Speaking doctors

 I took a day off work and it felt like the best decision ever! The day was just beautiful, nice and sunny. I had a girl meet up with my friend. She had her 18 month son with her. He has the most perfect dimples when he smiles. We had to sit in a children's area so he could let us talk. Here is what I made out of his veggies..... We had chai Latte. It's chai made with cinnamon and is frothy like coffee.  New beginnings this week I started a group called Quran sisters. In this small group we are learning to understand Arabic in order to understand namaz and quran better. Its going to be baby steps, but I hope to be persistent. On the same note, after months of planning, today I started the weight training. I just exercised with 1 kg weight in each hand. Slow and steady is how I plan to continue.  With food, united we stand My Indian work colleague shared dhokla with me. It was delicious! Perfectly spiced.  Working on the last day of week day-not easy. So I call it Fri...

 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 ...

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 bec...

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 ...

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 ...

  There is a charm to the second cup of tea. It signifies time, another chance, chance to just sit there and chat, chat to yourself, be slow. Super slow. 

 This year has been interesting, thats for sure. Have I evolved as a person? I don't know. Do I have more gray hair now? Yes.  Here is what I had been up to this year: Sindhi love Yes, I am Sindhi and I love my mangoes and I love my fish. I continued to experiment with food. Made a million chaats. Tried my hand at baking. Am so tempted to bake cakes but the crazy amount of sugar holds me back. And yes, Dilmah tea bag, evaporated milk and a cardamom is my favourite kinda tea.   Sway with me I learned that in this life, there are plenty of thorns but then there are roses. Your times comes, and when it does, remember to bloom and sway in the breeze. If there is no one to dance along with, dance on your own. My own travel partner I took a solo trip to Newcastle. The food was fish and chips. The beach was set up for it. It was that time of the year, when Covid was not crazy and real smiles were not masked.   There were coffee shops which looked like this. The co...

  There is something about a slow cup of chai.  Sip by sip. Thought into thoughts. As birds chirp away and sun continues to shine, just slow down. Breath.      All that, with that slow cup of chai.  

 A couple of seats away, in the train a man continues to eat directly from a pack of Greek yogurt. He is in his own world, where there are just two entities, him and the yogurt.  I smile to myself (it's easier doing it now with a mask on). Am in my own world too. The train and my world of observations......

Friendship goals !?!   "The only way to learn new things is to either read books or meet new people". This is my very wise friends  Cassie's wisdom. She then went on to talk about babies, " they learn something new, then go to sleep. Then they wake up full of energy to repeat the cycle". I was so impressed by her observation. She self decided that both of us should do this, atleast during the time off.  Qasim Ali Shah (motivational speaker) quoted Wasif Ali Wasif in his talk. He had said that if you want to spend time with someone, ensure that the person is 'daana' (wise). If not 'daana', then must be atleast 'raana'  (beautiful). If not both, then don't bother spending time there.  My friend is both daana and raana.  Hobbies One of my many hobbies is listening to Qasim Ali Shah's talks. Here are my notes from his recent talk:   His talks are awesome! What a remarkable man. Here is the link   of his talk. I usually listen while do...

There is always a start, I call it 'today' My dear friend Uzma wants me to write again. So here I go. In perfect shopkeeper tone, 'Baji, sirf apkay liyay' Pick up your chai and lets begin... Random Surprises Met this beauty of a book in the shopping place library. Such gem. That too for free. I have only read the first page till now. And it says that effective speaking can be learnt. That gives a lot of hope, doesn't it. Will keep you guys posted of things that I learn on the way. Creative is what creative does Was looking for a gift for my friend. Then this gift idea came down to me like 'amad' in shairi (poetry). Took label off the jar (for this fill jar with boiling water. Close with lid. After a while, take the label off while jar still hot. For the remaining sticky feeling, apply whatever kitchen oil you have on a tissue and wipe off the glue). I throwed in some dark chocolates, added a label and twine. The gift is with my friend now. The chocolates are...

 "I've had lots of troubles, so I write jolly tales." LOUISA MAY ALCOTT Louisa was the author of the book 'Little women'. I read this book when I was young. And its now that I watched its movie adaptation. I had enjoyed reading the book then.  I watched the movie with smiles and amusement.  The movie started and ended with the scene between Jo and the publisher. I absolutely loved their scenes.  The publisher advises Jo regarding writing, "If the main character is a girl, make sure she is married by the end or dead, either way".  Its funny how being married and dead is mentioned in the same sentence.  The movie is filled with strong headed women. Little women. And there is nothing sexier than a woman with conviction.  I would say give it a watch!

 Its another Saturday. The day is all fog. Raining intermittently.  Just finished watching 'Bench'. This is a short film made by Usman Mukhtar. Its short. Thought provoking. The interpretation could be based on what the viewer's experiences have been. Its there on International Film Festival of South Asia and will be there for next 23 hours only.  Here is the link:  https://www.iffsavirtual.com/film/bench/ Go watch it! 

My friend drops down to my desk to say hi. I tell her I wanted her opinion on some online shopping, however, have bought it anyways. I tell her, online shopping makes me happy. Retail therapy! I then went on to tell her a list of things which make me happy; Online shopping,  Making food Conversations Writing She laughs at me. Tells me I am so easy to please.  Happy Friday guys.  In picture is prawn biryani I made following instructions from food fusion . 

Watched it today. What a beautiful beautiful movie. Fantastic acting. The strength of father daughter relationship. The strength of women supporting women. In the movie, the character says, 'During college life, I only wanted one thing in life, love and respect. I have become the same college girl now'. This is what women demand. Love and respect. And for mistakes done in the past, they forgive, only if you apologize. Only if you mean it.  Only if you decide to not repeat.  Go watch 'thappad' if its playing in a theatre near you.