لر او بر یو افغان

The last will and testament in the title of this poem is very apt and a fine reminder of where we are. It comes from this fine collection of poems by Basheer Ghowakh that I have been reading of late and is an appeal for unity for Pashtuns, Lar and Bar - from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Given that the Pashtun masses face multiple challenges and that all is not well on the home patch, a periodic reminder of what binds us in commonality is no bad thing. This poem is especially poignant as it takes the form of a short piece of advice given to the poet by the Sun - a waseeat. The message contained herein makes a lot of sense.

تور خان

 وصیت

بشیر ګواښ

دا د تېر

مازیګري لمر

په تلو تلو کې

راته وایي

سره یو شئ لرو برو

کنه زما په شان ډوبېږئ

A Pastoral View

Of late, a complete day of sunshine that has not been interrupted by the rain has been something of a rarity. I share, therefore some snaps that I took along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal when the sun shone beautifully and my world was at peace. Tranquil, idyllic and reminiscent of that pastoral view of Yorkshire that the county is known for.

 

Shot on my Samsung Galaxy S at Apperley Bridge.

Sunset on the Hindu Kush

Sunset on the Hindu Kush. A perfectly tranquil moment taken atop the mountains outside Kabul using an Olympus SP 800UZ.

Infinity and Beyond

Not that we don't deserve it from time to time, but sometimes we need a little perspective on the grandeur we attach to ourselves. I've always been interested in space and beyond - and it serves as a reminder of the magnanimity of an impressive Universe  that Allah has bestowed upon us. 

We are but tiny, tiny specks in the cosmos. There are times though, when perhaps many of us forget and get caught up in our own emotions. I, for sure, know that I have over-stepped on occasions and have had a cantankerous moment where, no doubt, I may have made out that I was the centre of it all. In reality, it's much different, and here's a film that provides some interesting food for thought: