The Kashmir Pulse

It is a sin to take one’s life because his or her life is not his or her own, but a gift from Allah. Yes, it is a fact that God has made us human beings, but it doesn’t mean that a person is going to trespass all the limitations set by Him. Life becomes a burden, when people go against the divine rules and begin to live in their own-made illusionary worlds. In this way, like in the case of Robert Lee Frost, who found himself at the two crossroads, however, we find ourselves at many crossroads, that make our life gloomy and there seems no light at the end of the tunnel.

Since time immemorial, the main aim of the mortal life has been comfort. For the sake of comfort, many comforts are sacrificed. Reaching the present situation and its demands, materialistic love has become the necessary aim of life. Politics, economics, society, morality, religion, etc., are subordinate to money.

One who fails to earn or get this, by hook or crook, is considered a failure. Being a failure, he or she has no option but to end his or her life because, for a living, he has no money to survive. In the following lines, we will try to understand how a person could abstain from taking his or her life.

The first step is to understand yourself. Our marvellous bodies don’t only have the need for material things. Instead, it needs something best and long-lasting. If we look closely at ourselves, there are cent per cent chances that we will come across a reality that makes material things the secondary priority, while contentment and peace occupy the topmost position. This is the first way to abstain from taking one’s life.

The second is the nature of a lifetime. It is temporary. Those things that are temporary, should not be loved at the cost of permanent things. When the world is for a limited time, why should a person go on loving it forever? It is the silliest thing to be done. A sane person never does these things, but ponders over things and never thinks of taking his or her life, for the sake of little comfort. However, it does not mean that there should be no comfort at all. Subsistence things are necessary.

The third is imitation. Stop imitating those who believe that this world is the only place to live. After death, whether a person is cremated or buried, it means nothing. They indulge in every kind of merrymaking and don’t think of anything else. However, in our case, we are under scrutiny. We can never escape from the watchful eyes. So, our case is totally different. If we follow them, we will surely fall into the depths of despair and taking our lives, will remain the only solution for us.

The fourth and last is relationships. We are the product of relationships. It is God, who is above all these things, but we have no escape. Almost all human beings and animals descend from one generation to another. In this scheme of things, every human being and animal are related to each other in their own domains.

Moreover, we all have emotions. Mother is the source of emotions. If her son or daughter commits suicide, it means that her emotions are hurt badly and in this way, there are chances that after taking her or his life, she may not find peace again.

In short, as said by Socrates contentment is the biggest wealth. A man must try his best to remain content. Earn money that is enough for him and his family’s needs. Craving for more and more, will make his life hellish and at the end of the day, there will be only path that is the path of hurting himself.

In an old hamlet of memories Suddenly I passed there I covered some miles alone Captured bundles of stories I break off on the fringe of the calm ocean And sat on a broken wooden bench

Leaned over the shoulder of my own shadow I start counting happiness and worries Caravan of tears began to creep And fragile heart starts bumping From trembling lips, words slipped down Where are companions and enemies?

An unheard voice struck through my ears Echoed back with the bottom line Hey… an ephemeral traveller Nothing persists, but memories

You know my bouncing when I look into you, You know my sobbing when I look into you, You know my winking when I look into you, You know my attitude when I look into you.

You keep straight when I show the teeth, You keep calm when I cry in front of you, You keep brightening and hold my breath, You keep reflecting my scar, when I look into you.

You also betrayed me in white light, By demonstrating the flashing sight, You also didn't stop me from atrocious nights And kept watching me likewise in the same light.

Just like you are playing with me in the dark, But are easily hiding from me in the dark, That's how you are brightening me, Perhaps you have chosen to darken me in the dark.

I couldn’t unveil you – O Silky face You were just like the dew – O silky face Perhaps, thee clothes were new To my eyes I demand a few – O silky face

While I went there, nothing but only Your shadow in between the avenue – O silky face And the gardens were closed abruptly When the flowers listened your walking hue – O silky face

The birds stopped chirping in no time As now they want to review – O silky face The race in my heart has been postponed So I decided next date because of you – O silky face

Do you know how our attitude and behaviour affect others? Usually, when we meet someone whom we know and think he/she is a good person, we give them a smile first and then we shake hands with them. This smile is natural and real which comes as a gesture of kindness on our faces. In contrast, when we meet someone whom we don't like or hate, we become furious upon seeing them and move our heads away.

Negative thoughts arise in our minds. Our happy mood changes automatically from happiness to anger. All these gestures we see occur because of our minds. So these gestures matter. Now, our behavior and attitude which is made up of many different gestures also matter a lot in front of others. So our behavior and attitude toward others can hurt people or let them feel lovely. By our behaviour, usually sensitive and innocent get hurt, when people do non-sense things with them.

Usually, we call children innocent because they are unaware of this world. They don't know the truth about people and the world. They don't harm anyone with any bad intentions. They are not clever and have no greed. And when these children grow up, this innocence fades away. They experience many things and learn to take responsibility. But their experience and environment shape them. Remember a person never changes himself and is changed by his surroundings.

When a child suffers from problems at an early age, he gets physically or mentally tested more than usual. He gets an environment where he finds himself insecure, weak, hated by others, and quite different from them. This bad condition affects him. He never forgets it because he tolerated these things when he was in his childhood when his heart was soft and his mind immature. He was unable to handle these things. That's why his past shapes his character at a young age. When this child reaches the age of 12, we find him different from others. This type of past make these type of people strong and independent or make them innocent.

Who are innocents?

Innocents are those who have pure hearts and minds. They are pure and true souls. They are usually frank, kind and treat everyone equally. They don't interfere in others' life with greed. There is no sign of pride and betrayal in them. They are kind, lovely and friendly. They love people for no reason and want to be loved. They have positive thoughts everywhere. They think good and want good for others. They don't want to be enemies. They don't harm anyone and if anyone harms them, they take it to the heart. They cry and laugh easily. They are usually sensitive.

Do you know what problems hurt innocents face in their lives by our bad gestures or attitude? You may have seen people hurt innocents and impeccant. They become really different from normal people just because they usually cry and laugh over little things. And usually, they bear everything wrong with them without sighing.

Generally, we see people hurt them most just because they think innocents are weak. They annoy them and make fun of them while these innocents tolerate these things with their soft hearts. But a time comes when their humility and innocence get so hurt that they become the most dangerous persons.

This is the time when their endurance and innocence break along with their hearts. They become so violent that they seek revenge and want to break the hearts of their annoyers. Nothing seems sinful and inaccurate to them. They neither listen to heart nor mind. Their decencies remain hidden but this change is not pleasing for them because, after this, they usually stay alone and depressed. They prefer darkness instead of light. They become unsociable.

By their rude conditions, it looks like they don't cry and laugh as they used to. They don't possess hearts and innocence as they had. They may become rude but it is because of their hurt and disturbed innocence. They are still companions of truth and prefer to stay on the right path. They are not our enemies after this change but we seem to be their enemies because of our treatment. We become killers of their innocence through our bad treatment and improper attitude.

How to treat these 'killed' souls?

Since they are hungry for love, affection and respect, so they should be given these things. As they feel alone, so be a good friend who makes them feel happy and loves this world. Tell them that they should control their emotions which hurt them more.

And the most important thing is to keep them away from depressed and dark environments. Keep them away from bad attitudes and bad behavior, and let them feel that revenge is nothing. Tell them don't be too weak which lets others hurt them more.

Let us meet again
To find each other.
We both miss something terribly.
You are lost in me and I am lost in you.

To get each other, let us meet.
No place is fixed for meeting.
We will meet in imagination
To remain hidden from everyone.

We won’t talk to each other in any worldly language,
But in love language.
You tell me your stories of grief and sadness
And I will make you numb by my pains.

We will sow seeds of promise
To harvest them in distant future.
We will decorate our roads with feelings
And forget to believe in customs.

Let us meet again,
For we are incomplete.
We are a puzzle
To be solved

And it needs both of us.
Let us meet again.

Let’s be unknown both of us once again
Not to expect any facilitation from you
Neither you should look at me with evil glances
Nor my heart should touch the sound of unbalances

It shouldn’t go viral the struggle of your mystery
It’s a trouble that stops you to make history
They are always with you; the shadows of lost nights
While you remember; it’s better to forget them

If the relation is a loaded draft, then break-up is a good option
Of that short story which has an impossible destination
Wait for a beautiful moment and leave it on a bus
Once again let’s be unknown to ourselves both of us

The poem is a translation of one of the poems of Sahir Ludhyanavi

I am scattered in me
Showing a glimpse of my soul
Oh! I am in senses
To all broken tenses

Away from the Stars, I do look
Inside there is a tormenting cook
Silence matters mostly in front of Goths
Unfortunately, I am covered by toxic moths

I will crawl for every truth
My emotions are ready
But I am not
I should stay away forlorn

Over the mountains
Where only lyrics of air rule over my soul
I am tired of myself
He won’t me anymore

Even I hurt him on this shore
He won’t me anymore!

Our hearts leave us every day,
Without leaving traces behind.
Dying in others' homes
And coming back to their homes is their habit.

Enjoying life is antithetical to them,
Dying in the river of blood is what they seek for.
Bruised hearts and bodies are what we have,
After nourishing them for decades.

Smiling in death is their bravery,
Cowering in fear is opposite to their imagery.
Singing lyrical poems in grief needs heart,
Keeping cool in pain needs to be smart.

Every day, our hearts leave us.
No traces are to be found of them.

After hiding the mystery of the heart - I have seen
By burning my heart into a part - I have seen

What is left to see furthermore?
With her “sharing my heart” – I have seen

In fact, she was mine but she couldn’t
Made it that she is mine through art - I have seen

Into her glances, I today protected others
And found thee so smart - I have seen

Through this journey, I couldn’t touch sadness
Observed this “love” in my stupid heart - I have seen

The Poem is a translation of an Urdu poem by Faiz Ahmed Fiaz.

The time you slipped out from my heart
Didn't you hear the wobble of my emotions?
The fragile shoulder and 'Nazuk' hand
Forget all the promises we made

Unconfined walls and hounded prisoner
And the everlasting fragrance of Autumn, ah!
Messenger of mercies, disposing punishment
Hold your nerve the stars are yet to crush

Universe vibrated with intolerable cries of sky
Didn't you hear the laughter of mountains?
Smoke was there but ash was missing
Have you disappeared with the flames of time

Spring has ended leaves have to fall
Shall my memories vanish, with the arrival of Autumn?
In thin memories of time and harsh seasons
Surely I too will cheat my beloved to break them