That’s how it goes

Sometimes they tell you that the more you deal with your troubles the stronger you get every time you pull through one of them. There are those days that everything at work goes all wrong and you go home thinking it’s finally over and then a whole new set of things start going wrong for you. Things so bad… that make you question the reason for your existence.

And of course there are those other times, where life just seems to be a bed of roses and now tired and weary, I’m longing for some sun and a few more things…

The height of belief

Whatever the problem is, IT has a solution for it!

Slavery to the colonial culture

I have met or seen rather, a very few courageous people who have the nerve to stand up against the rest. In case you’re still thinking what I’m on about it’s once again to the topic of attire. Why shirt? Tie? And belt? Why not our traditional clothes? (not to mention the fact that most people tend to find it unspeakably uncomfortable) Would it mean disrespect to someone if you did wear clothes from a different - am I to say ‘your own’ - culture? What can possibly be so wrong about that?

The Indians on the other hand have my regard. They maintain their traditional costumes at least at special occasions and what’s better is that they are proud of it. Them, living in a foreign land will not necessarily prevent them not dressing up in the clothes which are not worn by the majority.

If only we could stop being so chicken…

How important is outward appearance?

These books that are written with the purpose of motivating another individual by those who consider themselves motivated people never really got around doing any good to me. I can never be motivated by some stupid saying or an article or anything that tries to play with your emotions using the weapon of words. Sometimes these are just about speeding up the growth process.

Coming back to the topic… eh what was it now? Oh outward appearance? Dress? clothes? Attire? Hairstyle? Can we touch on accent? How much does it really contribute to the person you are?

Ok so this is how I see it. If you are leading people at the lower level you need to look pleasant enough to do it. Smartly dressed. Hair neatly combed. Polite. And all that following but see if your leading people who will be convinced more by the person you are than your outward appearance you really don’t have to give a damn about what you look like. First impressions matter and people fight hard to make their first mark but once they get their and prove themselves to the rest, outward appearance really becomes a secondary necessity because people respect you for who you are and not what you wear or look like. So for those freaks who put dress before themselves let me say that you can’t get away just being well dressed and it a takes a lot more to leave your footprints behind.

Case closed!

That’s just the way things are. Accept it or die!

Most people tend to “assume” things because other people don’t open up enough!

Makkah and Madina

Haj is the fifth and most expensive pillar of Islam and therefore is compulsory only for those who can afford it. Umrah on the other hand is Sunnah – meaning not compulsory. I spent one April holiday at Makkah for Umrah. It was a very different and interesting experience. Although we had to keep reminding each other that it was no fun ride but pilgrimage, the whole tour was like refreshing the soul and the mind. And who says that pilgrimage cannot be made fun?

The Ka’bah at Makkah was a lot larger than what I imagined it to be. It took us an average of about 20 minutes to go around it seven times and this depended entirely on the crowd that was there. It was nice to actually see what we were facing when we prayed back at home for decades. I didn’t really like the native people much…. but there, you could find almost all kinds of people – the black, the white and the in between. Some were crippled and some were kings. Never seen a large crowd as that before. There were no differences in the uniform or the performance. It was the same for all. Two pieces of unstitched white fabric for men’s attire and women - covered fully except for face and hands. Children cried while the mothers were in prayer. The trip from Makkah to Madina was long and lovely although most parts of it were dry and covered by camel. Madina was much more beautiful. The weather was cool and almost as peaceful and as calm as the people there – a significant difference from Makkah. Dialog roaming doesn’t work there by the way. The food was great. Mutton was the most common meat. There were plenty of books. You can’t take pictures inside the mosque. (In fact you can’t do that it any mosque). The Zam Zam water was always in plenty. We practically lived on it

Somehow I want to go there again. It’s like I didn’t have enough of it. It wasn’t a very long stay. People always keep recalling their experience there. You probably would never face anything like it anywhere else in the world. Most people, this month, are also flying there for Umrah. Sometimes the total crowd exceeds two million. The little city of Makkah although not as highly developed as the rest of the country, does an excellent job of managing this crowd each year. Hopefully I should be able to see my next visit coming, not very far away, Insha Allah.

Zakat

If you have any savings that have exceeded a year, you have to pay 2.5% of it as Zakat for the poor. There are seven categories of people who are entitled to receive Zakat. Zakat is generally paid during the month of Ramadan because it is said that the reward for good deeds in this month is higher. Zakat is compulsory and is the fourth principle in the religion. It’s a good way of investing in the ‘not so well off’ part of the nation annually. People generally value their gold, land and whatever else they have to set aside a potion for this cause. That’s about it from what I know.

Highlights on Umrah - next time around.

How can one be creative?

Don’t be conventional

There are no assumptions in life

Don’t use past experience or knowledge

Wipe the slate clean

Now think anew

The world would definitely be a better place if...

...there weren’t so many chickens around

Part 2 - Cutlery and culture

This time I was telling them about the importance of punctuality. About how it adds to the person you are just like your attire or communication. I had to tell them something so I told them how people in this part of the world have no respect for the other's time. How they say "I'll be there in 15" but you keep waiting for ages. And somehow I brought in the cutlery and culture issue because I thought it may be good for them to know. When I'm almost done with explaining myself, one student from the back decides to voice out his thoughts - "I don't think we have to practice good time management because it's not our culture"

Watch what you laugh at

At an orientation lecture for the newer batches I was caught in a spontaneous discussion in the use of good language and how rare it is getting. I then see myself getting carried away when the discussion leads to eating with cutlery.

People often tend to look down upon a person who may not be aware of the appropriate usage of cutlery. Is it really something to laugh about? It's a question of culture isn't it? You don't really HAVE to know another culture, do you? You visit a country that has left hand driven vehicles, you simply get yourself trained. You don't have to feel bad about asking someone or telling someone how to use something off a different culture. I'm told (the truth of which I'm not sure) that the fork and spoon evolved as a result of a fast spreading plague in the hands. Myths apart, I feel that there is no need for anyone to be embarrassed about not knowing another culture or even language for that matter. It's perfectly OK not to know and to ask or to find out. If you don't know your chemistry before a chemistry exam you should be shot and laughed at but this? Utterly senseless and worthless piece of fact to make humour of.