2016 - The Year That Was

2016 has been one unconventional year. It started off perfectly, and throughout the year, I traveled more than I wanted. That makes me content on this last month of the year, when I’m looking back at it all.

Life has a funny way of proving you wrong. It takes turns and you never know what it might have in store for you.  2016 was the year of many firsts. The first of my bonding with a lot new but ever so amazing people I call friends. This year, I let my guard down and let people in, did not worry whether or not my five-year plan will work or not, and if I’ll be able to achieve all the milestones I’ve set for myself. Instead, this year I followed my instinct. I chose to live in the moment, which is hard for a person like me to do.

I saw people at their worst, and it made me fall in love with their flaws. Humans are beautifully knitted with imperfections, and raw emotions is what draws me to people.

This year, I’ve learned countless many things about myself, and known people better because of them. Its also been that year where life took unexpected turns, I’ve lost loved ones, cut off contact from some people I thought are going to be my side forever. Some have seen me at my worst and they still stand by my side, and cheer me on when I’m tired from the daily grind of life.

This word ‘forever’ is a relative term. It means different for each one of us. You’d be surprised how much you are capable of bearing. When life knocks you down only then you know that you lived through the worst and did so with courage.

The way I see it, if you have people who are willing to stand by you through your worst time, check up on you often and are genuinely there for you, you’re lucky beyond measure. To have support from your family and friends in all the stupid decisions you take in life is something not many have. If you do, hold onto it.

Be a rock for your friends, their saving grace. Be the friend who extends support. Look out for your friends. Be a supportive colleague. Play your part in spreading positivity all around you.

Life – a balance between what your heart wants and what your brain knows. Constant struggle between options. The option of living your life to your full potential, or finding middle ground that your brain agrees on. Such mess, but a very organized, sweet chaos.

Just keep swimming with your head held high, and a very happy new year!

Nothing Without

Anything and everything.

You choose.

 - Its your life. Stop letting people tell you how you should love and bleed. Make your own choices.
- Take responsibility and own up to your actions. Nothing makes you more of a man than actually meaning what you say and taking responsibility.
- Grab that opportunity. It might knock again, but not in the same way. If its what you want, dive in head first. Give it your all.
- There should be no greys. Its all in or none at all.
- Be kind. Be someone’s anchor. Make people believe there is a lot good left in this world. Love passionately, as if your soul is on fire.
- Never back down. Its your life, your heart and it should be your decision, always. Live it to the fullest.
- Go ahead and make that stupid mistake. Learn the lesson and learn it well. Get experience. From wherever possible.
- Ask a street vendor how he is doing. Buy those balloons you look at every day. Drink lots of water. Take fruits.
- Behave when around your parents. Prioritize family over everyone and everything else. At the end of hard days, its them who are standing by you.
- Be a kind human. Be excited for other’s birthdays.
- Invest in people who only ask for your company. Have a strong support system.
- Visit your friends, ask how their parents are doing.
- Buy flowers for yourself and others frequently. Give thoughtful gifts.
- Pay for other’s tea. Wear your heart on the sleeve. Be unapologetic about your passions.

-          Sincerely, lessons I’ve learned in my life.

Of Changes, Good and Bad

If you know me even in the slightest, you would know that I am a big advocate of changes. I believe life should not be lived staying at a constant state and changes are good.

However, some changes take place all around us, every day and we fail to recognize them as ‘changes’. These events are marked as daily happenings and we are a little too slow to mark them as significant alterations. Growth, as a human being, is one of them. We tend to ignore how we evolve as a person on daily basis, and when we look back at things we realize a lot has changed.

The debate that changes are good or bad remains standing. The people around us do not remain with us forever. ‘Best friends forever’ is a funny term. Having used it quite a few times, I’ve concluded that it never lasts. At least, not in the same way. Of all the friendships I’ve lost along the way and the new ones that have blossomed, I’m forever grateful for this circle that keeps changing. Old friends remain the best ones and have a special place in your heart. Some of the friends I’ve lost my ways with, it still hits me at times how distant we’ve become when I come to know about significant changes in their life through social media. It kills me how we’re not in contact on daily basis and it’s bittersweet.

To all my old friends reading this, I miss us. I miss the way things were, when we didn’t have this much to worry about and were carefree. Those were the days. If given an option, I would surely opt for reliving my university life all over again! That is the extent of me missing my friends. University gave me a lot many people to call friends, and they are the ones I want to share my joys and sorrows till date. I’m glad that equation is the same.

I hope you too have special friends in your life, who make time fly by when they are around, make your heart free of all the troubles and your shoulders drop some weight that you feel you’re obliged to carry. Know who they are, and value them above everyone else.

*Updating the blog after years. Silently vowing to be more active here.*

Happy Wednesday! 

With love, a Patriotic Pakistani.

Two days ago, I received a text from a friend, which made me forget how to breathe. I wasn't sure what happened and how it had happened, and most importantly why it happened. All I knew back then was my home, was under attack. On 2^nd November a suicidal blast was witnessed by a thousand many people at the Wahga border, after the flag-lowering ceremony that holds place everyday. Wahga border is located just on the outskirts of Lahore, near Batapur.

At first, it made me sick to my stomach. My grandmother lives a few kilometers away from Wahga border in our ancestral home, Manihala. I've called it home no matter where I've lived, close or far. Three families I know were there the very same day. After making sure that they okay and no harm had been caused to any one of them, I thought about the people who were injured and martyred in this. The statistics are far too many. I have attended the ceremony a few times and I can't state how it feels. Pakistani officers kicking their heels with full force and marching in front of the crowd. It's clearly unique. Wahga border may just be the best thing between Pakistan and India right now. If you've ever had the privilege of visiting the ceremony at Wahga, you must be familiar with the patriotic feeling you walk away with. There are a lot of chants and roars in the crowd, everyone chanting the same slogan.

PAKISTAN ZINDABAD.

How many of us even know what this means. Do we even know how fortunate we are to be living in free state. Sure, we have been through some seriously tough times. But what amazes me is that we have been through them, fought through it all, and still survived. 

As a person, as families, and as one nation.

Terrorist attacks is what this nation is familiar with. Pakistan has a long history with them and the aftermath they leave us with. But we are brave people. It made me proud as hell when I saw Pakistanis leaping right back up the very next day. The crowd was bigger in size than the previous day. All this just for our beloved motherland, and with even higher spirits than ever before.

There is hope. For us, for our families, and for Pakistan.

Nara-e-Takbeer, Allah-hu-Akbar.

Nara-e-Risalat, Ya Rasul Allah.

Nara-e-Haidri, Ya Ali.  

Above: At Wahga Border with Family. 

Above: Pakistan's side of the border. 

Making It Through!

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel nobody understands your side of the story? The people you trusted turn their backs on you? When your world is falling apart and you can't do anything to make it stop? 

Remember, there are only a few people that are worth your attention. Find out who they are and stick to them. Remove all negativity from your life and be contented with what you do. Smile, and be the reason people around you stay happy, too. If you vow to bring this into your life, things will fall in place. I promise! Good luck and I sincerely hope you make it through :)  

Inspire.  Dream. Create. Because everything that comes to you, you have an option to turn it into something wonderful. Let your imagination run wild. Jump out of your comfort zone and over analyze things. Enjoy the moments you live. Learn a new thing every day. Smile while you are still young. Make the most of the present. Do what you always told yourself you would but never found time. No time is better than now, and you won’t find any time later. Don’t avoid your passion. Make an effort to improve at everything. Because you can!