Isbah's Anatomy on Love

"Love Happens, and when it does, it gets you whether you want it or not, like it or not. And when it leaves, it never looks back at you, no matter how hard you try. Love is tempting, it is rebellious, but we all must learn to stop, even when we are in love, stop for our integrity and self respect, because love might leave you one day, but you will never leave yourself. And when you are left with yourself, all you are going to need is that self respect & integrity that u lost a while ago for the love that left you standing still.

Boundaries don't keep others out, they fence you in, and so it would be terrible thing to say that people should aspire not to fall in love anymore. Its a natural and most humanly act to follow. Just remember that there's a line that separates you from everything else in this world. Even love. And when someone tries to cross that line, you either let them, or you don't. If you let them, you risk too much, so just be sure that its worth it. If you don't, just remember that it wasn't worth you.

Sometimes, we want something to be true just because we waited very long for it to be true, dreamed too much for it to happen, but the other person might not feel the same way. It is quite possible that you cant love someone back the way they love you. So the right thing to do is to let them go. Depriving them of your love will not be as bad as pretending to love them back.Plus, remember that the ones that really disserve giving up your honor for will never ask for it in the first place."

~Isbahz
On the Post I hate love

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"There comes a point in your life when you realize who matters, who never did, who wont any more, and who always will. So don't worry about the people from your past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future" BUT "You can close your eyes to reality but not to memories" and there's a reason for that too !

~Saira Andleeb
On the Post I hate love
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I would like to add this quote:

"But true love is a durable fire,

In the mind ever burning,

Never sick, never old, never dead,

From itself never turning."

~ Walter Raleigh

And the best of love is the love of Allah, and all love that is a means or part of this true love.

"And those who believe are overflowing in their love of Allah." (Qur'an, 2.165)

Traffic Jam Boss

Chalo Tau Sahee

To those who are lost, To those who are about to surrender to difficulties and retreat, To those who are refusing to carry on the journey just because there are foreseen thorns on the path to their dreams, To those who are giving up hope too soon,to those who are turning their backs to their beloved who is asking them to hold on, To you, my friend.
Don't bury your dreams, don't give up, be strong, have faith. Ten years down the road you don't want to look back and regret not trying harder, not fighting harder, turning your companions down and not making your dream come true.

Kya huwa agar zindagee
Zara bhoulsey gayey
socho to zara,
Jungulon mein bhee raastey to hain
Humey bhee koyee milhee jayey ga
Chalo to sahee, chalo to sahee

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Put Nightmares to bed

Health Day: Nightmares can be triggered by factors including stress, medications, fear, sleep disorders, or a recent loss.

Here are suggestions to help conquer bad dreams, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Reduce stress by talking to friends and relatives about what's bothering you.
• Try relaxation techniques to reduce stress and anxiety.
• If you started having nightmares after starting a new medication, talk to your doctor to find out if it could be causing your sleep problems.
• If you're taking illegal drugs or drinking alcohol to excess, join a support group to help you stop using these substances.
• Get regular exercise.
• Start a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day may help prevent nightmares.

Sameer's thoughts on Balance

On my way back from office, I've experienced several incidents where the cars right behind me or the ones coming from the opposite side would have their lights set at high beam, blinding me and probably many other drivers. Countless times, I've thought of giving such people a piece of my angry mind. There are many such examples in our daily lives where anger seems to want to take charge over us. Some people give in to this feeling, while others simply want to be the better person and just let it go. I talk about this incident here to stress the importance of balance. 'Always ignoring' or 'always getting' angry are both wrong choices to make.

Taking the side of the apparent positive, at first, seems to be the right choice. That is a debatable concept in my opinion. For extremism in any shape or form is something to avoid. It is the art of balance that helps us to lead a steady life. Balancing one's work and play, one's love and hate, one's anger and kindness, one's heaven and earth, one's dark and light. For only God knows what's best for us. We just have to try and find the middle road.

The concept of balance is in everything. That is also why it has been stressed as such in our religion as well. Everything in this life has a negative counterpart. This is described in Chinese philosophy as Ying and Yang

I just found a very interesting article googling about these thoughts of mine :). It's not a short article but if someone is interested in the concept of Yin and Yang with respect to Islam, one must read this.

~Sameer Aziz Mirza

I Hate Love?

“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.”

~ Neil Gaiman

"Often it is the most deserving people who cannot help loving those who destroy them"
~Hermann Hesse

If love is hate-able then what's love-able?
I hate, hate.

This I believe too

Love is trust and faith, in all circumstances. Love is never giving up. Even in the most devastating conditions, never doubt the power of will, never doubt the human capacity for great change. This I believe, I believe that people must love, unconditionally.

Sometimes things seem difficult and impossible. I tend to go with the tagline "Where there is a will, there is a way".If the will is strong and is coupled by love (trust+faith) and persistence, and if one is sure that his\her path is correct and if one is ready to fight the good fight and face the challenges laid down the unachievable may actually become achievable. Do you believe so?

Brutus! U 2?

The chameleon is a master of disguise. It can change color to blend in with its surroundings.The chameleon’s ability to change color is its primary defense against predators.By changing colors a chameleon survives.A chameleon is expected to disguise.It's in its nature, and it does exactly that.We humans are more complicated.
All religions and any code of life teaches us to be loyal and trustworthy to each other. In our circle of trust we are expected to be faithful to each other.But sadly, some of us humans are able to bear a heart,mind and nerves to change loyalties and betray. Some of us plan and deceive others by choice, some of us blame the circumstances, we don't intend to betray or break another's trust, but we end up doing so.Instead of giving a helping hand when expected of us we turn our cold backs and disappear. Sometimes due to insensitivity, some times due to lack of courage to help, sometimes due to selfishness or what ever the reason
And we justify our behavior or blame it on fate! But at the end of the day there is no justification for betraying, no excuse for deceiving another, and no good reason to break somebody's trust. It's a grave sin and an inexcusable act.
During happy and smooth days everybody will seem to be our well wisher and friend.They will claim of their bond ship and extend their hand of friendship. But it is only during the hard times in life that we get to see the true color of our well wishers.Everybody is wearing a mask and the mask is unveiled during difficult times. History is full of examples of humans who have camouflaged and changed skins from friends to foe to gain power, out of greed or to gain love.
In my eyes the saying "A friend in need, is a friend indeed" carries huge weight age.So readers chose your friends wisely and be careful of whom you let into your circle of trust.It's a cruel world,God forbid, the true face of somebody very close to you may turn out to be very ugly.

One shot away

"Things usually are one shot away but it takes one to play that shot" ~A friend

Some say life is a game, so if life is a game and things are one shot away why then why do we delay and lack courage to play that one shot that will get the job done.Sometimes we don't know that we are one shot away from being victorious.Sometimes it requires careful planning to play that one final shot.We don't know if we will succeed.But being victorious doesn't even matter. Playing that shot matters.Wanting to play matters.Wanting to win matters. Not giving up matters.Not quitting matters.Having the heart to play that one final shot and putting all the energies behind it matters.Giving it your best shot and leaving the result to Allah matters.The results may not go in your favor but at least you tried your best, that's what matters.Doesn't It?

In the game of life, sometimes you have to struggle over and over again and keep playing the shots until the task is done.Quitting is not an option.Others may want you to quit and give in to wrong.The opponents will try to bribe you. Your own team mates or coach may turn against you or lure you into false play.You have to know what is right and keep playing.You have to beware of who is on your side and whose team you are in.Are your team mates sincere to you?Are you sincere to your team?Are you in the right team playing the right game?Sometimes it takes team work to win. While you are playing your shots, are your team members doing the same? Is your partner backing you up? Or are they double crossing you?

You may feel out of form and want to retire from the game. But why not keep playing the shots and get back to form.

One should build the innings tactfully but sometimes the game of life can be tight.You may need 6 runs of the last ball to win.The opposition will make every effort to knock you down. You are to hold your nerves, take a look at the field placing, make a prayer, get into position and swing your bat. You may completely miss and the crowd will boo. But as long as you didn't panic, and carried the courage to make that last shot, never mind you didn't score a 6.You scored way more.You had what it took to play the last shot.You tried and that's what matters. You prayed and thats what mattered. Maybe God was testing you. And maybe moments later you will hear the crowd cheering because the umpire will signal a no ball. God may give you another chance. And this time you can close your eyes and swing blindly. God is on your side and you will succeed.

It takes one to play that shot. And it takes another to pump another to play the shot.But one has to make the shot for oneself.Do you have what it takes to play the shot?

Difference

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.' The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.

In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.' They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand.'

It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.'

No room for empty chairs

Alas, my office timings resume to 9am - 6pm from 8am - 5pm.The change in timings was levied on a particular few, but now the timings have been restored. Once again it feels good to walk into a bright corridor filled by people instead of walking into a dull room full of empty chairs.The sound of the floor being mobbed and desks being cleaned is replaced by folks conversing at a distance, and sharing some humour over a cup of tea. It feels good to meet colleagues on the way and greet them and hear a w'salam in return instead of passing by empty cabins. It also makes me think that every morning I greet certain people who are familiar faces but mere strangers.Apart from the daily exchange of salam, we barely ever converse and know nothing about each other.I don't even know the names of most. But they have a place in my life.They are a part of my morning routine. They fill in the empty chairs .
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Here walks in Tayyaba with her full of life, cheerful melodious salam, and here walks in my boss so I end the post and prepare to get cracking with work.

Quotes from Grey's Anatomy

"They say, Forgive and don't forget. Old scores are never settled. Old wounds never heal. And the most we can hope for is that one day, we'll be lucky enough to forget."

-Dr. Meredith Grey

"I believe that believing we survive is what makes us survive."

-Dr. Izzie Stevens

Do I look like a salesman eh?

I was at a cosmetic store looking for a particular body spray.A huge collection of perfume-sprays was exhibited there. Unable to find the one I wanted, I looked around for the salesman. I spotted one nearby. He was sorting and organizing body sprays on the rack. So I asked him to guide me to the Impulse series. He gave me a confused embarrassed look and said "main khud dhoondh raha hoon, may salesman nahee hoon"

so i was like....Oops!
I apologized and shared a giggle with my brother.

Dua--Seeking Health

1. O Allah! Grant me health in my body. O Allah! Grant me good hearing. O Allah! Grant me good eyesight. There is no god but Thou. (Allahoumma ghafini fii samami, Allahoumma ghafini fii basari, Allahoumma ghafini fii badani, La illaha illa ant)
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood, #2408, on the authority of Abubarakah. This narrator of this hadith stated that this dua is to be repeated three times in the morning and three times in the evening.

2. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would say the following during his prayers: “O God, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, heal me, and provide for me.“
Source: Sunan of Abu Dawood, Hadith 323

Mice don't like cheese

To date, Tom and Jerry is my favorite cartoon. Jerry always manages to sneak away with the cheese. Anyhow, here is an interesting find : Mice, contrary to popular belief and cartoons like Tom and Jerry, don't actually like cheese. But they do like cheese cake (kidding)

A study made by the Manchester Metropolitan University has found that mice really don't like cheese, debunking the myth that was popularized in the cartoon show "Tom and Jerry."

Dr. David Holmes of the university said studies found that mice prefer foods with lots of sugar like chocolates and cheese does not fit that.

He said, "Mice respond to the smell, texture and taste of food. Cheese is something that would not be available to them in their natural environment and so not something they would respond to."

According to their findings, a mouse diet is usually made up of grains and fruit that were both high in sugar. The study were part of a wider findings into what foods attract and repel animals.

They say a real mouse would turn its nose up at something as strong in smell and rich in taste as cheese.

SairaStar Day

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lots to say...
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=)
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...moments...memories...thoughts...reflections.....
...fears...challenges...future...past...present.........
...innocence....immature...grown-up....lies............
...truth..reality....illusion...intuition...dreams........
...deception...masks..wicked...betrayals................
...sorrows...tears...pain...defeats...victories...........
...turns...uncertainties...ambiguities...dejavu........
...control...wrong...right..forgive...forget...............
...happiness...hate....hurt.....hell...heaven.............
...bonds....trust.....faith...family....friends..unity....
...celebrations...sentiments...colors...rainbow.........
...rain....storm....clouds...wind......sunshine...........
...prayers...Allah...peace...pure.....hope................
...joys...goals.....ambitions.....inspirations.............
...rhymes...rhythm...cheers...joy...warmth...love......
...Life or something like it...................................

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friends...cakes...icecream...candies...balloons...gifts....celebrations...jokes...cheers.....=)

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My sweet little 9 year old cousin called me to wish a happy birthday and he also said "Saira baji, app ko birthday bumps millay? mainay app ko birthday bumps dainay hain" That's the cutest thing I have heard since a very long time. To save myself from birthday bumps I talked my cousins into a new ritual: took 24 ringa ringa roses round with them :p
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Birthday Cake 1: Mahrukh sweety (cousin) baked me a birthday cake. Plain cake with chocolate icing.Yum. Thank you Mahrukh.

Birthday Cake 2: Had a little celebration with my co-workers. A special thanks to Tayyaba, Memoona and Saira for the double fugde chocolate cake.

Birthday Cake 3: With my family and close friends. That's a chocolate mousse cake.

Alhamdulillah.

The Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

Author Unknown

The 99 club

Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was neither happy nor content. One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, "Why are you so happy?"

The man replied, "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummies."

The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes and the servant's story, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club."

"The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired.

The advisor replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep."

When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... So many gold coins!

He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were 99 coins. He wondered, "What could've happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!"

He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive. Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.

From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked, horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked.

Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club."

He continued, "The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always yearning and striving for that extra 1 telling to themselves: "Let me get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life."

We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price for our growing needs and desires. That's what joining The 99 Club is all about."

Author: Unknown

Live Your Life So That You Will Have No Regrets

"Everyone is dying all the time. Everyone is also living all the time. It's all in your perspective which one you're experiencing! Choose wisely."

~Nancy Yucius

All thanks to Allah,I believe in living my life. Do you?

Dua--The Steering Wheel

I received an SMS which said:

Dua is not the "spare tyre" we pull out when we feel life has gone flat. Dua is the "steering wheel" that helps direct our life in the right path! Keep Praying

Source: Unknown

Nature

Wild Bully Cat that beats up all the kitties in the neighborhood

Anthood

Photographer: Waqar Azim