Extremes

We tend to think in terms of extremities. Good and bad; evil and pious; brave and coward; black and white. 

Reality in life is hardly defined in extremes. A guy could be good and bad at the same time, in different capacities and contexts. A generally coward person may surprisingly exhibit courageous behavior under certain circumstances. I have seen in my life a very diverse combination of attributes in people; I assume this would be a common human experience.

It makes me smile when Mullahs term me as a ‘secular’ without having the slightest idea about my personal life and background. At other times, secular/atheist people have recurrently termed me a ‘mullah.’ So much for the human tendency to think in terms of extremities.

I can relate to the feeling that may have inspired the great poet Baba Bhulley Shah to come up with his masterpiece, 'Bhulla ki Jaana mai kon?' - 'Bhulla, How do I determine who am I?'

I always make it Late - (ہمیشہ دیر کر دیتا ہوں میں)

I always make it Late, in doing whatever I must.

Whether it is a declaration of something important,

Or acting up onto a beloved commitment.

I always make it late.

Whether it is to call her name aloud,

Or to hold her steps from walking away.

I always make it late.

Whether to assist a dear friend in need,

Or to console a loved one deep in pain.

Whether to visit a memorable place,

Or to meet an old lost mate again.

I always make it late.

Whether it is to make peace with changing weathers,
Or to erase painful memories which left me in tatters.

I always make it late.

Whether it is the letting know of a truth,
to someone breathing his final moments
I always make it late
 
Or whether to wash and mend someone's regrets,

before his departure to skies away.

I always make it late.

I always make it Late, in doing whatever I must.

~ Translated from Urdu poem by Sir Munir Niazi ( ہمیشہ دیر کر دیتا ہوں میں )

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Note: I am no professional translator and there is great room of improvement in the above verses. Please note that ہمیشہ دیر کر دیتا ہوں میں  could also be translated into "I always get it late", or "I always get things done late." Basically, the poet is trying to depict the effects of his procrastination on his self and his loved ones.

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A Journey Man's Definition of Success

What May be it? I am, speaking as to, the "correct" definition of success.

Such things I believe, have seldom a correct definition. Everybody defines them by his own terms. Unfortunately, we measure the success we define in terms of other people's definitions, and forget of our own. One's success should only be measured by oneself, and by one's very own definition.

No moment should be wasted on either jealousy or undue pride. Sometimes we're ahead, and at other times we're behind, and the competition and the race is too long. I'd rather compare myself today with myself that I was yesterday. This eliminates both - the jealousies and the pride.

Competition, I believe, should always be with oneself, and within oneself.

All the actions/decisions we take are only but half the chance. The risk factor is always there, which is the one that creates all the suspense. Our right decisions can go wrong due to the unprecedented, and the wrong ones might go right by nothing but the luck factor. I believe, one should never highly congratulate oneself no matter what the achievement, OR belittle oneself no matter how wrong it may go.

Things often go wrong in our lives, and we come up with our own stereotypes as "it might have happened with me because I didn't go for last Friday prayers," etc etc. The Great God thinks Great and talks Great. It is far above His Standards to maintain a log-book for our trivial misdoings. At times, such misdoings are a part of a human nature inescapable. The Creator knows it better.

I'd like to add a statement by Emerson to my depository for future reference: it's a nicely summed up definition of what success might generally be:

"To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

As for me personally; I'd always consider myself successful when I have a reasonable health, a bit of wealth, and a lots of wisdom. Success, however, is never a stagnant factor; one may be successful at a moment, and not so at other times.

I'd always like the idea of having money in good amounts. Hardly anyone despises an idea as such. However, besides personal reasons, I also would like to have money/power/influence, all in handsome amounts, in order to bring positive changes to the world. Changes which I believe in.

Maybe I'll have an extra-ordinarily happily married life; or maybe I wont. Maybe I'd breath my life for a very long time; or maybe die earlier than I ever expected. Maybe the best of my Plans will fail, and the meekest of my ventures may bring about Fortunes. W-h-a-t--E-v-e-r.

I have never boasted lots on the greatest of my successes, neither over-belittled myself on the worst of mistakes. Everything that I do, and everything that everyone else does; may succeed or fail or hover somewhere in the middle. The chance is never above 50 of Percent, for there are too many variables that you could ever consider prior implementation. So just plan with sincerity+wisdom, say 'Allah Ka Naam' and rather go for it. Waiting is worse than doing it wrong. And even if you fail at the end, you always have a successful learning experience derived practically out of it, one that could hardly be ever read in a book or course.

So for my secret of success? Pardon, if you consider me a successful. I'd rather want to practice new and fresh innovations all my life, subdue one experience of learning, then move on to the next. I am rather a journeyman - one who wants to travel as long as he lives. I pray to the Lord to give me enough health & fitness in the old age, so as never to disturb the learning process which improves and elevates myself on daily basis.

When would you call a journeyman as successful? Who cares, atleast the journeyman doesn't I suppose. All he is busy is with his exciting new journeys and plans for the future ones. Hardly he has any moments to spend on considering the word 'success'. Perhaps his every journey is a success in itself. Perhaps he considers every step that he makes during one such journey as a success. Who knows? Neither do I.