Alexander Pope

A rather beautiful poem, which I reproduce with thanks to Umer.

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless youth we tempt the heights of arts,
While from the bounded level of our mind
Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind:
Bur more advanc’d, behold with strange surprise
New distant scenes of endliess science rise!
So pleas’d at first the tow’ring Alps we try,
Mount o’er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
Th’eternal snows appear already past,
And the first clouds and mountains seem the last:
But those attain’d, we tremble to survey
The growing labours of the lengthen’d way;
Th’increasing prospect tires our wand’ring eyes,
Hills peep o’er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!

-ALEXANDER POPE-

The Happy Hope

What is the meaning and purpose of life? What is happiness? I was asked the later by one of those wonderful friends I keep mentioning, and I said happiness is hope. Rather unfortunately though, it’s a hope that tainted with hopelessness.
What is true happiness? Having everything? But can you really ever have everything? Again unfortunately no. No matter how perfect your life can be, you will always think up of ways to make it more perfect. Because you’ll always think that you can be more happy, and that’s where the hope comes in. You ‘hope’ that tomorrow will be better; you ‘hope’ that that unobtainable true happiness will come. The truth is, that the best happiness you can have, is to be content. When you are content with everything you have, and enjoy it and feel you belong to it and it belongs to you, you won’t want anything more. Then there are the fleeting moments when you think everything is perfect, and it would be, if only time would stand still. But there again is the hope… that you’ll get more.

Where does the hopelessness fit in? The hopelessness is hoping against hope that one day you may stop time forever to obtain true happiness. The reality is that you can only be truly content… and if you achieve that, then you are at the true nirvana. Simplicity, contentment… and people who are around you; they make it a nirvana. Even if life and the people are fickle, the important thing is to be content and enjoy those moments when people care for you, because in those singular moments, you mean something to them in their life. Sometimes though, and hopefully, the moments last longer… sometimes the people stay and the contentment lasts for a greater while… sometimes these moments last for a lifetime.
But for that you have to smile, yes? And sometimes, the fact that you have people around you who surprise you with their purity, care and idealism, does make you smile.

Updates, Musings and Kara!

Haven’t written for quite a while, and the reasons are many fold, from umpteen projects and exams to simply being too lazy to write. For the past week have finally managaed to get a lot of free time, and it has been very refreshing, but it shall end too.

 Finally managed to read the Kite Runner, courtsey of the fantastic FJ, and I have got to say that it is one of the most beautiful and touching books that I have ever read. There is something so infinitely sad about the book, but it overcomes you and touches your heart. Highly recommended to any and all who are reading this and also read books!

Drowning Shadows currently is undergoing parallel edits (lol), and I’ll hopefully be looking to re-edit it myself and then pursue the holy grail of writing (from me point of view), i.e. getting it published! When it does, most of you shall be invited to the book launch!

 The Kara Film Festival concluded recently, and it was again a great showcase of diverse cultures and movies. Pakistani and International film makers and movie goers both got their fill, and apart from the rate occasions, not many were dissapointed. It was arranged very nicely, and took place with sufficient efficiency. I was able to see Immaculate Conception, a Dehelvi movie starring the exceptional Zia Mohiuddin and the brilliant Shabbana Azmi. It was an incredibly made movie, and I was most impressed by Mr. Dehelvi. I was also immensely impressed with the crowd who watched the movie. Not only did they enjoy the movie, but they understood it, and that is always a good feeling to watch something with people who are just as interested in it as you are.

There are a couple of other projects that I’m looking to start work on, purely creative and non work related, but will not specify until they get started. I believe I also have a bit of a story for my next book… so watch this space!