relaxed,
And gnawing pain for a time is axed.

Laughter prevents even the heart disease,
And a sorrowful mood is made to ease.

With a chuckle feel-good endorphins are released,
And with a peal of laughter one is pleased.

Laughter adds joy and zest to life,
And eases anxiety, fear and strife.

Laughter helps conflicts to diffuse,
And mirth in one it does suffuse.

Laughter is a resource for problem surmounting,
And has the power for good relationship enhancing.

Humour lightens one's burdens;
Inspires hope and the outlook broadens.

So let us enjoy humour and guffaw heartily,
And let us blend laughter into our lives verily.

By Chandra Thiagarajan

Lament of a Wash-basin

Very sorry my friends,
If by my lament,
Your tender hearts, I hurt,
When thus out I blurt.

But no other way have I,
To gain your sympathy o'er my cry,
Than in black and white to mention
And draw your kind attention.

All of you I beseech,
To yonder bin to reach
And, my dears-there to empty
Your tiffin-boxes, of left-overs sundry.

Of my gurgling throat, I'm sure,
It'll no more be wrote to cure,
For, I hope, you'll ne'er again so choke
And then, with a rod try to poke!

Thank you so much, my dears,
For so patiently lending your ears,
To the lament of a poor sink,
In this emanating stink!

 By Chandra Thiagarajan

 

 

World Poetry Day,2012

Peace is what the world needs fast
Peace is required most
Peace can't come by waging wars
Peace is born through great efforts!

Peace can dwell when love prevails
Peace is the driving force
Peace must last forever to
Keep the world love life firstly

Peace is the priceless wealth much sought
Peace must start from homes
Peace must spread through all nations
And fill hearts and minds of men

Peace is one that brings progress
Peace can bridge differences
Peace is made by dialogues
Peace is the key to world's happiness
Dedicated to ‘World Poetry Day,2012'
 by Dr John Celes 21-03-12

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Today is all that you have



today
When you wake up in the morning do not expect to When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening - live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life’s span is but one day, as if you were born in it and will die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. In this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur’an with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day, you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.
Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and your station in life.
(“So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.”  - Qur’an 7:144)
Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy and malice.
You must engrave onto your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday’s dry rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated bread matter?
If  you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you attain this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:
Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil nor obscenity. Moreover, I shall not backbite.
Today I shall organize my house and my office. They shall not be disorderly and chaotic, but organized and neat.
Today I will be particular about my bodily cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk and actions.
As I am to live for Today only: I will strive today to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Qur’an and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil – such as pride, jealousy and hypocrisy.
So I will try to help others – to visit the sick, to attend a funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I will stand  side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to scholar, be merciful to the young and reverent to the old.
O’ past that has departed and is gone. I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you have travelled away from me and never return.
O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.
Today is my only day, is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance.


Excerpt from the book: “Don’t be sad” by Sheik ‘Aaidh al-Qarni