Let’s confess life turns monotonous replete with mundane stuff devoid of genuine pleasures of life. Our routine cannot afford anything unpredictable, mind-set becomes defiant against unplanned events and our life-style relies on utterly programmed arrangements. There will be no margin for unpredictability and spontaneity demises. This attitude affects our health, relationship, motivation to work and life by large. Summer 2011, my friend (Rajab Ali) and I decided to go camping over weekends. Because we wanted to experience the adventure of evening ride than comfy drive, I asked my friends to carry our bags containing everything from sun-screen to tent. Upon arrival, we were greeted with an excuse that our bags remained un-picked. We were left with two options; ride back 75 KM in complete dark-night or react furiously condemning the folks. However, we took up the impossible option _ spend the night there with bare tent and accessories. Thankfully, friends came to survival lending a tent and we managed to find 2 sleeping bags from the site. The stay was yet another unforgettable excursion and spontaneity we embraced.
‘When you are fearless you take more risks because you are less conscious of failure or what can go wrong,’ Brett Ratner.
Call me fortunate or otherwise, I lived my childhood in area surrounded by rocky-hills and mountains withstood in the vicinity for – don’t know age – many years. Unlike other kids, I was picky with friends and in few I found sheer friendship. Maybe, subconsciously I found companion and comfort in those hills when escaping nap – kids are made take nap in our culture – or when those few folks were not around. I made and flew thousands of paper planes, ate my supper – anything I could get from refrigerator – and enjoyed collecting lead after every rainfall. Oh yeah, in one occasion I was beaten then grounded because a cousin of mine fell off a rock getting serious injuries. I protested he had followed me on his own risk although I had not invited him or others.
Profound delight I would feel watching the horizons from top while always wondering how other part of it looked like. I childishly imagined building a tunnel across the globe only to see where the world ends. Power-failure at night was not headache as the sky looked better, the stars and moon brighter and the hills more magnificent. The fascination of sky I never fathomed but only admired its splendor, its beauty, silence and whatever mystery it conceives within. While growing up I realized I had profound affection for nature not knowing exactly how they came into being and for what purpose. Reclining under shades of our two berry trees, the warmth of sun was soothing while climbing was never-ending adventure. When we shifted to a more rural area, sneaking into gardens and farms raised the bar for teenage thrill.
Then I grew up engaged with pressure of studies, pleasure of English classes and Cricket. I got into music and writing – an insane addiction. I don’t remember how many diaries I wrote, how many songs I memorized – Fakhir’s Kabhe Kabhe Pyar Mein was the first one – how many hours spent listening to FM or flipping the pages of Sports magazine – reading magazines, newspaper journals of all types was rather family practice. But thankfully, Bamyan came to my survival, hah. I was reborn!!!
Now, there is no night, I don’t look into the sky for peace I found from sky-view in Bamyan. We had no occasion for night-walk, dining on hills and in valleys, trekking every route ten-times. Boating in Band-e-Amir Lake (Afghanistan’s National Park) on full-moon night was out-of-this-world-experience while camping worth more than watching myriad movies or TV shows. Don’t get me wrong, we delivered first-rate performance at work along with reputable social activism. Our priorities were different while sources of pleasures crazier and livelier. Nothing was programmed and spontaneity was at the highest form.
And here I am now in Malaysia. More engaged and focused on knowledge enrichment, skills enhancement and career focused. I find myself at a crossroad where survival counts on intelligent programming by putting faith on changing priorities yet again. Pleasure I shall seek in them – there is no escaping it. However, if programmed well, nature calls you out. Here I bring how mesmerizing nature embraced me on Broga Hills. The whole experience alongside wonderful and hilarious friends reminded, there is a lot to learn from spontaneity – we walked countless miles out in the forest, not planned – and in pain. Change your spectacles, your motivation changes to a whole new level. Be fearless and audacious.
Broga Hills, Malaysia
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Photo Credits: Jawad Jahid
