I Am Blessed

"If you are thankful, I will give you more." Quran 14:7

I have a roof over my head, warm food at my table and a family that cares around me. This is something that many people around the world crave for right now. I am, indeed, very lucky. But oh, how easy it is to forget it and whine and complain. Instead of looking at what we have, we only see what we don't have. I want to sit back and appreciate all that I have in my life right now and be thankful for it. 

I am blessed to be able to go for Umrah this year as well. So many people asked me to pray for them. Some asked for something in particular and some in general terms. I don't know how many of my prayers will get accepted but I remembered each and every person. Usually, I can think of a billion things I'd want to wish for but when I get there, all my wishes seem so insignificant. Nothing really matters. I end up not asking for anything at all but just guidance and forgiveness.

 In Makkah and Madina, it's a whole new world. The residents are usually guiding and helpful. The only concern is getting to prayers on time. There seem to be no worldly burdens. The sacred water, Ab-e-Zamzam keeps us refreshed.

I find it very amusing to watch  the little children around. I got a cut on my foot and had to use a band-aid for it. This little girl looked at my foot twice as she went by and the look on her face was SO worried. It was the cutest thing ever. My Dad says I should have said to her, "a pigeon bit me". (hehe)

The beginning of May has not been an easy one for our family. I'm glad we got the chance to go to for Umrah and pray at this tough time. I know this tough time won't last but it's much more comforting to go and pray at such spiritually charged places. We return with high hopes and greater trust in Allah.

 Now that we are back home and it's been a few days, I miss being there and really hope to go back again. 

The Cutest Couple on Earth

My Nana Nani (Grandfather & Grandmother) are two people who have literally spent a lifetime together, mashAllah. They got married at a very young age, back when there was no Pakistan. My Nana wasn't very educated. But he was honest and hard working. After migration, they went through very tough times. Moreover, first four kids born couldn't survive. Just when things started to look bleak, Nana just left it all to Allah. And asked for guidance. Then he started his dairy in new town. And he worked hard. It was a success. Things started looking good now. They had 8 children later, of which my mom is the youngest daughter.

We weren't ever very close to Nana Nani as kids because we used to live in Bahrain, then KSA. But for our University degree, me and my sister had to come live with them here in Karachi. Though we know that it's a huge favor to our parents, keeping us here, Nana never takes it that way. He says it's us who are here for them.

Grandparents have a soft corner for grandchildren, rather than children. So we enjoy many privileges living with them a lot. Hehe. At times, my mom can't believe the things he allows us. The thing is, my Nana moves with the times as well as holds onto old values. He listens, he tries to understand things.

He even bought an mp3 player a few months back and had me put his old favorite songs in it. :)

My Nani is a bit old fashioned. She says she should not wear bright colored saris anymore because she's old now. When we insisted, she said, but your Nana likes me in white. When we asked Nana, he says, "No, why? Abhi to tum jawan ho!" ("You're still young")

On anniversaries Nana puts his arm around Nani for photos but she gets all shy and keeps saying, ok now that's enough now. Nani can't walk much without her walker (zimmer frame) Nana prepares her breakfast in the morning and brushes her false teeth at night. Yesterday Nana had to go for his hernia surgery and when he said goodbye to Nani, she shed a few tears. She couldn't sleep all afternoon. When he returned in the evening, he looked tired and weak. He shook hands with Nani and kissed her hands. :) This morning I was up just to see if everything is ok with Nana, he was praying. Nani was still asleep. Nana went to her and "phooked" over her.

They don't speak as much because I suppose they don't need to, having lived 60+ years together. But it's adorable to see how concerned they get about each other. My Nani just has this way of knowing when things aren't right. A day before Nana was diagnosed with hernia, Nani felt worried just like that for him. They do drive each other crazy at times but get over it quickly by just exclaiming, "kya tumhe!!!"

There are so many things to be learnt from them and I pray that they share together a long long happily ever after. And looking at them brings hope this kind of true love, that endures through thick and thin, really does exist. :)

Photo: Nana & Nani with their youngest.

Joanna visits Karachi

When I told my mom in January about a sweet lady from England I made friends with on the internet, I did not expect I’d get a chance to meet her. That too, so soon. It’s only been a few months since I’ve known Joanna Vroom and I owe it to twitter.

Luckily I’m in Karachi when it’s her first visit to Pakistan and I got a chance to go meet her.

Then my mom arrived on Friday and she got to meet Jo Aunty as well the same day. Mr Arshad was kind enough to bring her here to see all the cats we have upstairs.

She met my grandparents, my mom, my sister, my mamu, my mamis, my khala, my cousin and even my mami’s granddaughter. And of course, all the cats. Jo Aunty greeted everyone with “Assalam alaikum” =)

My nani was so excited especially since she had an excuse not to go for her blood test as Jo Aunt would be coming over. Nani kept saying, “kitni gori hain” and giggling. We translated the conversation between both the ladies.

Jo Aunty looked really nice in shalwar qameez though she couldn’t really handle the dupatta. And she brought gifts which was so thoughtful. She asked me if I had tweeted that she’s here and so I did. I conveyed Nimra’s (@hubristic) message to her and we talked about why Sara (@sarakhalili) doesn’t like cats. (She’s scared of them =P)I wish she could have stayed longer, it was so much fun. I really hope I get to meet her again, if she visits us in KSA or we go to UK or she comes again to Pakistan.