The Miracle of Hope
by Samar Kaiser
The Seeds of Hope
In our previous house in Karachi we had a rare Pink Shower Tree. It was huge and stunningly beautiful, and blossomed seasonally with bright pink flowers. It was the centerpiece of our garden and we loved showing it off to our guests.
When my husband was transferred, and we knew we were moving, we took some of its seed pods and planted them in a clay pot. Some months later, when we had moved to Lahore, we decided to replant it in a suitable location. Imagine our dismay, when we saw that the little sapling had withered, and all that remained was a tiny matchstick-sized stub of what would have been the trunk. Weeks went by, and we decided to replace the plant with a living one.
One morning, just as we were about to throw the withered sapling away, we noticed a tiny new leaf growing; then there was another, and another. This was unbelievable! How could it be?
Maulana Rumi, the master
نومید مشو امید میدار ای دل. در غیب عجایب است بسیار ای دل.
گر جمله جهان قصد به جان تو کنند. تو دامن دوست را نه بگذار ای دل
مولانا رومی.
Never lose hope, my heart, miracles dwell in the invisible.
If the whole world turns against you keep your eyes on the Friend.
~Maulana Rumi
Over the next few months, the little tree grew and grew, and we decided to donate it to a park near our house. We named it the Hope Tree. Connecting the dots, I realised that the tiny new leaf popped out of nowhere as a message of hope.
What is hope? Hope is a belief, nay, a certainty that if you have faith then God will not abandon you. Religion, poetry, and quotes all beckon us to have hope, yet many people lose it and choose negative thoughts over positive ones. When we go shopping, we choose the best of everything but when it comes to thoughts, we choose the worst. Instead of thinking about a solution, we start worrying.
Inside any deep asking is the answering
~Maulana Rumi
While it’s true that in some situations, there is only so much that you can do, you should not despair, just do your best. Do not give up, for the minute you give up in your mind, it is over. As you ponder, your mind will expand, and you will find that success comes with persistence, but keeping hope is a pre-requisite.
Keep knocking and the joy inside will eventually open a window, and look out to see who is there.
~Maulana Rumi
Hope for Health
You will realise that in life, you are exactly where you should be. Everything that is happening in your life is for the betterment of your higher self, and that is the best for you in the long run.
Hope – and hence happiness – makes for a healthy heart and a stronger immune system. It combats anxiety and depression, helps in stress management, wards off aches and pains, fights disease and disability, and gives longevity. Call it hope, امید, espior, esperanza, umut or رجاء. It is the magic formula to live a good healthy life, and be successful. In every walk of life, in every corner of the world, hope is the one thing that will get you through all the challenges.
Samar is the former chairperson of Pakistan Air Force Welfare Association, PAFWA (Masroor Base), and an air force wife. She is a devoted mother and passionate about helping the poor. A strong, independent woman, she is not easily swayed by popular hype in the media or in her immediate surroundings. Samar chooses to enjoy the company of good friends, but is equally comfortable with her own. Now that she has raised her children and they are independent adults, she fills her days creating art, writing, and reading. Her presence is calming and reassuring – a sentiment felt by those who know her personally and are fortunate to be included in her family and friends.
“Trees” painted by Samar Kaiser: Oil on canvas
Trees are not only our lungs, the human race exists because of them. Another homage to trees can be found in The Little Prince and the Baobab Trees of Africa.
Beautiful ! So true Samar Kaiser . Yes! Hope is like that tiny little leaf that heralded the promise of health, bloom and happiness. Your painting kindles feeling of calmness and peace in one’s heart 💖.
Thank you for your response. Those are exactly my sentiments regarding this post.
What a wonderful piece I really felt good reading it
I love your tree and would like a seed if you have any
Thanks so much for sharing such positive and kind words in such difficult times as the whole world needs to hear them
Thank you
Samar says that the seed pods will develop after flowering in the monsoon season. She will keep track and let you know.
Lovely! An uplifting story of hope.
Beautifully written piece!!!
We are very lucky that Samar shared her positive thoughts with the world. Thank you for your appreciation.
This is a beautiful message. Thank you.
hope is truly the force that keeps one moving
Beautifully written!
Samar, enjoyed reading and will keep picking up the petals of hope coming out from your and moulana Rumi’s words.
I would love to have the seeds of this plant too if it can survive in the Canadian climate.
Thank you Humaira. The plant grows only in tropical areas with a lot of humidity. It grows in places like Karachi, but somehow it survived the Lahore heat. You will have to check about its availability and survival in Canada.
…..You will realise that in life, you are exactly where you should be. Everything that is happening in your life is for the betterment of your higher self, and that is the best for you in the long run…….
These are golden words by Samar Kaiser… Everything happens for good and betterment and for a reason…
God has his protection shield around us always…
Very nicely and aptly put in lucid words by Samar Kaiser….
Applaud.. applaud
Thank you Jhanavee for the appreciation, and for the beautiful soul-satisfying words: God has His protection shield around us. 👏
I am awaiting the next article on this blog written by Samar Kaiser with bated breath.. her article on Hope has actually filled me with strength and positivity, especially in these trying times…. We need more of such motivational articles by her so that it fills our day with radiance and a positive glow…
Trust me when I say this, the words quoted by her on Hope and happiness are like a litany that I keep repeating daily since the day I read the article…
Lots of love…
When writing this post I knew that this message of hope was meant for each and every one of you. My intention is to comfort as many people as I can through this post. Lots of prayers that the Covid situation improves soon. I have plans to write more articles. Thank you Jhanavee. Lots of love.