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3. A good life – Is it the be all and end all of
life ?
As a student of English Literature , I
became familiar with the terms of round character and flat character . A flat
character is an ordinary man on the street who goes on about his job , his
family and his house . A round character is one around the plot of the novel
revolves irrespective of the fact whether he
is good or bad . If good , he is mostly romantic and an optimist .
I have been a round
character for most of my adult life . In school , I was very shy and timid to
the extent that I hesitated to ask the teacher a question for fear that he or
the class would laugh at me . However
two things changed my life . The first one was my joining the Cadet College , Hasan Abdal and
the second one was my joining the Masters in English Literature . Both events brought out my latent talent .I became an enfant terrible
so much so that I asked the Director GATT ( now WTO) while visiting a cathedral in Krakow (Poland) to show us the
torture chambers which made the man livid .
I joined the College in 9th class .
It had an annual parents for the junior
classes ( 8th to 10th) . I was enjoying introducing my
parents to individual teachers . One of the teachers was Lt. Mahfooz Ali
Solanki ( later he became a Captain in charge of the Education Branch of the
Pakistan Navy . He and his lady wife would often visit us till they remained in
Islamabad ) . He made a pertinent observation to my late parents that I had no aptitude for Mathematics . A similar observation , not in these words ,
was made by our Physics Professor ,the late Mr. Mahmood Khan . Then Humanities was no go area . However I did my BSc with Physics and Mathematics in
the first division . But I did not understand the concepts of the two subjects
.It was enough for me . I became a guide , an able or worthless is for my children to judge . However , I
stepped in only once when my son was
12
choosing to
go for a MBA while my daughter was choosing a career in Chartered Accountancy .
I guided them to switch over .
One of my
dearest friends , the late Naveed Zafar , advised my son and daughter not to go
for jobs . He gave several examples for successful careers through investing in
a shoe string . Well my son , Saad , resigned from his highly paid job , and is
working towards establishing his own company while my daughter( MBA and MA
(Economics ) became the principal of a school . My son’s job was a 8 AM to 8 PM
six days a week both demanding and unrewarding . My children are grown up , mature and able to
distinguish between good and evil . However my son sought my advice . I told
him that Allah is the Provider and Sustainer . Since he cancelled his chance
for Canadian Immigration to be with his old parents , Allah will surely
compensate him for that .
Why not work
and take pleasure from it ? I have tried
to instill that motto into my juniors . I gave standing orders to my junior officers and staff to finish the work within office timing
and avoid late sitting . I have too
followed a principle “NO HARM IN TRYING ”. Most often I succeeded with maintaining my dignity . So let the young
ones try their fortunes . The author ( Oscar Wilde ) of “ The Picture of Dorian Gray “ was a human
being .
While on a
four month course in Geneva , I found a
pastime in entering different churches and cathedrals in the city on Saturdays
and Sundays . Those were magnificent outwardly
. But they were also empty . There was
no God . However , I found Him in the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina in all
His glory and in the hearts of His
creatures .
Plant a tree . Educate kids especially the
poor . Feed the poor . Take good care of
the widows and orphans are some work to do while earning .
Mahfooz ur Rahman
Islamabad
February 7,
2015
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