Speaking doctors

 It turns pitch dark by 5:30 pm here in Australia. Its kind of dark when I leave for work and it is dark when I return. While the rest of the work is enjoying summers and mangoes, we have winters here. Strange. To make it less strange, I went ahead and ordered the expensive Sindhri mangoes from Pakistan. Love has no price tag, correct.  The beauties came all wrapped up. The aroma took me back home. I had it with paratha and pickle. Heaven food! I have started doing this puzzle. Puzzles require patience. Just like life. Eventually all the pieces fit together. Eventually it all makes sense.  While I chatted with my friend she spoke about skin tones and shared how her face is of different tones and not that perfect. I just looked at her and told her, I had never noticed that. My mind only saw a girl who is so kind, full of joy and pro at everything that she does.  All this makes her look flawlessly beautiful.  What is perfection anyways. The most perfect are those who care, who feel and m

Things that matter It was quite a busy week. I spent time in a room of a dying patient- heard all the conversations- they spoke about all that eventually matters- they just wanted her to know that she was loved. She was appreciated for all the joy that she added to their lives. No one spoke of money, careers, petty grievances. No one....... 10 pages a day Confession time: Havent really been reading 10 pages daily. However, what I have been doing is reading everyday. Its like aim for the moon and landing amongst the stars. At the moment am reading two books:  1. Dont sweat the small stuff treasury-  It was so interesting that my patient was reading the same book- in a bigger size-perhaps with more content. Its beautiful. The most recent chapter was on how to be a better listener. Am working on that.  2. The power of habit- amazing read on how habits form and reasons for sticking with them. So far have learned that it takes effort to start a habit. After a while it just becomes second na

Welcome to the weekend post! This is Zarka and here is what I have been upto. In order to continuously learn and evolve, I am trying to read 10 pages from a book everyday- sometimes I read less, at times more. Say hi to this tiny book that am reading.  I loved this quote by Mother Teresa, "We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do small things with great love". So let me walk you around the small things I did with great love. In order to eat healthier, I am trying to follow the 'Ikigai' books Japanese ideology of eating a rainbow meal. Eating fresh means chopping a lot of stuff. I place this time and effort into my 'exercise time' slot. Not easy this buying, washing, chopping business! Life is replacing chai with coffee. And this card makes me look forward to a free coffee. We call it 'mufta' in Pakistan. No matter what, cant get the mufta out of me. Dont have the perfect translation for mufta. Perhaps one of my readers can help me find a

 The day starts with a train ride. It's quite empty as I walk towards the station. My brain recalls all those movie scenes where you encounter criminals in an empty train station. I have to remind my brain to stop thinking in such dramatic fashion.  There are two passengers waiting on the train. One a tall lean guy- kind of present there but mentally in another world. Does not move much as well. . Was breathing though.  I had to turn around to see someone singing in a a language not known to me but yet so beautiful.  A song of pure joy. I smile to myself . Its going to be a good day today 😌.     Packed lunch is always a good idea, and if its halal  even better

 Lets get back to old school blogging. Lets come back to have a chat.  I spent around 2 hours both ways (total 4 hours) via public transport to give an interview. It was cold and it was raining. I reached one hour early. Yes am that type of person. The chai latte comforted me. The travel both ways added to the calm even further.  As I age, interview replies are getting more and more philosophical. Almost abstract. As I answer, what seems like a well crafted story in my head, I amuse myself with the thought that the panel does seem interested.  The black cat sits next to me. All comfortable. Last night when it came to me and leaned, in her I could feel the daughter I never had. That moment felt so peaceful. So complete.  Being 42 has made me fall in love with cats. They are so loving and at the same time have such clear boundaries. After a while of patting, they want their own space. I love their royalty. Its amazing how emotionally aware they are. In my moments of feeling sad and lonel

Ramadan Kareem nostalgias  Days are approaching Ramadan. Month of fasting, sharing and  spirituality. I remember my first fast, aged 6 or 7. I forgot that I was fasting when I saw the kulfi cart. I ate the whole kulfi and then was reminded that am fasting. I took this fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) problem to my Quran teacher. She said   "You are so tiny, you cant be fasting!" I was the eldest of five siblings and always felt mature and responsible. "Show me your tongue", she went on. Am till date not sure what she was looking for. My mouth was moist with kulfi. I guess I eventually figured that eating accidentally does not break the fast.  My earliest Ramadans were in summers. I remember our lips turning purple with thirst by maghrib. We used to spend a lot of time at my Nanas (maternal grandfather) and iftars  there were with rooh afza syrup drink and mangoes and at times some pakoras. This was immediately followed by goat curry and fresh chapatis with raw mango chu