Let's Jump On The Bed

Today, I will not torture you with my whining. Instead let us get on our bed, jump as high as you can and shout, "I win". I freaking win, life. In case your bed breaks or you go back to sleep like I did, its fine. Its a sign of happiness.

I woke up to a message by my very best friend telling me that she got admission in the university she wanted. I know that sounded really simple but its not if you happen to be a Pakistani and study abroad in a Pakistani school following the Federal Board. Sounds simple. But no. If you are from Karachi, you have to have done your schooling from the Sindh Board to get in some of the universities. Point is, every university has their own weird rules that leaves you in tears at the end of the day.

My friend had to come back last year because of such regulations and the whole year was spent in studying, avoiding activities that she loved. Meanwhile saying to me, Sumaica, there is no way I can get in. People don't get in on merit bases. Its all about bribes and power. Me being the stupid optimist I am, kept saying, M, you will get in. You have to get in. Hard work does not go to waste. Allah will do the best for you.

After saying goodbye to her in June, came the late night chatting and calling that involved me paying the phone bill. I could feel the torture she was going through. I would have ran away and said, no thank you. Take this freaking education system and go to hell. But she did not. She studied. And did God knows what. That idiot gave admission tests knowing she isn't eligible for that college.

Now comes the victory part. She has gotten into every university she has applied to so far. Mashallah ! And I was like, M, what did I say ? Now I await her arrival so I can bake a triple layered Hunger Games chocolate cake and celebrate the biggest victory of this year. So right now I am listening to some song "Chingam Chabake" and dancing on my bed.

Sometimes when times are hard, we tend to believe that nothing good can ever come out of the hard work that we do. But then like planting your country's flag on a mountain's top comes that sweet little victory. And it makes everything worth it.  

...SAP...

Some Old Memories

I was cleaning my cupboard and going through all the old stuff. There were so many things. My reading list of 2011 stared back at me with all its glory because it has the names of 103 books written on it. There was the wrapping paper that Ghina gave me my B'day present in. There was this paper where me and Nadi had drawn Mosqui Teeba. There were papers on which my friends had written quotes or just random words that   I never threw out. Rough draft of the first ever poem that I wrote. A page from my mom's diary. My old speeches. Pictures of a few of my friends. My 9th grade roll no slip. The ice cream stick with  "like us on facebook" written on it. The candy stick from last years food festival that I never ate. Picture of my best friends sister who looks like a little cute boy in it. And some other random bits and pieces of different things.b

Sometimes I have difficulty in processing the fact that I am 17. Life has passed by really quickly. And it still is going by like its racing with the best car in town and it wants to win on any cost. Sometimes I want life to stop and take a pause. Let me get my bearings and fully understand what I am doing. But life does not stop for anyone. Its like a train with no destination. And you are on it.

I love making memories. I want to live my life to the fullest. So that when I am old and whiter haired, I would have tons of pictures and stories related to them to tell the people around me. I could say that yes, I have done everything I ever wanted.

I think that when you look back at your life, you realise what you were and what you have become. You understand the things that you did and that you shouldn't do again. The mistakes you made, the triumphs you celebrated. The loser you were, the winner you became. The kid you were and the adult that life made you. The pain that brought tears to your eyes and the joys that brought a smile to your pretty face. What people thought you were but what you really became. Weakling is what they called you, fighter is what you proved yourself to be. Times when you had no money to buy an ice cream, times when you spent hundreds of dollars on one pair of shoes. Times when no one stood by you, times when you made everyone stand by you. Times when you fell down, times when you picked yourself up again. Times when you failed, times when you succeeded. Times when death faced you, times when life engulfed you. Simply all times.

I look back at my life from time to time and I learn a lot of things from reflecting back at it. It has been an awesome journey so far and I hope that it will be more awesome in the future. It is good to look at all your old memories and look at the person you were. Memories have always been very important to me and they always will be. This is what life is about. Just living it one day at a time and not forgetting who you are.

...SAP...