LIFE: A REVIEW

2 .  Life had been addressed by me many times in the past. I had written about the topic, from different angles, windows and perspectives, as the years unfolded; and the sight could turn into vision. The process shall go on, as long as she can breathe. I will refer to all the previous articles and the brief write-ups in the References.  

3 .  Comfort Zone. Let us start with the one offering Comfort. The one on extreme left in our scheme of progression. It is next to my animal self. Now let me start by asking the manufacturer. How does He describe me by my chemistry, role and responsibilities? Here it is; 95:4-5. [Surely, We created man of the best stature. Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low.] O’ My God, I could be one extreme to the other. From Animal Self, my biological

breathing, eating, sleeping, reproducing and dying, being to the ‘best of stature’. Confusing it is, isn’t it?  Looks like my deeds would decide my fate. We will try to unfold it as we progress. Some of course are living happily in their Comfort Zone. And are not ready to come out of it. They are happy gathering, collecting and piling for themselves and their blood relations [off-springs]. The slogan roti, kapra aur makan; may be an appropriate denotation. They are only concerned what they ‘get’. Lesser the effort, shorter the way, minimal of risks, happier they are. They have to go nowhere; nothing pulls them. And let no one bother them.

4 .  Fear Zone. One may find the ‘fear zone’ by birth i.e., by default. And never knowing where they have been living for generations. Or maybe one finds it much later, accidently or after exploring that there are other zones as well. The natural instinct of social mobility may help some dwellers to peep outside and see those in Comfort Zone and a glimpse across the fear boundaries, on the opposite side. The residents of Fear Zone, lack confidence; lucky some of them know it too. However, biggest trouble comes from their perpetual fear. They fear all, either as enemies or at least the ones who are all set to take away their jobs, their possessions and all they have been able to earn and gather. Thus they feel very unsecure.  Hence locks of all types, sizes and categories are their mainstay. Health, happiness and safety lies in and rests in taking no risks.

• The foci of their success and failure, both lie in someone else and somewhere else. If they were successful, it was because of a good relative or friend or well-wisher
• If they failed or continue to be poor it was because the father was poor, and never provided for their education and the rest. A stone hearted uncle could be another reason for not doing well.

So they stay smug and hug the fear tight. Let the stupid venture out!. Fear dwellers remember the stories of all who fell off the cliff, in pursuit of hiking; ones who drowned crossing the canal and the cousin who crashed to death in the plane heading for Dubai.

Though he was advised not to go abroad. He was told to be contended with what God had given him here in the village. Some of the residents of fear zone who try and edge out their head, turn back; seeing the competition and threats all around.  

5 .  Learning Zone.  That is where relatively courageous people live. They dare make mistakes. They are brave enough to face a new day at the day break. They enjoy making new mistakes. They feel bored when they find all what they left last night was at the same place. They look for change. For them live is synonymous with change. They have a fair

idea of something waiting for them in the distance, sometimes not that far. They are the ones who say welcome to new ideas, new objects, new artifacts, and look for new methods to do things. They can even dare ask who devised and made pressure cooker, and how it works. Their mothers, sisters and wives might laugh back but they don’t. They can make new rules for the games being played for centuries. Only such minds can discover more and more, as to have a remote control of the water tap or developing a device ’Pis-pis Door Handle’; whereby a door handle at a public entry i.e., a hospital would be disinfected automatically after every touch by the human hands. For such sky is also not the limit. For they represent Him and are His lieutenant in His universe. [2: 30. And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.] They are always vibrant, and thus ready to jump to the Growth Zone.

6 .  Growth Zone. This is almost a logical follow up in the life for those dare learn; since they are the ones deemed to grow. They seek superior identities. They ask Him, who I am. He tells them, blows His spirit in them and thus they justify being best of His product. [95:4.].  

They dream for a new world, much like Cristopher Columbus and Tariq bin Ziyad did. They act and exhibit like Sultan Muhammad II. [Mehmet the Conqueror 1450, conquering Constantinople by launching offensive from land.]. People in Growth Zone never suffer from despair or depression. Never ever they commit suicides. They enjoy the inspiration of a new dream when they wake up every morning.

7 .  Yield Zone.  I could reach to this Zone. Why cannot there be one beyond it. O’ my Lord show me the way and the trail to reach and climb to the next Zone.  

پرے ہے چرخ نیلی فام سے منزل مسلمان کی

ستارے جس کی راہ ہوں وہ کارواں تو ہے

 

Such are a few, but always there around us. They live for the benevolence for the rest of His creatures. They come to yield, to deliver and to be benevolent; every day and every moment of their life. They simply ‘give’; giving a little more than yesterday and a little better than yesterday. Look at the lifetime of Muhammad Ali Jinnah; he spearheaded the movement to create a new country introducing and then translating into reality a new definition of ‘nation’. Can you follow Mother Teresa; fine Abdul Sattar Edhi was near home. There are others if the search is on the right lines. Mao led his people so did Yasser Arafat. Gird up your loins, start your today with the promise not to repeat the dull and drab like yesterday. Not by measuring what others did not do for me; but the opposite way. First give yourself a smile in the mirror, a broad one with shining eyes; great   now carry it on for rest of the world; especially those whom you find without it. It will give them a hope to start with.

8 .  A Probable Methodology to Conclude. There must be a way forward for those, of course, who wish to move on and have hope to move on. Things move in a cycle, there is no victory and no defeat. One can take anything as a unit of measure. For some it could be a day, for others a week could be more workable. However, some may love to be growing with new idea or concept. These steps are of course for not those who wish to stay in Comfort Zone, or those who are only the breathing, eating and talking dead. Just three steps to follow; simple and each one comprising just one sentence. But before proceeding further, please be clear how your manufacturer has described you. In essence know who you are.

Part I. Keep searching for the truth, the values, laws and the principles.
Part II. Keep measuring the distance or the deviation of your beliefs and conduct from the ever-improving reference line, drawn as a result of search, above. 
Part III. Keep improving the exhibited behavior in the light of discrepancies, deviation and shortcomings measured as the resultant of the above exercise.
Enjoy this never ending cycle, as long as you are living.                                                                                                                                                                                         
 
     
REFERENCES
From the same author
1.    The Way You Measure, Issue No. xx, Better Morrow, YY 200 N, TFP, Islamabad.
2.    Y Junction,
3.    Life Cycle,
4.    Life 
5.    Interpersonal Relations,
6.    مجھے کیا ملا؟