Do not realize after losing – It Has No Worth

Only eight years old, Armaan was in fact different from all other children of his age. He had seen more of the world than any one of them. His parents were not living together and the divorce case was still hanging in the court. His dream of getting a younger brother was vanished when his mama went for an abortion because it was getting difficult for her to live with his dad. Being a single mother, she considered it unfeasible to carry the burden of two children.

Armaan had a set schedule of staying with his mom and dad on alternate days. Even though both lived on the same street, just two minutes away, Armaan would never ever even think of going to mom when he was at dad’s place or vice versa. He never wanted to be the reason between his parents to argue over.

But Armaan was special. Although too young, he was happy with what he had. He never complained and always presented a happy picture of his family. He was always optimistic that things will get better and he would pray every night for his ‘perfect family’ that he always desire.

Then, something happened which no one ever imagined will occur. Armaan suddenly felt ill in school and was rushed to the hospital. He felt unconscious in the classroom and fainted. By the time his parents arrived, he was back to his senses. It was exactly after six months that his parents were together at one place and he was happy to see that, even though not in the manner he prayed for. The smile on Armaan’s face was saying it all, he was felling better than ever before.

In the coming few days, Armaan remained hospitalized and his parents were there for him. He felt happier in being sick and prayed to God to keep him always sick so that he can get care and love from both the parents. He went through a series of tests and examinations during this time.

At the time of discharging him form the hospital, Armaan’s parents went to the doctor’s room. The doctor looked stunned, puzzled and confused. He felt out of words while talking to Armaan’s parents. He just uttered, “Your son has a tumor and he has only one month left to be with you. I know won’t accept it but this is the truth. Give him all the happiness he deserves”.

Armaan’s parents didn’t know what to do or how to react, they felt speechless and shocked. All they could think is of their son, who was unaware of what all was going to happen. The parents tried to consult doctors all over the globe but of no use. They knew that the time is running and they cannot do anything. Finally, they decide to give him the best time he is worthy of.

His parents told him that they are going to be together now and they will live happily as before. Armaan was surprised but felt relieved that God has finally answered his prayers. His parents also told him to ask for anything he wishes as a gift from them.

Armaan wrote his three wishes in three different envelopes and numbered them. But there was a condition, till one wish is not completed, no one will open the second envelope. Armaan’s parents opened the first envelope which said, “I want you to promise me that we will live as a perfect family”. And his ‘perfect family’ always included his parents, him and his one younger brother. His parents had no other option but to accept. But Armaan told them he will evaluate their actions in the coming days and then decide whether they really kept this promise or not.

His parents tried their level best to make sure that they live like before and even succeeded. Two weeks went by and Armaan felt contented and he started to believe that he has got the foundation for his perfect family. One day he called his parents and said, “I am happy that you guys kept the promise and now, we can open the second envelope.”

His parents had only tears in their eyes and they knew that the most awful is coming and the little Armaan is ignorant about it. It hurt them more and every day was a doomsday for them. The second envelope read, “I want you to take me to Nanital for 10 days vacation”. This was the place where they had gone when his mama was expecting. He always missed that time as he was expecting his younger brother to arrive.

So, they went all the way to Nanital. He relived all the moments again and made sure that he doesn’t miss a single second of it. He felt happy like never before. Although the time was running but Armaan’s parents had no choice but to see their son going away. They couldn’t even cry. The night they were going back, Armaan felt ill and was rushed to the hospital.

Armaan’s condition was getting worse and he was airlifted to the city for treatment. But nothing seemed to help at all. After struggling a week in hospital, Armaan finally bid adieu to this filthy world. The loss was intolerable but had to be lived with. Things seemed darker with every passing moment. Tears kept rolling and there was no end to agony.

After burying Armaan, his parents came back to the house where they found the envelope marked ‘3’. This envelope had Armaan’s last wish written on it. They opened the envelope and it read, “I know that I prayed to God to keep me unwell so that mom and dad can come and see me together but I want to get well now. I have got the ‘perfect family’ I always wanted and no more asking from my side God. Only one request – Please let me live, I do not want to die. I know I am going to leave this world but Please God please ….. Hey mom and dad, tell God no, it is the last wish I promise”.

Armaan left but got his parents together but we don’t want to lose Armaan to understand relations and take them the correct way. Look at yourself and answer; do you really want Armaan to die to get the sense of realization?

According to Mamkol, “Pain has no principle, but do your principles stop you from giving pain”.

Upgrading Proverbs

Since childhood we have heard very famous proverbs and sayings. But they seem to have become outdated now; need modifications to fit in the contemporary era.

With all respect for these sayings, this is just an effort to make things clearer and up to date for the future generations to comprehend the meanings efficiently.

If wishes were horses’ beggars would ride – Horses have become obsolete now, replace them with a car, except Nano which is again affordable. The other option can be substituting horses by roads and beggars by people. Now read it, ‘If wishes were roads, people would drive’. This is ideal, because we really don’t have space on roads to drive.

Every dog has its day – God damn it, whose has been the night till now. We cannot do much with dogs, cannot change their name here - Animal Rights Violation. There is an addition which is required, about bitches. It is an era of equality and we have to keep these things in mind. So, it can be ‘Every dog has its day and every bitch has its life’. See, I am talking about Women Empowerment.

Practice makes a man perfect – By the way, which perfectionist wrote it? There is nothing in this globe which is perfect except GOD and I bet HE hasn’t written it. We need to be more practical in our lives and admit the realities. Make it, “practice and then dream of being perfect”. See, I don’t give you hopes of being perfect but the liberation to dream about it.

Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear – It needs alteration, considering the amount of effect a ‘devil’ has on the generations. Simply change it to, ‘Talk of Devil or not, he is sure to emerge’ because he is omnipresent. High rates of misdeed, violence, cruelty and greediness are the best examples to justify this amendment.

The more you have, the more you want - It is absolutely not the manner things are happening at the moment. Whatever you have or whatsoever you get, you always want more and more. It is an acquisitive, selfish, voracious globe where no one is contented; people demand more and become nomadic in their thoughts. Change it to, ‘Whatever you have, you want more’. Let us be in agreement with how we act.

Money is the root of all evils – I don’t see this is possible. Money on its own cannot be blamed for the evils; it is the humans that should be liable. Give money to any animal (other than human), he would not be able to do anything with it. For them, these are meager pieces of paper. Because we cannot remove humans from this globe, change the proverb to “Humans are the root of all evils”.

According to Mamkol, “Where there is a will, there has to be money”.

Taglines - Do they really tag

A tagline is an alternative of a branding slogan characteristically used in promotion materials. A tagline creates an impressive phrase to summarize the nature and idea of a brand, or to emphasize the audience's memory of a product.

I have come across some very famous taglines but they take my imagination to altogether different heights, to everything but not that brand.

Don't leave home without it – Credit Card
This tagline definitely reminds me of my identity card. Each and every person in every nook and corner of the Kashmir valley does hold an identity card. Since turmoil, it is seen as a ‘must thing’ for everyone, especially while moving out of your residence.

Reach out and touch someone – Telecom Company
How on earth can a guy of my age imagine this tagline is for a telecom company? It looks more of some adult stuff than anything else. Kind of night out parties . . .

If it feels good then just do it – Shoes
This definitely appears like one of the fundamental rights or a clause in the constitution that gives you absolute liberty. I wonder if it was true, how this world would look like.

God's own country – A state in India
So, we finally know where God lived. I just have one question in mind; if this is God’s own country, to whom do the others belong. Hopefully not Satan, but this seems rather obvious.

Where a man belongs – Cigarette Company
Do they really know where we belong to? If yes, they must be selling plots and tickets to that place. But, I guess they refer to the hospitals and graveyards, kind of advance booking for the men. Seeing the future . . .

The happiest place on earth – Disneyland
Whenever I see this, I remember my mom’s lap, which undoubtedly is the happiest place on this earth. I wish to be lucky to be there always, but if wishes were horses beggars would ride. And even we also don’t have horse tracks here. . .

Whatever happens, feel good – Radio Station
This reminds me of the feel good factor. Absolutely perfect line for a common man, no matter how high the prices are, no matter how many problems and issues you face, just feel good. That is precisely how we are brought up, actually nobody cares.

Making Twice the Noise – Newspaper Organization
The moment I saw this, it reminded me of the loud speaker phones that I had got in my childhood. They really made twice the noise than the ordinary ones. Even though I paid Mr. Nazir Ahmad Dar (the shopkeeper) little money (for not letting anyone know that the device was transported illegally) but then also, it was worth the amount.

According to Mamkol, “You can’t eat just one; you paid for the whole packet”.

Wait: Do not blog people, I have the reasons

Blogging is a creative art which involves ‘you’ and nothing but ‘you’. You don’t just write but express yourself and also learn the ways how people communicate. It broadens your scope of understanding things and accepting them.

But there are a good number of populaces which disagrees and consider blogging of no use. For such people, I present the reasons for ‘not to blog’

Don’t ever express

People love to be suppressed and have no will to convey liberally. They are brought up to remain confined in their thoughts, creativity and understanding of the world. They love to be like that and don’t believe in changing themselves for the good. They take pride in calling them ‘conservatives’.

I had a friend in my school days and everyone used to beat him, including me (seriously for no reasons). But he would always say, “You don’t know me and the day you do, you will realize what a big mistake you have done”. He never said who he was and we never realized our mistake. I still wait for him to say what he wanted. This is simply what I call by ‘do not express’.

No to ‘exposure’

Such people do not have the desire for exposure, they stick to what they know and don’t want to open up to any new ideas. They consider that they know enough and that ‘enough’ is more than sufficient. Again, I have a tale to tell about this.

One of my second cousins felt that he was a master of all. He would never listen to us and believed he knew everything. One day, he came to our place and I showed him my video game. I wanted to tell him about this new gadget but he said that he knew everything about it. My mischievous brother asked him, “Do you know that this game works on petrol and mixture of water in a proportion”. My cousin’s immediate answer was, “Yes, I know that it needs power to run the game which petrol supplies and water cools it down to make sure it does not heat up”. We couldn’t stop laughing. Alas! We never heard anything since that day from the poor chap.

People don’t need power, knowledge or growth

The majority of the populace does not, at all, believe in requiring any sort of power, knowledge or growth. There are many categories here – ones who feel that they know enough to sustain in this world splendidly, a few who don’t know what they should know, others who are unaware of their boundaries of knowledge and the rest who know nothing at all. If you belong to any one of these types, do not blog at all. Genuinely, you are doing the right thing.

One more story so that you don’t get bored. We had a general store nearby whose owner was an old 65 year old Rahim Kaka. He was a gentleman with abuses forever on his lips, sober with always a stick in his hand and very tidy to bath after every 10 days. TV’s were common in the valley and Rahim Kaka was asked by some person as to why he didn’t have one. People suggested him that he can learn better ways of living through it. He replied, “It won’t teach me how to make more profits, will you motherfuckers will pay me more for the vegetables if I get one. You fuckers just want me to go in debt and then, I can sell my vegetables for less”.

All I say is that ignorance is bliss. God rest Rahim Kaka’s soul in peace.

People don’t want to share anything

People who hate sharing things cannot blog at all. They believe in the principle that one thing shared means all things shared (this ‘all’ for them includes everything, I hope you understood). They are like those people kept in a cell in complete darkness for years and hate light because they never saw it. They feel that by sharing things their knowledge decreases, I truly pity them but no sympathies.

I had a batch mate in college who was too good in English. We all knew that but he would never teach us anything. He always felt that he might get a good competition even if he shares one percent of his knowledge, inferiority complex. Our first paper always used to be English. I begged him in the exam to tell me a couple of answers but he disagreed out rightly. I couldn’t do anything and left those questions like that. Every dog has a day and it was his. Then, mine came.

We appeared for an entrance exam and luckily the guy was sitting next to me. We needed to cross 75 points to qualify for the second test and that guy only knew 62 exactly. We were the only two guys left in the hall and last few seconds were left. I helped him out with 12 till he reached 74 and then said bye to him. It must have hurt, but ought to pursue what you preach.

People never change

Although change is unavoidable, these people defy the rules. They don’t want to change even if it is for the better. They are stubborn with locked minds, rigid ideas and very conventional in their point of view. It also includes people who blog but for the sake of it, the most dangerous ones.

I have a not so close friend who blogs regularly but for the heck of it. He is the same he was when he started blogging He has not been able to make use of it in an appropriate way. He is very much orthodox in his ideas; his acceptance level is ‘zero’ with no respect for the different points of opinion. I met his ‘learning curve’ yesterday and she complained of being starved for years.

A blog is not just a means of writing your point of view but also accepting the ‘other’ views. This can help you broader your scope of acknowledging and comprehending things effortlessly.

According to Mamkol, “Blog and block have only a difference of two alphabets, make sure it really counts”