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.
