Colors of the Wind

Two things:

1. This song is absolutely amazing.
2. Pocahontas' voice/feelings in this song perfectly mimic how I feel like I am characterized in Western society as well as my view of both the Earth and of general Western society.

                                                                   Lyrics

You think I'm an ignorant savage And you've been so many places I guess it must be so But still I cannot see If the savage one is me How can there be so much that you don't know? You don't know ... You think you own whatever land you land on The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim But I know every rock and tree and creature Has a life, has a spirit, has a name You think the only people who are people Are the people who look and think like you But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger You'll learn things you never knew you never knew Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned? Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth Come roll in all the riches all around you And for once, never wonder what they're worth The rainstorm and the river are my brothers The heron and the otter are my friends And we are all connected to each other In a circle, in a hoop that never ends How high will the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you'll never know And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon For whether we are white or copper skinned We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains We need to paint with all the colors of the wind You can own the Earth and still All you'll own is Earth until You can paint with all the colors of the wind

 Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
 Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Asalaam-O-Alaikum [May the peace and blessings of God be upon you].

Celebrating Diversity

Sometimes I don't understand how it is possible for people to be so close-minded. How can people bar themselves from understanding cultures and religions that are different from their own? The world is full of people who are different from you. When one is close minded, he cages himself up into a small space with only the same things to experience again and again. Diversity is so beautiful and refreshing!

I also do not understand how anyone in the world can possibly find himself as superior to another, specifically regarding race. One could just as easily have been born black as white. Then his lifestyle would be completely different from what it is now. This truth rationally explains why we should treat each other equally. We are all humans! Instead of thinking of people in group form, look at the individual and you will see how close we are to each other.

This is why I don't like it when people say they "are tolerating of others." It makes it seem as if diversity is something to be tolerated . We should celebrate our differences; they allow us to gain perspective and knowledge, even if we personally do not agree with them.

While I understand that this may all be wishful thinking, I believe that living in a diverse environment is an effective way to overcome prejudice. Because actions are more effective than words, watching people of different races, genders, and religions live their day to day lives helps us understand one another better and break internal biases we have due to our backgrounds. Eventually, there comes a point where differences combine to form a beautiful mosaic, in which all the different pieces fit each other perfectly. Gaps are bridged by common factors which increase understanding, leading to the overall advancement of humanity. So I am not exactly dreaming, am I? It seems like "the perfect world" may not be so hard to reach. 

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

Salam [Peace]. 

Coke Studio

So there is this show in Pakistan. and it produces the best music. in the ENTIRE world. Think I am kidding? I'm not. This is what the Coke Studio Facebook page has in its information section:

"Coke Studio embodies a musical fusion of exciting elements and diverse influences, ranging from traditional eastern, modern western and regionally inspired music. Bringing alive the magic of live recordings and performances, Coke Studio prides itself on providing a musical platform which bridges barriers, celebrates diversity, encourages unity and instils a sense of Pakistani pride. Coke Studio is an inspired step by Coca-Cola for having created a platform where renowned as well as upcoming and less mainstream musicians from various genres can collaborate musically."

It truly is an extreme fusion between Western modern music and Eastern classical music. I find every song worthwhile, but here are some of them. Many of them have the [cc] button, which will translate the lyrics underneath the video when clicked. Please do check them out.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. I will probably do a more serious post with some of my favorites, but that is all for now.

Asalaam-O-Alaikum [May the peace and blessings of God be upon you].

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Wonderful Kwanzaa, as well as an amazing anything-else-I-am-leaving-out. I also wanted to share a fun fact in this post. Did you you know that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was born on December 25th? It's true! He was born on Christmas. I learned that today and I found it interesting, so I decided to share. The picture below is one of him juxtaposed with the Pakistani flag.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

Asalaam-O-Alaikum [May the peace and blessings of God be upon you].

You Don't Celebrate Thanksgiving, Do You?

I have been asked some variation of this question many times. Yes, I do! Why wouldn't I? Thanksgiving is an American holiday, not a religious one. Now comes the next question: "You aren't American, are you?" Yes, folks, I have most definitely have been asked this question. Despite the fact that I've lived in America since I was a few months old, received all of my education in America, and have an American passport, because I don't look like a typical (read middle class Caucasian Christian) American, I can't possibly be one. Look at the picture below. What do you see? A typical Thanksgiving dinner.

(Note about images: Not all of the images in my blog are mine, and credit goes to those who own the pictures.)

These are the things that make me feel alienated in this country, the things that make me feel like maybe I shouldn't be American, because I certainly am not seen as one; I get treated like a second class citizen all the time. Sometimes I feel like there is something wrong with me; who I am is not enough. I have to fight off the stares and the comments everyday. I continually find myself having to defend my beliefs, which are just not accepted. Nevertheless, I know one thing for sure: I will not give up. I will continue to look up at the sky and remember the big goals. I will continue to fight off stereotypes and try to educate people about who I am and what I believe in. I will continue to smile, and look at the bright side, and I am thankful for being given the patience to do so.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.


Salam [Peace].