The reflections author rizwan ahmed memon trlcl rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com

Facebook.com/RizwanAhmedMemon Email: RizwanAhmedMemon@gmail.com
Facebook.com/TheRealLearningCenterLarkana Twitter.com/TRLCL Mobile: 03433846385

.......................................................................................................................0
..........................................................................................................................................................1
......................................................................................................................................4
................................................................................................................................................8
........................................................................................................................................8
.....................................................................................................................................................8
........................................................................................................................................8
............................9
................................9
............................................................................................................9
...................................................................................................................................10
.........................................................................................................................................................11
...................................................................................................................11
..........................................................................................................13
..................................................................................................................14
.............................................................................................................................16
...................................................................................................................18
...................................................................................................................................19
....................................................................................................................21
.......................................................................................................................................25
....................................................................................................................................30
.............................................................................................................31
.............................................................................................................................32
...............................................................................................................................33
.......................................................................................................................35

.......................................................................................................................38
....................................................................................................................39
............................................................................................................................40
........................................................................................................................43
................................................................................................44
...........................................................................................45
..................................................................................46
.......................................................................................................................47
...............................................................................................48
.............................................................................................................................50
...........................................................................................................................................55
.................................................................................................................................55
............................................................................................................56
.......................................................................................................................57
.................................................................................................58
...................................................................................................................59
........................................................................................................................60
................................................................................................................61
.......................................................................................................................................62
..........................................................................................................................63
...................................................................................................................64
.........................................................................................................................65
................................................................................................66
............................................................................................68
................................................................................70
...................................................................................................................................71
........................................................................................................................71
...........................................................................................................72
...........................................................................................................73

..................................................................................................................73
....................................................................................................................................74
..............................................................................................................................75
.................................................................................................................................75
.............................................................................................................76
...........................................................................................77
..........................................................................................................................................78
......................................................................................................................78
................................................................................................................................79
.......................................................................................................................................79
........................................................................................................80
...........................................................................................................................81
.............................................................................................................81
..................................................................................................................................82
...................................................................................................................82
................................................................................................................................83
..................................................................................................................................83
...........................................................................................................84
..........................................................................................................................84
.....................................................................................................................................84
..............................................................................................................................85
............................................................................................................................................86
.............................................................................................................................86
...............................................................................................................................87
............................................................................................87
..................................................................................................................................88
..........................................................................................................................................89
.....................................................................................................................90
..............................................................................................................................90
...........................................................................................................................90

..................................................................................................................91
.............................................................................................92
................................................................................................93
............................................................................................94
...........................................................................................................95
.........................................................................................................................................95
.......................................................................................................................................96
................................................................................................................................96
.........................................................................................................................................96
...................................................................................................................96
........................................................................................................................97
.................................................................................................................98
...........................................................................................................................98
............................................................................................................................99
................................................................................................................................................100
....................................................................................................................................101
.............................................................................................101
.....................................................................................................................................101
.......................................................................................................................................102
....................................................................................................................................102
............................................................................................................................................102
..................................................................................................................................102
..........................................................................................................................................102
....................................................................................................................................103
....................................................................................................................104
...............................................................................................................................104
..................................................................................................................104
.....................................................................................................................................104
................................................................................................................105
....................................................................................................106

..........................................................................................107
..........................................................................................................................107
...................................................................................................................108
...............................................................................................................109
................................................................................................................110
....................................................................................................................................111
..................................................................................................................112
.........................................................................................................112
.................................................................................................................113
..............................................................................................................113
...................................................................................................................114
........................................................................................................................................114
........................................................................................................................................114
....................................................................................................................................115
......................................................................................................................115
.............................................................................................................................115
..................................................................................................................................115
........................................................................................................................................115
.................................................................................................116
..................................................................................................117
.........................................................................................................................117
...................................................................................................................................118
............................................................................................................................118
............................................................................................................................................119
................................................................................................................119
........................................................................................................................................................120
...................................................................................................................................120
.............................................................................................................122
.....................................................................................................................................123
...................................................................................................................124

.................................................................................................................125
........................................................................................................126
.................................................................................................................127
........................................................................................128
........................................................................................................................................130
.......................................................................................................131
...................................................................................................................................131
..........................................................................................................................................132
............................................................................................................132
........................................................................................................133
.................................................................................................................................134
..........................................................................................................................135
....................................................................................................................................136
........................................................................................137
...................................................................................................................138
........................................................139
...............................................................................................................................................140
...............................................................................................140
.....................................................................................................................................................141

“My collection is my reflection. It
attracts and instructs the reader.
Love is perfection; it is my
perception. Man has emotion
that is why he has tension. To
give this expression, man must
have passion.” --Rizwan Ahmed
Memon
“Your dreams will only be
dreams if you don’t work hard
and make them come true. You
define your success by your
perseverance. --Rizwan Ahmed
Memon
Rizwan’s childhood dream was to change
the world by being an actor. However, he
is not an actor today, but a writer and
teacher of great repute. His writings have
impact on the young and the old. He has
succeeded in changing the world by
teaching and writing.
Rizwan was born in the village of Larkana,
Sindh, Pakistan. He grew up in a village
named Akil near the bank of the Indus
River. When Rizwan was five, his father,
who was a teacher, died. He was raised by
his mother and brother. In his childhood,
Rizwan did not play many games, and he
was not interested in any particular sport.
Starting in his childhood, Rizwan became
a lover of nature. His writings reflect this.
He received his early education in his own
village in government schools. After
matriculation, he attended Government
Commerce College Larkana where he did
his intermediate. For further studies he
went to University of Sindh.
Even though English is not his first
language, Rizwan writes in English. He
developed a strong passion for English
when he was in high school. He says he
thinks in English, he dreams in English,
and English streams in his nerves like
blood. He polished his writing skills during
the four years he went to the university.
There he read a lot and published his first
book online. During his first two years at
the university, Rizwan spent more time on
the Internet and writing than he
did in the classroom. As a non-
native speaker of English, he
thinks his writings need to be
proofread by native speakers
and professional writers, so he
has spent hours on the Internet
with writers and teachers
discussing his writings.
After completing his bachelor’s in
Computer Science in 2013,
Rizwan returned to his native
village and has dedicated himself
to teaching and writing. He earned an MA
in English, too. He married in 2014. He
has a daughter, Sara.
From his high school, Rizwan has inspired
and encouraged thousands of students he
has taught. He has taught in different
institutes. Currently, Rizwan is giving his
services as a lecturer at SZABIST (IMC)
Larkana. He also runs his own institute
named The REAL Learning CENTER, where
he teaches English and computer
programming.
Since the day Rizwan fell in love with
writing, he has written stories, essays,
letters, biographies, sketches, and poems
that explore many facets of his identity.
All the characters whose names begin with
the letter ‘R’ are based either on his own
life or the people who were close to him.
People, love and nature are at the core of
his writings.
Shortly after Rizwan became a lecturer at
the age of 23, he published his first book
‘The Reflections,' a collection of stories,
letters, poems, sketches, and essays.
Rizwan’s blog address is
RizwanAhmedMemon.blogspot.com
TRLCL website address is
trlcl.eu5.org
Rizwan was born on January 1, 1992.
THE REFLECTIONS http://trlcl.eu5.org http://RizwanAhmedMemon.blogspot.com 0

To show the value of someone or something, people
use different methods. A writer makes use of a pen to
do that. When a writer wants to write about something
or someone, he has different devices that he can use.
He can write a story, an essay, a poem, a letter, a
sketch, a biography or a text in another format. With
the grace of God, I have employed many of these
forms in my writing. Poems, short stories, biographies,
letters, sketches, and essays have allowed me to
express my emotions through words in different ways.
In this world, many stories die when men die. Not all
people have the ability to preserve their thoughts for
coming generations in such a way that they will exist
even after their death. Everyone sees the world in their own way and has different views
and beliefs. To preserve and share my ideas and experiences with the world, I have put
them in the form of stories, poems, sketches, letters, essays, and biographies.
The ups and downs of life teach us lessons that we were never taught at school. They
stir emotions in us and we act in peculiar ways. Sometimes we open our hearts and say
what we feel; sometimes we find an outlet for our feelings and emotions. Firstly, in my
story category, I have tried to write about pain, mistakes, and experiences of my own or
of others which can be messages or lessons for coming generations. I usually take
characters from my surroundings. Sometimes I allow my vision to go beyond
boundaries and I create characters that don’t exist. I was in fifth grade when I penned
my first story in my native language, Sindhi. After I learned English, I translated the
story into it. As far as biographies go, I wrote some about inanimate objects, and also
about a little baby who was born in my neighborhood.
Secondly, there are the letters. I really have never sent a love letter to any girl in my life,
but I wrote many out of my deep emotion of love. Every man on the earth, eventually,
experiences the thing they call love. Only a few people show it; most hide it. I have
shared my personal feelings, the feelings people tend to suppress. However, I believe
one day every secret in the world will be revealed. If they aren’t, what is the use of
keeping them in the heart and letting them die with us? Some secrets are top secrets
and they really must be kept to ourselves. In June of 2013, I went back to my village
while on vacation from the university. In the village, I had two friends who were close to

me, but because of some minor conflicts we didn’t talk or meet. I was dealing with
loneliness and pain. This is when I started writing letters. Being away from my friends
caused me severe heartache. In those days, I started to pour my heart out to Angly in
the form of letters. The surprising thing is that these letters never reached Angly until we
married. After getting married, when Angly came to know that I had been writing letters
to her, and that they were in English, she became curious about reading them.
Unfortunately, she didn’t speak English, so she couldn’t read them. I translated some of
them for her into Sindhi. The things that are related to love never lose their value. These
letters symbolize how deep love can be for someone when that person is away from
you or with you. True feelings never change. True love never ends. When you love
someone, find a way to express it. Life is short, so it should be lived with love and for
love. People say nowadays true love is only found in novels and stories. If it is true, it
means we have changed, not the time. However, I believe there are still people who
love truly.
Whenever I read these letters, my love for Angly is renewed and multiplied. These
letters will impart feelings of healing and peace of mind if you love someone, too. I still
write letters to Angly when she goes to visit her parents. You can and will be able to find
the past, present, and future letters on my blog.
Third, is the poem and sketch section. When I started to jot down the words of my heart
and mind, which came out of longing, separation, and the wish to be with someone, my
poems were created. Poetry can provide such magic of words that even the wizard, the
writer, can be surprised. Sometimes sitting under the Neem tree, sometimes in fields,
and sometimes by the riverbank, the magic of my thoughts and words have surprised
me. All the poems that I have written represent my different states of mind at different
points of time. Happy thoughts come when you are happy, and sad ones come when
you are sad. The sketch genre is also a wonderful form of expression. In it you describe
someone or something in a story-like manner. I have written many sketches on different
people, places and things.
Finally, in the essay section, I have described the values, customs and facts of the
world. Also, I have focused on morality themes and the ethics topics.
Though I have spent years on my work, I still feel that there is room for improvement. I
did not hire any particular editor for proofreading. I am thankful to my international
readers and friends who have helped me with my writing many times. All writers need
an editor to check their writing for content continuity and idea flow. I do not have an
editor; I mostly proofread my writings myself. I am a non-native speaker of English, so I
cannot be perfect. There were times when I felt some of the ideas needed greater
development and more details. The stories and essays sometimes jumped to new

thoughts and ideas without completing the development of the thought or idea that was
started in the previous paragraph. Sometimes the thoughts did not flow smoothly form
one paragraph to the next paragraph.
However, I read somewhere that “There is time and room for every word,” so I hope my
writings will somehow be of some help, inspiration, instruction, pleasure, and
encouragement to all the readers. Read and enjoy my thoughts and make your life
better, if you can.
Ideas, beliefs, emotions, and people change with the passage of time. My pen keeps
flowing, and my fingers keep typing. I create different pieces of work. Angly’s love and
friendship have always been behind my writing. Apart from that, the world’s special and
simple people, and all things in it, inspire me to write. Not everyone can play this game
of words. Only those who feel deeply, care deeply, and love deeply can be part of this
game. Angly, my wife, says I am one of those sensitive people who notice everything. It
is a good trait for a writer to have. A writer defines on paper the world around him, his
experiences, and the things he sees. Once those things are written, they outlive the
author himself.
I hope that the work that I have done will be valuable for readers. I will continue writing
while there is breath in my body. I post all my writings on my blog. Anyone can visit the
blog to read new pieces of writing and to stay informed of my activities. The address
is http://rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com. All the writings in this book and the works
which I am creating now and will create in the future will be in the blog
With best wishes,
Rizwan Ahmed Memon
Village Akil, Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan
1-4-2015

“All of your writings are very nice, and they serve many purposes. They help students
improve their English, differentiate between right and wrong, present new ideas, and
provide new ways of doing things. You have a talent for writing!” – Sultan (Poet,
Karachi)
The stories, poems, sketches, letters, and essays are easy to understand and have
much depth. Moreover, the works in this collection provide models for those wishing to
improve their writing skills.” – Seema (Housewife)
“I think you have a very nice writing style. It feels very different from an ordinary English
style. Your stories feel like insight into something that most English speakers don't
ordinarily have access to, which is good. The characters are interesting.” – Nina
(Teacher, USA)
“These are good stories, filled with positive and inspiring life messages.” – Asad (Social
worker)
“I will say in general, you have a flare for poetry, especially rhyming poetry, which may
be suited for music if you can find someone to come up with a melody to accompany
them.” – Glenda (Teacher, USA)
“I just want to say that you’re doing very nice work, and I like the message you’re
spreading with your work.” – Chris (Engineer, Canada)
“Actually, it’s rare for a non-native English speaker to be able to write something like
this.” Sandesh (Businessman, India)
“Your writing is good. By the way, you have very nice ideas. I wish I could be as smart
as you. I'm not boasting on you. You are a very good writer.” Marco (Translator,
Germany)
“I think you are a good person. I have never met you personally, but I can perceive your
romantic passionate spirit by reading your delightful stories. Please, keep writing.”
Adam (Linguist, USA)
“I do really like reading your stories and the fact that you can convey a message so
clearly using a foreign alphabet and a different language from yours actually amazes
me. You are pretty talented.” Jack (Student)

“You are courageous enough to share so many varied thoughts with us, from love to
death and from poverty to education. You have addressed so many aspects of life.”
Saeed Memon (Poet)
“I am happy for your achievements. You made a real commitment and carried it out with
tenacity and big efforts. I am sure that one day you will be a great writer and people will
remember you for your smart and beautiful ideas.” – Muhammad Kamil
“You have poured your emotions and thoughts into your writings, and so we have grown
to care for your well-being and share your hope for a bright future with your beloved.
Allow me to congratulate you and wish you and Angly well.” – Jennifer (Teacher, USA)
“You are a gifted artist. With your pen, you have drawn love scenes, sad scenes, and
happy scenes in a perfect arrangement of words which have filled your writings with
various colors.” Akhtar Jamal (Painter)
“The stories in the book are based on themes of love, morality, and life-changing ideas.
They represent the real Sindhi society, where males have been dominant for ages.
They portray the oppression by landlords and their treatment of the villagers. The
stories clearly expose the injustice to women in Sindh. Characters like Robbi and
Reshma symbolize all women of Sindh. – Nadir Gramani, (Journalist, Islamabad)
This kind of literature helps the youth of our society to be refined, hard-working, and
selfless. The themes of nature, peace, and harmony remind us of the purpose of our
lives. I recommend these stories to all the students. – Niaz Chandio (Educationist)
It is noteworthy to mention that a newly emerged author named Rizwan Ahmed Memon
is no less talented than the previous inspirational writers in the world. His style of
writing, whether it be in short stories, poems, or essays, is beyond compare, and
definitely worth reading. His language is very charming and easy to comprehend. He
properly educates the readers with his extraordinary perception of things. All flattery
aside, his creativity thoroughly kept me amused.” – Abdul Majid Khokhar (English
teacher)
“The ‘Respond to the Story’ section is not only a reading exercise but also a thoughtful
discussion.” – Waheed Memon (English teacher)
From Rizwan’s Inbox
“I'd go deeper into the uniqueness of these characters. Tell us more about the feelings
and values of these characters. These stories don't have to have perfect English for
people to enjoy them.”
“Hi Rizwan. Thank you for sharing the stories. I enjoy the products of your creativity.”

“I've enjoyed seeing you grow as a writer. Keep that pen flowing and the fingers typing
at the keyboard. It's a wonderful form of expression.”
“I like stories with a moral.”
“May you and Angly continue to discover reasons to love each other.”
“May Angly be loved and valued by her new family. May she feel embraced and cared
for. And may you enjoy building a new life together. May you both be filled with courage,
patience, understanding, and happiness. Enjoy the day and this new chapter!”
“You have an elegant way of expressing yourself.”
“You are very romantic, Rizwan. What lovely lines to share with your beloved.”
“Your language is simple and even more beautiful because of the clarity, Rizwan.”
“Good luck to you and your dear Angly.”
“This is excellent! Bravo!!!”
“Congratulations! This’s wonderful!”
“I wish you and Angly well. Keep writing. I know it’s your passion.”
“Your pieces are sad, sweet, and bitter. They tell about the depths love can have.”
“These are nice, honest thoughts, Rizwan. You have a good, courageous heart. ”
“I see the shift in your thinking and in your concerns. You are a family man now, and
new responsibilities are on your shoulders.”
“May you and Angly continue to discover reasons to love each other.”
“It sounds like you are a romantic person who loves to do very simple things to feel
good.”
“So sweet and sad. This strikes me as a sketch It's like an artist painting to capture a
moment of life. This is a lonely, desolate point in the narrator's life. It's very well done.
Nice work.”
“Every one of your poems portrays a close depiction of nature and reality.”
“I am impressed with the way you deal with other letters and language.”
“Your poems read like dreams. They are flowing and very romantic. Very lovely .
Some flow like gentle water.”

“Your poems are emotionally powerful because of the message of hope and longing
contained within. This message needs to be delivered. I like these very much. Nice job.”
“Your blog has soothing, natural colors. The visual appeal suits the nature of your
writings. ”
“I love it.”
“Your writings instill a message of love, harmony, and peace. They illustrate the worth of
life, relationships, and hard work."
"Excellent! You are a genius. Every poem you make is close to nature and is very
realistic."
“Your thoughts are pure and clear."
“You say a lot in simple words. Your lines are sensitive and touch the heart. This is very
nice work."
“Both, the poet and the poetry are very nice.”
“Your creations ring true and are among the best I have encountered.”
“You write a lot of heartwarming things."
“Even though you use simple words, you use them in a way that makes your sentences
have depth.”
“I like the morals of your stories. Also, I love the ethics and values you have focused
on.”
“Exceptional. Your observations are gleaming.”

You can download the author’s e-books at http://trlcl.eu5.org. Rizwan posts his writings
regularly on his blog http://rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com/. The author has spent
many hours maintaining his blog, and he would appreciate feedback and sharing with
others. See contact information below. You can also find his photos and works on
Twitter and Facebook. This book is available in all the bookstores. If you cannot find the
book at your nearest bookstore, please contact with the author on the numbers given
below.
I am very thankful to all the people who helped me with my writing. Their selflessness,
time, kindness, help and generosity will always be remembered.
I dedicate this work to everyone who reads and writes, to my mother, without whose
prayers I would have been nothing, to my students, my friends, my village, and to my
wife Angly whose company and support has given me time to write.
No part of this book may be printed or reproduced with someone else’s name. Also,
photocopying is strictly prohibited. You can purchase the book by contacting the author.
Copyright © 2015
Rizwan Ahmed Memon

0343-3846385
+923433846385
RizwanAhmedMemon@gmail.com
www.Facebook.com/RizwanAhmedMemon
www.facebook.com/TheRealLearningCenterLarkana
www.twitter.com/TRLCL
https://plus.google.com/+RizwanahmedmemonTRLCL
http://rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com/
http://trlcl.eu5.org
www.slideshare.net/RizwanAhmedMemon
www.scribd.com/RizwanAhmedMemon

 This book consist of 23 stories, 14 letters, 88 poems (including sketches and
verses), and 20 essays.
 This collection ‘The Reflections’ is available at all the bookstores in Pakistan. You
can also find it online through the links provided in the book.
 Rizwan spent six years writing this collection.
Book Name: The Reflections
Author: Rizwan Ahmed Memon
1st edition: September, 2015
Copies: 1000
Book Title by: Rizwan Ahmed Memon
Composer: Rizwan Ahmed Memon
All Rights Reserved: Rizwan Ahmed Memon
Publishing Type: Self-publishing
Price: Rs. 200

Every night we have many dreams while sleeping. When the nights are long and cold,
we often wake up at midnight. Hundreds of thoughts come into our minds, some good
and some bad. We think about our past, present, and future, as well as the things and
people we have gained and lost. Those long, cold nights give us chances to ponder
over our lives. Ramazan, an unmarried salesperson, went through this every night.
One night, as per usual, he was alone in his bedroom. Trying to get sleep, he tossed
and turned on his bed, but he couldn’t fall asleep. He got out his laptop and used
Facebook for a while.
“Facebook can’t take the place of real chat,” he said to himself while closing the laptop.
He lay on his bed again and stared at the ceiling. A thousand thoughts came to his
mind. He thought about his childhood and his present days as an adult.
“Those days of childhood were the best days. This age of adulthood is dull,” he said
softly. He took his touch-screen mobile phone and played his favorite song from his
childhood.
“Why don’t I dance to this song as I did in my childhood? Where is the entertainment?”
he asked himself. He thought about how he wandered the streets with his friends as a
boy.
“I laughed a lot at even minor jokes, but now my lips hardly move when I listen to any
joke,” he said to himself. “I felt happiness when I had only five rupees as pocket money.
Now I earn thousands of rupees, but I don’t feel that happy. I wish I could have stayed a
child forever. Where are those friends and jokes? Where is that happiness? Why is
adulthood so dull and colorless?” he was still asking himself as he fell asleep.
While asleep, he had a dream. He was in class at his primary school. His English
teacher was giving a lecture. The teacher told them that he was going to talk about life.
The lecturer said, “Look, dear students, today you are children; tomorrow you will be
grown-ups. Today your parents look after you; tomorrow you will look after your
children. This chain of life has to go on. You have to make every day count. You have to

live every day to the fullest. Life has three main stages: childhood, adulthood, and old
age. At every stage we are different. Every stage has its rules, and with every stage we
change. When you are a child, you are interested in toys. You have no responsibilities,
but when you are grown-up you have many. Responsibilities don’t necessarily lead to a
colorless or dull life. When you take on responsibilities, you become mature and learn
more about life. You have to look after your parents, earn money, and get married.
Marriage is an important part of adult life. When you are a child, enjoy life. When you
become a grown-up, carry out your responsibilities and do what an adult should. In your
adult life you lose interest in many things, such as toys. After adulthood, you will reach
the stage of old age. This is where you slowly and gradually lose everything, such as
your eyesight and teeth. So spend your youth in such a way that when you look back on
it from your old age, it will make you proud. You should be proud of your past. Dear
children, see the sun; as it rises from the East and it will rise from the same direction
when you are old. Time will be the same; same days, same nights.”
Ramazan’s dream was cut short when his alarm clock started to ring. He woke up and
looked in the mirror. He said three sentences: “Make each day count. Marriage is an
important part of adult life. The chain of life has to go on.”
Thus Ramazan’s dream changed his life. He got married to Nazia, his cousin, and he
spent each day as though it were Eid. He looked after his parents well. His parents were
very happy to see their inactive child active again.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respond to the story:
Why was Ramazan struggling to go to sleep?
What did he think of the Facebook chat?
Where was he in his dream?
What was he told in the dream?
What three sentences did he say when he woke up?
Who did he marry?
How did his parents feel after the new change in Ramazan’s life?
What is the message of the story?
What impact does this story have on your life?
Do you go through all these thoughts at night?
What changes will you make in your life from now on?

Some children like to have a cat; others want a dog. Every child has his own
likes and dislikes. Raheel was fond of birds, hens and roosters. He would buy little
chickens and feed them. When they grew and started laying eggs, he would keep those
hens which laid eggs and sell the others. In so doing, Raheel made a lot of money. His
hobby turned out to be his small business.
Raheel never let his hobby disturb his studies. He went to school regularly and
punctually, and he also did his homework on time. Feeding and looking after the birds
was a time-consuming task, so his mother helped him with the birds. People came to
Raheel to buy the birds and eggs. These were his customers!
Raheel would buy his clothes with the profit. After using the money for his basic
expenses, he also used to put a little amount aside. Raheel was in the fifth class when
he had collected a good sum of money, so he used the money to buy a bicycle. With his
brother's help, Raheel found a bicycle he liked very much.
When Raheel finished primary school and entered high school, he began to
notice that his hobby was disturbing his studies. He developed a strong passion for
English and computers, so he sold all his birds and devoted all his time to studies.
Raheel bought his first computer with the money he got from selling his birds and his
bicycle.
Ten years have past since that time. Raheel has become a good speaker and
teacher of the English language, and he has a university degree in computer science.
He believes that if he had not sold his birds, he would never have become a computer
scientist today. In order to get something, we have to leave something, and we must
leave something good for something better.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What was Raheel’s hobby?
How did he manage to provide time for his studies and hobby?
Why did he sell all of his birds?
What did he buy with the money he got when he sold his birds and bicycle?
What is the moral of this story?
How does this story impact your life?

Like every child, Reyan had dreams for his future. He pursued them and worked hard to
make them come true. He believed that the way a person pursues his dreams decides whether
they will come true or not.
Life doesn't always turn out the way we plan; this is something he had often heard from
others. However, he believed that no one knows what will happen in the coming time, so one
must plan and try to live life according to one’s plans. Everyone has hope. Life can be better
than our expectations, and it can be even worse, too.
He often asked himself, "What is it that makes people successful: hard work, money, or
luck?" The more accurate answer he often found was hard work because he had seen people
who had lots of money, but they were not successful. Instead, they were aloof. Those who are
lucky and get to be successful don't value their success. They don't feel the importance of hard
work. This reminded him the words of William Shakespeare: “Some are born great, some
achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
Reyan was in high school when one day his teacher asked him, "Reyan, what is your
goal in life?" "Well, sir I don’t have just one goal," said Reyan, "I have many goals and I may
have some more in the future. Let me tell you some I have now. Firstly, I want to get an MA in
English. Secondly, I want to do social work. Thirdly, I want to be an actor.” “Oh, an MA in
English! That is a good goal, and I like the idea of social work as well. But why do you want to
be an actor?" asked his teacher. "Sir, I want to change the world,” replied Reyan. “I will perform
in movies and dramas that will give the message of being a good human. I will play characters
that will touch people's hearts and have impact on their lives,” he continued.
Unlike other children Reyan analyzed his dreams now and then and pondered how they
could come true. What steps should be taken, and what barriers were in his way of success? He
knew that little decisions that he had to make for his future would have a great effect on his life.
Reyan was not a pampered child. He had to work at his brother's shop in the evening. He used
to look after the buffaloes of his other brother, too. Escaping all these responsibilities was not
easy for him. His brothers, though supportive, never tried to help him get ahead in his
education. They were happy with what they had given him to do. Reyan knew that this was not
something he would do for his rest of the life. One day he said to his brother, “I want to learn
English.” His brother helped him gain admission to a private institute in the city. This was the
decision that would change Reyan's life forever. This was when he started the journey of his
knowledge. Soon after enrolling in the English institute, he also found a computer center, where
he decided to take a course in computers.
Going from village to the city everyday was hard. He used to travel by van. Those vans
were very broken-down, and sometimes when there were a lot of passengers, the driver made

all the boys sit on the roof of the van or would tell them to hang on the backside of the van. After
getting off the van in the city, the institutes were still at a long distance, so he had to go by foot.
Out of his passion and eagerness for knowledge, Reyan put up with all those difficulties. In the
morning, he took his computer course, and in the evening he studied English at the institute. He
had a break at noon, so he would offer a prayer in a mosque and had something for lunch. He
also worked at the shop at night and on holidays. Whenever Reyan crossed the street, he was
bullied by country boys and even adults. They would say, “There goes the geek!” He didn’t pay
any attention to them. They used a lot of derogatory words. One day while he was walking, a
person said to him, “Hey boy, you are working hard, but there are no jobs in Pakistan!” “I am not
studying for the job. I am studying for knowledge,” replied Reyan. After a year, Reyan had
gained good knowledge of English and computers, so he started teaching. This was a step
which would add to his knowledge and experience. Now he had left working at the shop and
looking after the buffaloes. His brothers didn't say much because what he was doing was better
than what they had given him to do.
Reyan finished his matriculation. It was time to make another important decision for his
future. What college to go to? Should he study science or business? He thought it all over and
decided to go to the Arts and Commerce College to study business. His brother didn't like the
idea of going to a Commerce College, but Reyan made him understand that this was something
he wanted to do. During his college days, he made some other goals for his life such as doing
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from a university. He kept teaching, studying, and
enjoying his life.
After Reyan finished college, where he earned his intermediate degree in commerce, he
prepared for university entrance exams with his friends at the library. He applied to three
different universities. He got admitted to the undergraduate program in Computer Science at
University of Sindh. The program at the university was quite tough for him, but he worked so
hard and made his presence felt. While working toward his bachelor’s degree, he also pursued
other degrees from other colleges. He earned an MA in English, too.
Reyan now runs an institute named The REAL Learning CENTER, where he teaches
computer skills and English. He thinks the best social work is giving knowledge to others and
educating them. In doing so, he also earns his living. His dreams have come true except for
becoming an actor. He still has a hope. He now has an online life list in which he adds new
goals and marks the achieved ones. He thinks that as long as life goes on, there are dreams.
Some dreams take a long time to come true and some very little. He says he hasn’t become an
actor because he didn’t take this goal seriously. He still thinks he might go on screen and
become an actor someday. Those people, who once made fun of Reyan, now call him ‘Sir’. He
often tells his students that your dreams will only remain dreams if you don't pursue them and
try very hard to make them come true. Everything that we want has its price that we have to
pay.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respond to the story: What are your achievements? Write a story about your achievements.
What plans do you have for your future? How do you struggle for your dreams?

It was August 16, 2014. I woke up early in the morning and decided to go to my father’s
grave to pray for him. As I prayed, I saw a very old man, walking with a stick. He was
going to the grave of his wife Sophiya, who had died just two days ago. As he
approached the grave, he burst into tears and cried out, “Why did you leave me? Take
me with you.” His love for his wife was so obvious from his pain.
I had seen them together since my childhood. They often went to the city on a donkey
cart. Their house was by the graveyard, and Sophiya often brought her buffaloes to
graze. My mother told me that my father used to call Sophiya his sister. Her village was
near our town. My father used to sell clothes in different villages; that is how he met
Sophiya. She was a poor, but brave woman. She wasn’t born into a Muslim family.
Sophiya had fallen in love with a Muslim man named Raheem Bukhsh.
Sophiya did everything for her love. She left her home, parents, and her religion. She
became Muslim and married Raheem. After becoming Muslim, her name was changed.
She was named Islaam. They were very poor, but their happiness was not dependent
on wealth. Their love was pure and without reserve. Raheem didn’t work much. It was
Islaam who managed to support the house by selling milk. They had five children: three
sons and two daughters.
I still remember how she often complained about her daughters-in-law and said they
didn’t treat her well. One of her sons died in a road accident. Her son’s sudden death
upset her and Raheem so much. After many years, they recovered from the pain of the
death of their young son. Islaam and her husband decided to sell their buffaloes and
make a pilgrimage to Mecca.
After they had arrived back to Pakistan, Islaam came to our house and told us about the
pilgrimage. Islaam and her husband had become very old, and they could not make
ends meet. Islaam took food from other people to satiate the hunger in their stomachs.
For years, they survived this way. On Eids, Islaam used to come and say, “Happy Eid.”
In 2014, on Eid-u-Fiter, the Eid which comes after Ramadan, she came to see us. I met
her. I didn’t know it was her last Eid. That day, she became seriously ill. She was taken
to the hospital. She was in the hospital for three days, but her health didn’t improve. The
doctors said she would not survive. Her husband took her home in the hope that she
would survive, no matter what the doctors said, but she could not survive any more.

The love and life of Islaam have always inspired me. She sacrificed everything for her
husband and always remained by his side through thick and thin. Old Raheem is also ill,
and suffering from the pain of separation from his beloved wife. I often find Raheem
weeping on his wife’s grave. Everything that we have in this world will not be with us
forever. We, too, will leave this world. Sometimes the pain of love makes life, and
sometimes it takes one’s life. In life having someone who loves us truly is a gift from
God. A man is mortal. One day, everybody has to leave this world. The only way we can
be in someone’s heart is through love. Islaam and Raheem Bukhsh’s life story will
always be in my mind and heart.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who burst into tears on Islaam’s grave and what did they say?
How had Islaam married Rahim Bukhsh?
Why was their love so strong?
Have you ever seen any couple whose love story is like Islaam’s?
What is the central message of this story?
How does this story effect your life?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rizwan’s websites:
Watch online grammar lessons: http://trlcl.eu5.org/grammar
Watch Video Poems: http://trlcl.eu5.org/videopoems
Download Books: http://trlcl.eu5.org/
General Knowledge app: http://trlcl.eu5.org/elearning.html
Picture Poems: http://rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery.html
Audio Poems: http://trlcl.eu5.org/audiopoems/
Blog: http://rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com/
Make friends with Rizwan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RizwanAhmedMemon
Follow Rizwan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/trlcl
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get SMS alerts of new writings, words, grammar, and quotes on your mobile, type:
FOLLOW (space) @TRLCL and send it to: 40404
Type: FOLLOW @TRLCL
Send to: 40404

Qasim, a ten-year-old boy, always believed in luck. In last five years, he had won
many competitions at his school, including a marathon, singing competition, and a pie-
eating contest. His father often told him to be optimistic, but also work hard.
One day at his school, the principal announced that there would be a quiz show.
Hearing that Qasim whispered into his friend’s ear, who was sitting beside him, “And I
will be the winner!” “I hope so.” replied his friend. Thinking that the luck would be on his
side as always, Qasim did not prepare much for the show. His parents were looking
forward to see another prize in his hands. “The quiz show is nearing. Are you preparing
for it?” said his father. Qasim in an annoyed manner replied, “Oh, come on, Dad! Let me
play the video game.” His father said, “What about the quiz?” “I will win. You will see,”
said Qasim. “Well, son you better wake up and smell the coffee. Everything doesn’t
come without hard work,” said his father.
The competition day came and all the students and their parents gathered.
Qasim was nervous, as he was not prepared. The quiz show started and from two
teams the team leader was supposed to answer. Qasim was his team’s leader. The
questioner asked, “Who gave the speech 'I Have a Dream'?” Qasim had not studied his
history book. He remained silent, but his opponent gave the correct answer: Martin
Luther King. On most of the questions, Qasim remained silent, for he had not studied.
The questions were from different subjects from his syllabus. Everybody laughed at
Qasim, and his mom and dad were very disappointed. Qasim lost the quiz program.
At night, Qasim came into his parent’s room and said, “I am sorry.” His father
encouraged him and said, “You work hard. Do not rely only on luck.” His mother further
added, “Look son, life is not a fairy tale that has some magic in it, which will fix
everything. On the contrary, life is all about action. If you rest, you rust.” Qasim gave his
word to the parents and said he would always work hard and would not rely just on luck.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did Qasim believe in hard work or luck?
Why did Qasim lose the quiz competition?
What did Qasim’s mother say to him?
Do you believe in luck or hard work?
What is the theme of the story?
Does the story make you cautious in your studies? If so, what difference will you make
in the future?

Hoping to catch a big fish, young, innocent Ahmed threw his net into the river with his
little hands. While he was sitting and waiting on the bank for the fish to swim into his
net, he saw light across the levee coming from the city streets and houses. He had
been to the city once. He had a memory in his mind of a school bus, which he had seen
when his father had taken him to sell the fish there. Ahmed was still thinking about the
city, when a fish gave him a start by jumping up and down in the net.
Running like the wind to his boat, he screamed, “Mother, mother, look, I have caught a
big fish!”
His mother with a smiling face said, “Bravo son! You will be a good fisherman like your
father.”
At supper time, when Ahmed’s mother served him his meal with fried fish, he inquired,
“Mother, have you ever seen a school bus?”
“Um, well, I have seen a bus, but I really haven’t seen a school bus,” replied his mother.
“I guess that must be for school children.”
Ahmed continued, “I saw one when I went to the city with father. There were children of
my age in it wearing strange clothes. Father told me that it was a school bus. Also, he
told me that school is a place where a man they call ʻteacherʻ instructs these boys and
girls.”
“Really?” his mother queried.
“Yes, mother.” Ahmed replied.
Ahmed kept talking about the city. While Ahmed was still talking about the city, his
mother drifted off to sleep.
The next day, when Ahmed’s father was preparing to take the basket of fish to sell in
the city, Ahmed told his father that he wanted to go with him, too. His father told him to
seek permission from his mother. At Ahmed’s constant imploring, his mother gave him
the permission.
On the way back to the river, Ahmed said to his father, “Father, why don’t we live in the

city? I want to go to school on that school bus with those children.”
Darkness was falling and the cattle, making noise with their bells around their necks,
were moving toward the town. Ahmed’s father said, “See, son, it is now getting late. We
must move fast to get to the river. We will talk about it tonight, when we are in the boat.”
Ahmed’s father pondered the question as they headed toward the river.
At night, when the three of them were in the boat having supper, Ahmed’s father said to
Ahmed, “Son, I want to answer your question now. God made this world. He made
Adam, the first human on the earth, from the dust. Eve, the first woman, was Adam’s
wife. All of us humans living in the world are offspring of Adam and Eve. If we all were
rich, living in cities, studying in schools, no one would be doing the work, and the world
would become unbalanced. So, God made some people rich and others poor to keep
the balance of the world. If we are living here in a boat on the bank of the Indus River in
Akil, it doesn’t mean we are inferior or that we are not worthy humans. No, we all are
worthwhile humans. However, God has chosen us to be poor and play our role among
the poor in His world which he runs solo. One cannot have all the joys of the world. We
here living and working on the bank of the Indus are living our life happily. Our source of
livelihood is fish, and we are thankful to God for this.”
Ahmed thought it was the will of God that the world is the way it is. He also believed that
it is the will of God that people are the way they are; so he never thought about the city
again. He lived happily and enjoyed fishing and playing with other boys on the river
bank.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why did Ahmed want to live in the city?
Was Ahmed’s desire to get educated wrong?
Who do you think was right, Ahmed or his father?
One has more chances to earn money in the city, so do you think the decision that
Ahmed’s father made was right?
How convincing do you think Ahmed’s father’s explanation was? Was it just an excuse
to silence the child to get his basic rights?
What is the moral of this story?
If you were Ahmed, what would you have done differently? Would you have just played
on the bank or you would have raised your voice against the decision?
You must have seen many children deprived of education, and engaged in child-labor.
Have you ever tried to help them get education?

Chapter: 1
It was a sunny day. Robbi was so delighted to win the prize in her class for an essay
competition. Her teacher told her that he was sure that one day Robbi would become a
great woman.
Robbi said to her teacher, “God willing, I will become a doctor.”
The teacher replied, “God wills that. I know because He has given you all the abilities
which a successful doctor should have.”
Robbi went home and showed her mother the prize. Robbi’s mother was happy too, but
her father didn’t seem very happy about it. Robbi’s father was a drunkard; her mother
had to pay for her education. Financially, she made ends meet by doing needlework.
Besides going to school, Robbi also helped her mother with household chores and with
needlework.
Years passed and Robbi eventually made it to grade nine. One night Robbi’s father said
to her mother, “Robbi has now grown up.”
Her mother said to him, “No, she is still young, but why do you say that?”
He said, “Now Robbi won’t need to go to school anymore.”
Her mother said, “No, she still has to study. She wants to be a doctor.”
“A doctor, impossible!” he said.
“She is the most clever girl in the class, why can’t she be a doctor?!” asked her mother.
Her father replied, “Because the time has come for her to go to her real home.”
“Are you thinking about Robbi’s marriage? She is still too young,” she said.
“Well, sooner or later she has to go; the sooner the better.” said Robbi’s father. He
added further, “I have already talked to my old friend. He has a son who works in the

fields, that will be better for her. I don’t want to talk about it anymore; that’s final.”
In the morning when Robbi was getting ready to go to school, her mother said to her,
“Stay at home today.”
Robbi said, “Why, dear mother?”
She said, “I have a lot of work today and I want you to help me.”
Robbi said, “Alright, if you say so, I am not going.”
So on that day her mother told her that her father was going to get her married. Robbi’s
heart was torn into pieces. Her mother said to her, “It is inevitable. I can do nothing; nor
can you refuse. If we go against your father’s will, we will both be in trouble. So it is
better to be quiet and endure.”
Robbi’s dreams were shattered. She felt a storm inside her, and she wanted to cry so
loudly that her voice would break the sky. She fell asleep weeping and sobbing.
In a few days, Robbi’s father married her off. Now she wandered aimlessly through life
as if she were already dead.
Chapter: 2
Robbi was only fourteen. She was studying in the hope of becoming a doctor when her
father married her off. She was married to Zaman, who worked in the fields. All of
Robbi’s dreams were shattered before they could come to fruition. Her husband treated
her as if she was a servant or slave. He punished her, abused her, and harassed her.
He commanded her to look after the buffaloes and cows. She milked them and grazed
them near the bank of the river a short distance from the fields where her husband
worked.
Robbi gave birth to Rabia at the age of fifteen. Robbi and her daughter were weak due
to Robbi’s pregnancy at a very young age. Early marriage led to many detrimental
effects upon Robbi’s health. It had been more than a year since Robbi had seen her
mother. Robbi’s father never allowed Robbi’s mother to visit Robbi; neither did Robbi’s
husband.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years as
Robbi continued to bear all the injustices that her husband administered to her. In rural

areas of Sindh, a province of Pakistan, it is common for men to treat women in this way.
Very few women raise their voices against the oppression. Robbi would never resist, but
she had decided that she would never let her daughter fall victim to this abuse.
One night, Robbi said to Zaman, “Saeen, Rabia is now five. We need to send our
daughter to school.” (In Sindhi the word ‘Saeen’ is used for someone who is admired or
respected.)
“School? Don’t you know in our village girls are not allowed to attend school? She will
never go to school,” her husband replied.
“But Saeen, she must get a primary education, at least, so that she can read and write
our native Sindhi language.”
“I don’t like your explanations and answering back. I said she will never go. Now get out
of my sight!” he shouted angrily.
Young Rabia was watching and listening to her parents arguing about her from the
window. In her heart, Rabia hated her father because she had seen him beating her
mother many times. One day, Robbi went to graze the cattle, as usual. Normally, Rabia
would stay at home with her grandparents. Her grandparents had never cared much for
Robbi or Rabia because they had been disappointed when Robbi did not give birth to a
boy. On this particular day, Robbi decided that she would begin to take her daughter out
with her to graze the cattle. Robbi had learned reading and writing in Sindhi when she
was a child, and she also knew a little bit of English. She decided that she would
educate her daughter herself while the cattle grazed.
One night, Robbi called her daughter, “Rabia? Rabia? Where are you?”
“Ami, I am here with grandpa.”
“Won’t you let me read you a new story tonight?”
“Oh, yes.”
That night Robbi told Rabia about her plan. Robbi had originally thought that Zaman
would do the same for their daughter as Robbi’s father had done for her. “At least I have
gotten my primary education. I have to do something for my daughter, otherwise in this
male-dominated society my daughter will be deprived of even basic education,” she
whispered to herself.

The next day, as usual, Robbi woke up early, milked the buffaloes, churned the Lassi,
and fed the cattle. When she served breakfast to her husband, she told him, “Saeen, I
want to take Rabia with me. She will learn grazing the cattle and cutting the grass. She
is not going to school, so she better learn the household chores.”
“All right. Keep a close eye on her,” he agreed.
After Zaman had gone, Robbi and her daughter left to graze the cattle. Along the way,
she gave Rabia two hundred rupees, which she had earned by selling the milk. The
money was used to buy two pens, (one red and one blue), a notebook, and a first grade
text book from the village general store. Robbi also gave her a palm straw bag, in which
she packed her lunch. Rabia purchased all these things and put them in the bag.
When they reached the river, the cattle started grazing, and they both started the
lessons. On their first day, Robbi taught her daughter some letters of the alphabet of
their native language. For five years they studied in this way; hiding their books from
everyone. Usually, children do their homework at their homes, but Rabia did hers at the
river bank. Rabia eventually learned to read and write the Sindhi language, and a little
bit of English.
Read complete the story at: RizwanAhmedMemon.blogspot.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
True to his nature the man closed one more chapter of injustice with Robbi.
I wonder how many Robbis would yet be killed, sold and kidnapped etcetera! That so
called civilized man should know that the woman is also a human. She breathes the
same way as he does. Her heart beats as his, and like him she has emotions, too. Let
her live her life!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Should Robbi have raised her voice against her father’s decision?
Are men superior to women?
What is the message of the story?
As a male, do you treat women like Robbi’s father and husband did?
How can women be equal to men in a male-dominated society?
What impact does this story have on you?
What can you say about the author’s efforts to support women and prevent oppression
by men through these stories? Write an email and tell the author at this address

Characters:
Pretto = The father of Parrot
Pretty = The mother of Parrot
Parrot = Little bird son of Pretto and Pretty
Joe = Hunter who takes away Parrot from his nest
Erik = Little boy who buys Parrot from the zoo
Angel = Young, handsome man whom Parrot is sold by Erik’s parents
Anglia = A beautiful woman who gets married with Angel
1. The Parrot
At the crack of the dawn, Pretty and Pretto left their nest to find the food. They
discussed the coming of their first child. Pretty said now it will not be long before their
little baby bird would come in this world. She further said, “The shape of the egg
indicates that it will soon hatch and let our baby bird out into this beautiful forest.” Pretto
added, “I am looking forward to seeing my first child. It would bring such happiness.”
While flying, they bumped into a field and came down to eat some grain. Then they
went back to the nest. Pretty set on the egg. There they thought of a name for their
child. They decided that they would call their child Parrot.
2. Birth of Parrot
The days went by and the moment Pretty and Pretto had waited for finally came. The
egg cracked and a little weak bird as tender as a bud appeared. Pretty and Pretto were
on cloud nine to see their small lovely child. “Welcome, welcome to this amazing world,”

they said to the little bird. The little bird saw them and knew they were his father and
mother. Pretty fed the newborn bird with her beak. This moment was one of the best
moments for the parents of Parrot. They both were thrilled to pieces. Time kept passing
and Parrot was growing older. The parents of Parrot took great care of him. If Pretty
went for grain, Pretto would stay in the nest to look after Parrot. If Pretto went, Pretty
would stay. The feathers of Parrot were also getting bigger rapidly. It seemed he would
be ready to fly very soon.
3. Time to Fly from the Nest
One night the parents of Parrot said to him, “The time has come for you to learn how to
fly; tomorrow we will give you your first flying lesson.” After hearing that, Parrot became
very ecstatic and anxious to fly. He said to them, “So, it will be my first attempt to touch
the sky. How wonderful it will be!” Finally, that day came, and the three made their
minds up to go in the early morning. They left the nest and came to an open ground.
There Pretto first gave instructions to Parrot about flying, and then he said him to watch
how he was flying and do the same. Parrot thought it was as easy as falling off a log.
When he made his first attempt to fly, he fell down, he could not move his wings
properly. Then he tried for the second time. Now he was a little more successful. He
tried again and again and each time he performed better and better. Parrot became
very tired. So, they stopped and said it was enough for today. Pretto said to Pretty, “Our
Parrot would soon learn to fly.” She replied, “I think so.” Then slowly they came back to
the nest. Late at night the three chatted. Pretty and Pretto decided to go to gather grain
together early in the morning, and then they would go with Parrot for giving him the
second lesson of flying. This was first time that they both were leaving Parrot alone in
the nest. They thought Parrot now could take care of himself very well, and could stay in
the nest on his own.
4. Arrival of a Hunter
In early morning Pretty and Pretto left the nest to bring some grain from the field. They
did not take Parrot because they wanted him to rest and get enough sleep. It was a very
fine morning. The drowsy breeze was blowing, which kept Parrot asleep. The birds in
the forest started singing lovely songs. The shafts of the sun entered the nest and fell
on the face of Parrot and woke him up. Seeing nobody around him, Parrot felt a little
scared, but he took heart. Parrot added to the songs of other birds of the forest with his
own melodious voice. Parrot’s voice was very pleasant and pure. Near that forest where
Parrot lived with his parents was a small village, and there lived a hunter by the name of
Joe. Joe made ends meet by hunting animals and birds in the forest.
He sometimes sold the animals and birds in a city or kept them for food. On that day,
the hunter had also left to hunt early in the morning. He encountered a dense shadowy
tree; it was the tree in which Parrot’s nest was. The hunter had a meal and some water
with him. He decided to sit under that tree and have breakfast. While eating, he enjoyed
the beautiful sounds of different birds in the trees. A sound coming from the tree under
which he was sitting drew his attention. “That bird has the sweetest voice of all the birds
in the forest,” he said to himself. It was the voice of Parrot. He liked that voice so much

that he wanted to see and catch the bird. The moment he finished his breakfast, he
climbed up the tree to the top, leaving all other nests until he came to the nest of Parrot.
He saw Parrot and quickly grabbed him so tight in his hands. Parrot screamed, cried,
and shouted. Parrot bit the hunter trying to escape, but the bird’s efforts were in vain.
5. Parrot in a Cage
The hunter took Parrot away to his village. He made his mind up to keep this bird at
home to listen to his songs and beautiful voice every day. Parrot was in great trouble
now. His wings were cut and he was put in a cage. Sobbing and crying, he bore all the
pain. Would he be in the cage forever? This question revolved in his mind all the time.
He had hope. He seemed quite optimistic. He thought someday he would be out of his
cage.
6. Pretty and Pretto’s Sorrow
When Pretty and Pretto came back to the nest, to their surprise the nest was empty.
They called for Parrot loudly, but received no reply from any direction. They looked for
Parrot in every nook and cranny of the jungle, but Parrot was nowhere. They were filled
with the fear that he might have flown for food and become victim of some giant animal.
The parents of Parrot were very sad and worried. They waited for Parrot for several
days, but he didn’t turn up.
7. Parrot Learns Human Language
A year passed. Parrot was well fed and his feathers had grown again. Above all he
learned human language, the natural language. Parrot used to listen and watch the
hunter carefully when he talked to him or with others, and used to imitate the hunter.
Slowly and gradually, Parrot became able to communicate fully in human language.
8. Parrot is Sold
Once the hunter Joe became so ill that he even couldn’t go for hunting for several days,
and he ran out of money. He was in great need of money, so he decided to sell Parrot
so that he could earn some money to fulfill his needs. Joe managed to go to the city and
went to a zoo. There he talked to the owner of the zoo. “I have a Parrot, who can speak
as we human speak, and I want to sell him. Would you buy it?” he asked from the owner
of the zoo. The owner of the zoo saw and thought this bird would be auspicious for the
zoo and will be great source of drawing attention of the visitors. So, he bought Parrot on
high price.
9. Parrot at the Zoo
Parrot was put in a cage again but this time it was in a zoo, for the exhibition and
entertainment of the people. It was almost the same for Parrot, but he felt he was better
in the previous cage, because he had a peaceful atmosphere around him. Parrot was
unhappy there he prayed God to get him out of the zoo.

10. Parrot Gets out of the Zoo
God listened to Parrot. One day a very rich family with a little, innocent and cute boy
named Erik came to visit the zoo. When Erik saw Parrot and talked to him, he forgot to
see other animals in the zoo and spent hours with the Parrot. When it was time to go,
Erik told his parents that he wanted to take that parrot with him. Erik’s parents said,
“You cannot take that bird home. It is for this zoo.” But Erik didn’t listen and kept crying
for Parrot, and he even refused to go home without Parrot. So, Erik’s Parents had to
buy Parrot and the owner of the zoo sold for double the price.
11. Parrot on Cloud Nine with the Boy
Now Parrot was in very big house, where every comfort could be found. Erik and Parrot
were so happy with each other that they played together, they slept together, and they
ate together. All the time they were together.
12. Parrot is Sold for the Second Time
Since the day Erik purchased Parrot, he stopped paying attention to his studies and
complained about school. Seeing this, Erik’s parents decided to sell Parrot within a few
days so that their child would study again. When Erik came to find out about this, he
didn’t respond or resist; he told Parrot that his parents were going to sell him. Parrot
said, “All right, but I don’t want to go back to that noisy zoo." Erik assured him that his
parents wouldn’t give him to the zoo.
13. Parrot with a Young Man
Erik’s parents sold Parrot to a young, handsome and very kind man named Angel. In a
very short period of time they became close friends. Angel was so kind that he felt guilty
if he kept Parrot in the cage, so he let him move about freely all the time. Parrot could
have escaped, but he considered that wouldn't be fair. Parrot didn’t want to break the
confidence which the man had in him. So, Parrot never tried to run way.
14. Angel Tells Parrot His Love Story
One day Angel was so sad, and Parrot asked the reason. Angel did not say a word.
After some days Angle grew even more worried and upset. Parrot kept asking why that
was so. Finally, Angel told him and said, “I love Anglia, my classmate." And so Angel
told Parrot his love story, sparing nothing. Angel loved Anglia with all his heart; he was
now unable to live without her. Parrot could not bear to see the condition of Angel and
decided to go to Anglia and tell her everything.
15. Parrot Goes to Anglia
The next evening in evening Parrot got a chance when Angel was out of the home, so
he flew and went to Anglia’s house. When Parrot saw Anglia out on lawn of her house,

he said she must be Anglia. Parrot saw her beauty. He flew and sat on a branch of a
little tree beside her and said, “Good evening.” Anglia replied with great surprise. She
couldn’t believe a bird had spoken. Parrot told her everything and requested that she
marry Angel and said that she would be happy all of her life if she married Angel
because he loved her so much.
16. Anglia Marries Angel
Days kept going by and Anglia was constantly in world of her own thinking of Angel and
his love for her. It was not long before she also fell in love with Angel and made her
mind up to marry him. Angel and Anglia got married. They lived happily together, and
Parrot was quite pleased in their company.
17. Parrot Tells the Couple His Story
On one fine day they three went on a picnic to the beach. There they enjoyed
themselves. After swimming, they sat together and ate the food which they had brought.
While discussing several things, Anglia asked Parrot how he had learnt to speak and
where he came from. Parrot told them the complete story of his life. The couple was so
sorry to hear the tragic tale of Parrot.
18. Angel and Anglia Free Parrot
Parrot’s past was full of troubles and bad moments of agony and pain, knowing this Angel and
Anglia wanted Parrot to live happily now wherever he wanted in full freedom. They asked
Parrot, “Do you miss your parents?” Parrot replied, “Yes, a lot every moment!” “And do you want
to go and live with them?” they asked him. Parrot became silent, and then he said a bird would
be happy with birds! Angel and Anglia saw that there was a hidden wish in Parrot to live with his
parents, so they said Parrot, “if you want to go to your homeland and spend your life there with
your parents, we allow you with all our heart.”
19. Parrot Goes to His Homeland Forever
Parrot was happy and sad, too. Happy because he was going to meet his parents after all those
years, and sad because he was losing good people and friends. However, they would always
miss one another and would live in one another’s memories. Angel and Anglia felt sorrow too,
but they understood it was better for Parrot. Parrot thanked them and couple thanked him, too,
saying if he had not been there, they would have never met. Their eyes filled up with tears some
tears were out of happiness and some out of sorrow, thus Parrot flew up in the sky and left for
his homeland forever. Angel and Anglia kept watching Parrot until he went out of sight and kept
saying Good-bye.
Moral: In life, you may face troubles, hurdles, or difficulties. You could become the victim of
some disaster, bear some kind of pain, or experience some other torment. Remember to be
patient; the day when everything will be all right will come soon. All these things are the plan of
God to make you more efficient, experienced and skillful. Always be ready to face everything
that comes in your life.

It was the end of Rizwan’s last semester at the university. He was sitting in the library.
Looking at the huge shelves of books, he thought about what gift he should give to his
fiancée when he got married.
The idea of a ring came to his mind. “But every groom gives a ring to his wife,” he said
to himself. “What is something more special than a ring?” he asked himself. He was still
thinking about the gift when his thoughts diverted to the first night of their marriage. He
asked himself, “What will I talk about on our first night?” “I will tell her how difficult my
university life was. I will tell her that I missed her so much," he whispered to himself.
Considering the things he would say to his fiancée on their first night, he wondered if
she, too, was thinking what she would say on that first night. “She might be thinking
about me or she might not," he said to himself. “She is a shy girl, and we have never
even talked on phone!” he said to himself. “Isn’t our love special? We have only seen
each other two or three times from a distance. Our family customs don’t allow a boy and
girl to be in contact until they are married,” he whispered to himself. Rizwan took his bag
and started to put his books in it. A book fell from his hand to the floor. A dried rose
dropped out of the book. He took the rose and remembered he had plucked it from the
garden the day they were announced engaged. He had plucked the flower for Angly, but
he was away from her at the university. He had kept it for her in the book. “Wow. A four-
year-old rose smells almost the same as it did the day I plucked it! What can be more
special than this rose which is as old as our engagement?” he said to himself.
Rizwan decided that he would give that old, dried rose to his fiancée, Angly. He put all
his books in his bag and left of the library. On his way to the hostel, he kept thinking
about the rose. “The petals of the rose have dried, but its fragrance is still there. As I
have preserved my love for Angly, the rose has preserved its fragrance for her,” he
thought. “A ring or some jewelry are man-made things, but I have something which God
has made. A rose, a symbol of love.” He kept thinking, and when he reached his room,
he took the flower out and looked at it again. Then he placed the dried rose on his shelf,
his intended gift for Angly, which he would give her on their first night.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In your opinion, what is more valuable the dried rose or the ring?
If you were Rizwan, what would you have given to your fiancée?
Do you support love marriages or arranged marriages?
Should a couple be in contact before marriage?
Do you think love can decrease while being in contact before marriage?
Do you agree that in true love; money, wealth or jewelry isn’t important?

There were different living animals in the River Indus, and they came from different
parts of Pakistan and India. The river flowed far away into the ocean. In between many
species were caught by humans for their food and other uses. Among those species
was a fish with golden gills.
A scholarly traveler from Egypt had brought the fish, and he had thrown it into the River
Indus. People say the traveler had been sent by God with that special gift which
humans had lost.
One fine morning a fisherman was fishing, and he saw that something golden had come
into his net. He didn’t notice it was a fish. He took all the other fish from the net, but he
didn’t touch that golden fish. When he threw his net on the bank, half in water, the
golden fish started to move. He then realized it was a fish. He quickly tried to catch it,
but the fish was gone. At noon, he told other fishermen that he had seen a golden fish.
At first, the sailors made fun of him saying he had gone crazy, but then after a few days
one other fisherman saw it. They all decided to catch the fish and keep it separate in a
pond where it might give them baby fish with golden gills.
All the fishermen gathered and threw their nets in the river from different directions.
They continued their search for three days. The sailors caught a lot of fish and other
species. They distributed a huge amount of fish among the villagers and sold everything
in the city for a lower price. On the third day, a little boy, a son of a fisherman, brought a
little net in his hands and said, “Are you searching for this fish? It is already dead!”
The villagers and fishermen thought that they killed the fish, and if they had not made
any mess in the river, the humans would have gotten golden fish. They thought that
God had sent them a gift which they lost because of their greed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you were one of the fishermen, what would you have done?
What message has the author portrayed in this story?
In your life have you ever been that greedy about something? Share the experience
with a classmate, friend or the teacher.
How many days did the fishermen continue their search?
What damage did they cause to the life of fishes, frogs, tortoises and other species?
Greed is a curse. Explain. Write a short essay and show it to the teacher, friend etc..
Tell the story to your friend, classmate or teacher in your own words.
Send your feelings, ideas about the story to the author on his email,

The reflections author rizwan ahmed memon trlcl rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com

The reflections author rizwan ahmed memon trlcl rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (8)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (9)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The reflections author rizwan ahmed memon trlcl rizwanahmedmemon.blogspot.com