Zahra speaks

I have been gutted from the past few days. It is important to vent, I have a lot of things in my mind and I have to put it out there. Image Courtesy: Wikibio Firstly, it's not about a particular person, it's about the mentality that is widespread on social media and nobody is addressing it. We are the dead-worshipping generation. Nobody talks about mental health when everything is fine but suddenly, every person begins advocating its importance once somebody commits suicide. Why? Why do we have to praise people when they are gone? Why can't we support and coexist when they were alive? Half of the people who are discussing mental health on social media today are the ones who are active online trolls. They go on the social media handles of every celebrity and spill filth. Just lately, Mahira Khan posted a picture of a cup of tea and she was called shameless for doing so. Who is answerable for such people's behavior? If today we are blaming several people who may have pus...

‘It’ll hurt,’ someone yelled from somewhere far. She stood still, looking ahead at the beautiful pathway. Her feet were drenched in water; she felt the chilliness of water in every inch of her body. However, it was a pleasant feeling. Like she had been wandering in a desert for years and finally, she was experiencing a trace of coolness. The running water moved horizontally, down into a small valley. Her eyes were glued to the path before her. Deep green trees merging to make a tunnel, the muddy land that led straight to a place that she knew was safe. Suddenly, the breeze started blowing; gentle air caressed her face and she smelled an enticing fragrance. ‘Lilies!’ she thought. As she took a step forward, the water stream was no longer touching her feet. She looked back at the wonderful water which sparkled even from such proximity. She turned back towards the naturally built tunnel of trees, some barks of the trees were uneven but the leaves of every tree met at a point to contri...

  Comedy is the most difficult thing to do. It is very challenging to make people laugh especially in these times when everything is so grave and tensed. I have immense admiration for the people who can make other people laugh. It is an inbuilt talent and not everyone can master this craft. It takes years of practice and dedication to be able to bring a smile on anyone's face. However, the people who possess this skill are very sensitive and recondite in their approach towards life. They understand the realities of life and the precise details of the simple aspects of daily life. They are intelligent, skillful, and blessed.  Some people are born comedians. They don't need to invest any efforts to make people laugh, it comes naturally to them. They don't have to showcase their skills on a platform such as television or movies. They practice their skill in real life. They make us laugh when it is very difficult to smile. We all have someone in our surroundings who is witty an...

The current situation has rendered a lot of lessons for everyone. Everyone has understood something or the other. Some people haven't learned anything and I feel it's fine, not everyone is bound to be learning something in this time of isolation. Earlier, the saints, gurus, or the yogis would go into isolation to practice meditation, to achieve a greater connection with the Higher source. Perhaps they did find something, perhaps they found they looked for. The definition may be different but we all are finding something, some questions need to be answered, consciously or unconsciously, we want something which is not materialistic, it is purely spiritual. What is it? You have to find out, only if you have the will to do so.  I will not be going into any deeper conversation about what the meaning of life is or what I am finding. I have observed something so simple yet astounding in this period of isolation. Even before the quarantine started I was in quarantine for a month. I los...

My super self,  It's a reminder that everything will be alright. You have been through many trying times but see, they passed. This time is very strange, the world is struggling. The lockdown and quarantine have introduced the world to the dimension you experienced a long time ago, it's not something new and it's not something that will stay either. That's the thing about time, the good and bad, it passes and makes you stronger. I am not saying 'hang in there'  for the sake of saying, I mean it.  Life has not been easy, but what's a ride without bumps (especially when you live in Lahore). Just remember that some things were a dream a few years ago but you achieved it, lived it. That's a miracle and if that can happen, anything can. You tested your abilities and to some extent, prove many people wrong. The journey has not ended, it's ongoing but you have accomplished things that you should be proud of. When life was not happy-go-lucky, you avoided the...

God created every face with much detailing. Have you ever noticed that every person has a different kind of shine in his or her eyes? The voices are so diverse, any two people rarely have the same voice. You see many faces every day, have you ever tried to examine the minute features on each face? It is rather impossible to contemplate the work of Almighty, His art, His creation, us. If we are physically different from each other, it is only logical to say, our souls are also different from each other. At birth, we are blessed with flesh and blood, this body, and a soul. Nobody is born without a soul and when the soul leaves the body, physical death occurs. Not everyone is as healthy as others and sometimes some people are much more physically fit as compared to others. The health, if not fully but, depends on how you treat your body. For example, if you are having an infection, you take medicines to help your body combat the disease. Similarly, our soul also nourishes or distorts...

Happy Women's Day to all the wonderful warriors who fight their battles daily with a lot of grace and pride. It is impossible to comprehend the strength of a woman. She goes through a lot of stages in her life, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother. One common thing in all phases of her life is the strength with which she continues to strive. It is not easy to be a woman. Not everyone has the power to face the circumstances with so much patience. A woman can teach you to be resilient despite the circumstances. I draw inspiration from many women in this world who have taught me to stay firm in the face of hardships. The most important woman whom I adore you more than anyone else is Bibi Fatima (AS), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). From a very young age, I started listening to the stories of strength. How strongly she had to face the events in her life and brought up the most incredible children in the world. Despite everything, she worked hard throughout her...