By: Einstein
How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy.
A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving...
I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me.
The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.
My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a 'lone traveler' and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude...
My political ideal is democracy. Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. It is an irony of fate that I myself havebeen the recipient of excessive admiration and reverence from my fellow-beings, through no fault, and no merit, of my own. The cause of thismay well be the desire, unattainable for many, to understand the few ideas to which I have with my feeble powers attained through ceaseless struggle. I am quite aware that for any organization to reach its goals, one man must do the thinking and directing and generally bear the responsibility. But the led must not be coerced, they must be able to choose their leader. In my opinion, an autocratic system of coercion soon degenerates; force attracts men of low morality...
The really valuable thing in the pageant of human life seems to me not the political state, but the creative, sentient individual, the personality; it alone creates the noble and the sublime, while the herd as such remains dull in thought and dull in feeling.
This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of herd life, the military system, which I abhor... This plague-spot of civilization ought to beabolished with all possible speed. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed. It was the experience of mystery -- even if mixed with fear -- that engendered religion. A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, our perceptions of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty, which only in their most primitive forms are accessible to our minds: it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute true religiosity. In this sense, and only this sense, I am a deeply religious man... I am satisfied with the mystery of life's eternity and with a knowledge, a sense, of the marvelous structure of existence -- as well as the humble attempt to understand even a tiny portion of the Reason that manifests itself in nature.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Transition
I am blocking your thoughts away.
In a sick way I thank you for all that.
I learned to forgive myself, thanks to you
I am in transition.
The skies poured down today
What made us think we were wise and we'd never compromise...
played somewhere in the background
I picked up things I never thought I could.
Made notes on what not to take,
lost them along the way.
I beg your pardon,
I am in transition.
Driving in circles now
Doing things I thought I never would.
It gets clearer. Ironic.
This must be the transition.
Someone is smiling at me.
I don't mind the smiles, the grins, the 'o-dahhling I told you so'
It's the transition stupid!
Learn to smile at me.
I'm already smiling.
Jump on to phase 3, laugh at thyself.
Sad? No, strange really.
Does that make me crazy?
Probably.
Wars of the mind or war of the ego?
Excuse me, I am in transition.
People remember you from how you make them feel
I felt like strange, stupid, lucky, and a little lost.
Wonderful things huh?
Perhaps that is because I'm in transition.
I had much to say,
but chose to walk away.
The odd is better left unsaid.
Will we walk on the same street again?
We're inhabiting separate galaxies.
Made a difference, significantly or hardly?
You understand....I am in transition.
Feelling like an achiever, yeah?
Get on, get up, get over, GO!
I prefer to be excused
I am in transition.
*Feb 9, 2007
In a sick way I thank you for all that.
I learned to forgive myself, thanks to you
I am in transition.
The skies poured down today
What made us think we were wise and we'd never compromise...
played somewhere in the background
I picked up things I never thought I could.
Made notes on what not to take,
lost them along the way.
I beg your pardon,
I am in transition.
Driving in circles now
Doing things I thought I never would.
It gets clearer. Ironic.
This must be the transition.
Someone is smiling at me.
I don't mind the smiles, the grins, the 'o-dahhling I told you so'
It's the transition stupid!
Learn to smile at me.
I'm already smiling.
Jump on to phase 3, laugh at thyself.
Sad? No, strange really.
Does that make me crazy?
Probably.
Wars of the mind or war of the ego?
Excuse me, I am in transition.
People remember you from how you make them feel
I felt like strange, stupid, lucky, and a little lost.
Wonderful things huh?
Perhaps that is because I'm in transition.
I had much to say,
but chose to walk away.
The odd is better left unsaid.
Will we walk on the same street again?
We're inhabiting separate galaxies.
Made a difference, significantly or hardly?
You understand....I am in transition.
Feelling like an achiever, yeah?
Get on, get up, get over, GO!
I prefer to be excused
I am in transition.
*Feb 9, 2007
Untitled (revisited)
Untitled
I don't know what happened.
But it just did.
I saw a bit of you there, I wanted to capture it, hold it and never let go.
I broke down.
I appolgised.
But he understood.
He is not what he use to be. Its funny what years can do to you. It's actually scary and sad at the same time since it appears that one is only left with oneself in the end.
I saw your shadow today, sitting there and I broke down.We're loosing him you know. When he got up to leave, I didn't want him to go. He sat there, looking around him. His blue eyes are shade of grey now. He knows what is ahead of him, but cries over what has been. He looks around for you. I can sense it. I look around for you too sometimes.
I walk with him as far as I can. But then I know I have to let go. He looks at me and smiles. Reminds me of who I am. It takes gutts to smile at times like these. He sees the empty eyes and talks of a bright future, a city gone mad, and he looks at the white garden chair. We've added a bit of yellow to it now. That's our effort on making it look alive.
He turns around for a final glance.He looks at me and he tells me he looks for you. I smile back. Its crazy, both of us look at eachother and end up finding a bit of you. I break down again and this time I'm not alone.
I know this is possibly our last goodbye.He tells me why I need to be strong ; but I am not listening anymore. I'm absorbing each moment of having your shadow around me just once again.
I know this is our last time.I am taking this thought with me for the weekend. I cherish this possibly as one of the rare encounters of a life time. Let this be our last time.
*The blog was first recorded in Feb 23, 2007 before my flight to Islamabad.
** Shafi Mammoon passed away on March 6, 2008. That February evening proved to be our last time indeed.
I don't know what happened.
But it just did.
I saw a bit of you there, I wanted to capture it, hold it and never let go.
I broke down.
I appolgised.
But he understood.
He is not what he use to be. Its funny what years can do to you. It's actually scary and sad at the same time since it appears that one is only left with oneself in the end.
I saw your shadow today, sitting there and I broke down.We're loosing him you know. When he got up to leave, I didn't want him to go. He sat there, looking around him. His blue eyes are shade of grey now. He knows what is ahead of him, but cries over what has been. He looks around for you. I can sense it. I look around for you too sometimes.
I walk with him as far as I can. But then I know I have to let go. He looks at me and smiles. Reminds me of who I am. It takes gutts to smile at times like these. He sees the empty eyes and talks of a bright future, a city gone mad, and he looks at the white garden chair. We've added a bit of yellow to it now. That's our effort on making it look alive.
He turns around for a final glance.He looks at me and he tells me he looks for you. I smile back. Its crazy, both of us look at eachother and end up finding a bit of you. I break down again and this time I'm not alone.
I know this is possibly our last goodbye.He tells me why I need to be strong ; but I am not listening anymore. I'm absorbing each moment of having your shadow around me just once again.
I know this is our last time.I am taking this thought with me for the weekend. I cherish this possibly as one of the rare encounters of a life time. Let this be our last time.
*The blog was first recorded in Feb 23, 2007 before my flight to Islamabad.
** Shafi Mammoon passed away on March 6, 2008. That February evening proved to be our last time indeed.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Give way to V-day!
That time of the year is BACK.
The good news is its only the local FM radio stations which are making all the noise about Valentine's Day this year. The only publication that went Red with valentine's day discount offers was Sunday ( a weekly socialite magazine from the Daily Times team). Certain that it is widely read in a very small and closed circle of Lahore and a wee bit in Islamabad and an even small freebie circle of Karachi, I thought the marketers had gone underground in 2008.
My happiness was short lived.
Horrid traffic jams in the city, particularly during the election week, have converted my 45 minutes drive from work to home and vice versa to 2 hours long marathon of inching and moving my car between lanes, making sure I do not run over the other. Amid this the FM stations add to the misery with their love songs, free advices on what's IN and OUT this V-day, themes for V-day and so on.
The most interesting tip that I got today was when I was stuck in a jam for an hour during the lunch hour. The RJs added to my limited knowledge on the 'oohs and aahs' of V-day dress code. According to them, wearing certain colors on V-day signify a person's personal status, that includes:
BLACK means not available for a commitment or SCRAM!
RED means committed or LUCKY IN LOVE (grrrr!)
YELLOW means single, ready to mingle!
PINK means committed but also looking (wicked!)
WHITE means desperate for a relationship, anything would do (sad!)
My take, how about a combination of all of these. That'll leave people guessing all day.
A friend captured the V-day quite aptly and I salute her for putting it rightly. It's the pressure that gets many thinking about the V-day not because they feel the need to. Everyone is taken on by the pressure - the committed and the free.
For the committed, the pressure is to present, reassure or reinforce their sentiments.
For the free, it's a reality check. A point where they either say..sigh I wish that was me or weehaa its good to be free. Freedom ought to be celeberated too on Vday. But a lot of us (obviously the committed ones) snicker at such thoughts of the free :-)
I'm not suggesting we bent down to the pressure.
I suggest we make people around us happy this V-day. It can be a friend you have not called up in a long time, some one you stopped talking to altogether, reward friends and family for being by your side, get closer to people you want to get to know and you'll feel content with yourself eventually.
I've learned that everytime I give something I feel the happiest.
It could be a compliment, an insult (haha!), time, surprises (I still love them!), and so on. We will be remembered in the end with what we gave away to people we cared about. Mom, Dad, Sis, Bro, Friend, or that special someone, your Pet, yup the sky is the limit...
My critics could say giving is a way of life. You should do it throughout the year. I'm not contesting that. Let V-day reignite the spirit of giving, sharing and putting a smile on the people you care about. I know I do not get time to spend with people I would really want to. This day, I can take a break (after work ofcourse!) and let it be a gentle reminder throughtout the year. who knows I might carry it on..:-)
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!
The good news is its only the local FM radio stations which are making all the noise about Valentine's Day this year. The only publication that went Red with valentine's day discount offers was Sunday ( a weekly socialite magazine from the Daily Times team). Certain that it is widely read in a very small and closed circle of Lahore and a wee bit in Islamabad and an even small freebie circle of Karachi, I thought the marketers had gone underground in 2008.
My happiness was short lived.
Horrid traffic jams in the city, particularly during the election week, have converted my 45 minutes drive from work to home and vice versa to 2 hours long marathon of inching and moving my car between lanes, making sure I do not run over the other. Amid this the FM stations add to the misery with their love songs, free advices on what's IN and OUT this V-day, themes for V-day and so on.
The most interesting tip that I got today was when I was stuck in a jam for an hour during the lunch hour. The RJs added to my limited knowledge on the 'oohs and aahs' of V-day dress code. According to them, wearing certain colors on V-day signify a person's personal status, that includes:
BLACK means not available for a commitment or SCRAM!
RED means committed or LUCKY IN LOVE (grrrr!)
YELLOW means single, ready to mingle!
PINK means committed but also looking (wicked!)
WHITE means desperate for a relationship, anything would do (sad!)
My take, how about a combination of all of these. That'll leave people guessing all day.
A friend captured the V-day quite aptly and I salute her for putting it rightly. It's the pressure that gets many thinking about the V-day not because they feel the need to. Everyone is taken on by the pressure - the committed and the free.
For the committed, the pressure is to present, reassure or reinforce their sentiments.
For the free, it's a reality check. A point where they either say..sigh I wish that was me or weehaa its good to be free. Freedom ought to be celeberated too on Vday. But a lot of us (obviously the committed ones) snicker at such thoughts of the free :-)
I'm not suggesting we bent down to the pressure.
I suggest we make people around us happy this V-day. It can be a friend you have not called up in a long time, some one you stopped talking to altogether, reward friends and family for being by your side, get closer to people you want to get to know and you'll feel content with yourself eventually.
I've learned that everytime I give something I feel the happiest.
It could be a compliment, an insult (haha!), time, surprises (I still love them!), and so on. We will be remembered in the end with what we gave away to people we cared about. Mom, Dad, Sis, Bro, Friend, or that special someone, your Pet, yup the sky is the limit...
My critics could say giving is a way of life. You should do it throughout the year. I'm not contesting that. Let V-day reignite the spirit of giving, sharing and putting a smile on the people you care about. I know I do not get time to spend with people I would really want to. This day, I can take a break (after work ofcourse!) and let it be a gentle reminder throughtout the year. who knows I might carry it on..:-)
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Feel
Feel sad.
Feel soaked.
Feel small.
But not ready to take a fall.
Feel powerless.
Feel preoccupied.
Feel tongue-tied.
But will surf through.
Feel battered
Feel bruised
Feel broken
But don't need mending.
Feel tired
Feel sleepy
Feel energy drop low
But can't stop breathing.
Feel, thats what the heart does best.
Feel, you're free to interpret.
Feel, you're alive!
a new scnenary
Feel soaked.
Feel small.
But not ready to take a fall.
Feel powerless.
Feel preoccupied.
Feel tongue-tied.
But will surf through.
Feel battered
Feel bruised
Feel broken
But don't need mending.
Feel tired
Feel sleepy
Feel energy drop low
But can't stop breathing.
Feel, thats what the heart does best.
Feel, you're free to interpret.
Feel, you're alive!
a new scnenary
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