That’s wonderful Shafik. Extremely well-written too, but more importantly, very insightful.
I can identify with some of it, though I have not stayed as connected with Pakistan as you have with Bangladesh. But I think all immigrants like us have bridges. I have certainly tried to bridge my love of the mystical culture of the East with my rationalist outlook on the world and my equal love of the Western tradition in art, literature, philosophy, and science. One aspect of this is my dual role in the world as a practicing scientist and as a poet writing in a rich metaphysical tradition (classical Urdu poetry). I think I have sometimes succeeded in finding a synthesis. Another related bridge is between my old life in a relatively conservative environment and my present life as a very liberal person with even more liberal children. Of course, I also have some regrets, but extensive reading of history has taught me that an individual’s regrets are of no consequence in the scheme of things, and what matters is how we change the world through our presence. We say what we think and do what we can, and trust that some of it will matter.
This is a very insightful article, with the deep feelings and understanding of reality and earned experiences for many of us. I started asking myself the same questions for the past several years. Your article greatly articulated likely answers with immense passion and factuality (for many). Thanks for putting this together!
I enjoyed your meditation on your meditation! It is rare to witness a person recount what they have been thinking or feeling or experiencing. I don’t know when we finally do know that we really are free - I hope for people to be in that place. I know I can’t get them there - but it is important for people to get there. Then when we talk or do things together, it’s good to know that they come voluntarily to an exchange with others, us or myself included. I suspect most are angry about something, and I know it’s hard to have needs that aren’t met, but for me when that’s the case, I lean on Jesus’s assurances of love and forgiveness. Two things about that: we all fail to remain composed, therefore love and forgiveness give us space to try again. And recently I thought about how when I was discovering the Jesus of the New Testament in a new way, it was because a young man only about 3-4 years older was a new friend and guide to my experience - I was 16 and he was about 20. Therefore I think more of God being an older young man and not an old man, like a white-bearded wrinkled senior. My friend Ken rather embodied the youth and charisma of an older brother I never had. Therefore I have easy visions of The God of the Universe being around my age, and I remain young and not the white bearded man I would be if I let my beard grow. All that to say that the older I get I still feel young, and I impute my youth to others in seeing others as eager to learn new experiences and have new thoughts about who they are and Who God Is.
Thanks for taking me with you on your walk and your reflection time! Helps me reflect too! ~ Dave Thom, Chaplain to Faculty, The Cambridge Roundtable on Science & Religion
Thank you, Dave, for sharing your wise insight and youthful thinking and living NOT as a 'white-bearded wrinkled senior'. Learning new experience and living it is a wonderful way to travel through life!
Cheers on crossing bridges off the beaten path. Not everyone is so fortunate.
That’s wonderful Shafik. Extremely well-written too, but more importantly, very insightful.
I can identify with some of it, though I have not stayed as connected with Pakistan as you have with Bangladesh. But I think all immigrants like us have bridges. I have certainly tried to bridge my love of the mystical culture of the East with my rationalist outlook on the world and my equal love of the Western tradition in art, literature, philosophy, and science. One aspect of this is my dual role in the world as a practicing scientist and as a poet writing in a rich metaphysical tradition (classical Urdu poetry). I think I have sometimes succeeded in finding a synthesis. Another related bridge is between my old life in a relatively conservative environment and my present life as a very liberal person with even more liberal children. Of course, I also have some regrets, but extensive reading of history has taught me that an individual’s regrets are of no consequence in the scheme of things, and what matters is how we change the world through our presence. We say what we think and do what we can, and trust that some of it will matter.
WOW!
I am floored with your thoughts, reflections, and insight, Ali.
Thank you for sharing stories of 'your bridge'.
Yes, in the end: "we think and do what we can, and trust that some of it will matter.' This is a type of bridge worth building.
This is a very insightful article, with the deep feelings and understanding of reality and earned experiences for many of us. I started asking myself the same questions for the past several years. Your article greatly articulated likely answers with immense passion and factuality (for many). Thanks for putting this together!
Best,
Omar
Thank you, Omar, for sharing your insight and quest to find the space between the reality and our lived experiences.
I enjoyed your meditation on your meditation! It is rare to witness a person recount what they have been thinking or feeling or experiencing. I don’t know when we finally do know that we really are free - I hope for people to be in that place. I know I can’t get them there - but it is important for people to get there. Then when we talk or do things together, it’s good to know that they come voluntarily to an exchange with others, us or myself included. I suspect most are angry about something, and I know it’s hard to have needs that aren’t met, but for me when that’s the case, I lean on Jesus’s assurances of love and forgiveness. Two things about that: we all fail to remain composed, therefore love and forgiveness give us space to try again. And recently I thought about how when I was discovering the Jesus of the New Testament in a new way, it was because a young man only about 3-4 years older was a new friend and guide to my experience - I was 16 and he was about 20. Therefore I think more of God being an older young man and not an old man, like a white-bearded wrinkled senior. My friend Ken rather embodied the youth and charisma of an older brother I never had. Therefore I have easy visions of The God of the Universe being around my age, and I remain young and not the white bearded man I would be if I let my beard grow. All that to say that the older I get I still feel young, and I impute my youth to others in seeing others as eager to learn new experiences and have new thoughts about who they are and Who God Is.
Thanks for taking me with you on your walk and your reflection time! Helps me reflect too! ~ Dave Thom, Chaplain to Faculty, The Cambridge Roundtable on Science & Religion
Thank you, Dave, for sharing your wise insight and youthful thinking and living NOT as a 'white-bearded wrinkled senior'. Learning new experience and living it is a wonderful way to travel through life!