(A Walk to Remember)

A Grandeur Walk on the Sky

Skywalk on the Canyon, (A Walk to Remember)

The Grand Canyon, one of the natural wonders of the world. It is magnificent and magical. An experience of a life time

Ifra Khoso, Yahoo Contributor Network
Apr 27, 2012
 

I decided to head towards the mountains of Arizona after watching the famous Bellagio water show from top of the Replica Eiffel Tower of the sin city and tipping the gondolier for the song on the Gondola ride at the Venetian. Its 2 &1/2 to 3 hours' from the shimmering strip, if you take the I-93 South. As the Vegas sky scrapers start to diminish from the view, I entered the natural grandeur of the desert and the blackish mountains marveled my eyes. The drive was placid and I was engulfed with the majestic imperceptible magic unmasked by the "Concealed Illusionist". The entire desert was adorned by the Joshua trees and perfect layering of the rocks, some reddish brown in various regions. The route took the turn to Pierce Ferry road and I drove some 30 miles on it, welcomed by bulls, tepees, horse ranches and sharp curves that reminded me of the speedy roller coaster rides.
From there the drive was further 30 miles on the Diamond bar road and signs of the Grand Canyon skywalk added ambiance to the environs. The road was unpaved for at least the last 10 miles and finally I arrived at the Grand Canyon airport. Here the bus further took us into the canyon and the memorable skywalk was just within five minutes away.
Already at some 4000ft, the air was chilly and crisp. It had rained a day earlier so the weather was acceptably cold. The bus driver gave us a short epilogue about the history of the surroundings and the wait time.
Homes of the Hualapai tribe stretch from this Canyon and goes as far as San Francisco. After about two minutes, my eyes popped. The sight behold was nothing to what I had just a few hours seen in Las Vegas. After going through the birth process of my babies, this will take second place in my wow list.
My eyes have previously saluted the masterminds behind many beautiful sky scrapers, bridges and buildings in several places. My taste buds have been refined and elated by delicacies of diverse chefs and bakers. I have had opportunities to be in the company of accomplished individuals. But never my mind has been so baffled and unbolted its fragile chambers at the same time, as did the majestic Grand Canyon. Grand by its entire definition, as I looked down as much as could muster, the perfect showcase of mainly the layered sedimentary rocks and the Colorado River. The Canyon had its own language. If gods were send down again, this place would be no doubt their regal dwelling. It seemed to be cloaking walloping enigmas within its arms and at the same time illuminating the abundance of Mother Nature.


At the entrance, my carefully enclosed shoes with plastic touched the approximately 4 inch glass. Yes, this was the pathway made up of glass slabs in a "U" shape. The railings were also of glass and once you walk on it, it undeniably feels like walking in the sky. I was told that the entire structure could sustain an 8.0 magnitude earth quake.
To see below 4000ft straight into the Canyon is simply pure magic. As I started walking with butterflies in my stomach, gaze fixed down at the Canyon, my mind was completely blown away from its depth. The stepped layers and the spiked reddish, blackish rocks neatly and symmetrically piled together. The perfect architectural natural wonder of the world which no modern sky scrapers can ever replace. A walk which I will remember for a very long time.

Published by Ifra Khoso
 

 

 

Parenting: What it truly is?

The "i" Society

By
Ifra Khoso (Arborland Montessori)

 

 | Parenting – Wed, Apr 4, 2012

 

 "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination"
Albert Einstein
While passing a table of four at a local restaurant, my eyes couldn't escape the funny sight. Two children under the age of five each heavily engrossed with their personal i pads. Their dad busy with his own i device. I chuckled as the lady at the table shifted her gaze from one to the next. The perfect "i "family.
True, with advancements in technology life has become easier and globally we are just a click, an app or a tab away from each other.
"It is a small world", phrase describes the "i" gadgets strikingly. The entire world, well almost, is summed up in mini sized icons on the screen of this device.
Apart from making calls, its prime function; it is helpful in doing homework, makes shopping hell easy and is a convenient baby sitter. It is even your buddy when boredom and loneliness raids and cracks you up with its creative answers to your monologue questions.
The fourth grade state testing requires children to know how to use a manual dictionary and which source to look into to locate a place. No, the answer is definitely not a website or an app.
Today, times have surely changed. Our children use sophisticated tools to look up for a meaning, do research online and instead of working on their penmanship and creativity, they polish their skills of, "copy and paste".
We need to ponder hard that whether usage of these mechanisms is beneficial in the long run.
Usually we proudly complement our little ones saying that how genius they are in grasping the latest moving technologies but become defensive when it comes to acquiring basic social surviving skills such as self-feeding and toilet training. What we have forgotten is the simple fact, young minds are extremely absorbent. They mould accordingly to their environment.
Technology has to be for the betterment of the society with correct usage at the correct time is essential as it can only go so far and then comes the human mind.

              

Special Poem for my Son on his 9th Birthday.

 

 

A Special Poem Composed Only for My Son, Mir Essa Khoso on His 9th Birthday. April 06, 2012

 

 By Ifra Khoso (Arborland Montessori) | At Home – Fri, Apr 6, 2012

 

 

 

For the man in my life who revealed the truth about it all
His little fingers entwined with mine and forever we began to fall
In this lasting journey of reliance, amity and love
With reverence tailing our paths, above
He is my forte, dream and pride
He says for him, I am the best alright
I still vividly remember when I held him first in my arms
His captivating smile,
His twinkling eyes,
His coos and cries
With each passing year he grew and prospered
And kept nurturing me when my strength wouldn't muster
He is nine now and I wonder where time went...
When my little baby became the boy he is today
I pray to Almighty that may he continually be blessed
With the kind personality that he possess
May he always be respectful to all
And burning fire to learn never fall
May he climb with humility the ladder of success
And rise with dignity with each tumbling step
May he become the source of inspiration for all
And may he be the candle which others want
He says I am the best cook
And hugs me tight
To me he will always be my little guy
Who showed me what it truly means to "Fly High". By: Ifra Khoso

Happy 9th birthday Essa :-)

Parents define their children: LITERALLY.

For happy children who are able to transition themselves effortlessly in an environment heavily matters on their “Parents’ attitude” towards it. Children from their conception time till five years of age are highly receptive and sensitive to sensations and reactions. It is their natural defense mechanism gifted to them by nature and it is because of their E.Q ( Emotional Intelligence) and not I.Q ( Intelligent Quotient) that they develop their mental health.  Mental health plays a significant protagonist in their emotions, character building, stability in behaviour and positive developments in personality traits. While some of us may be of the view that individual mannerisms are purely genes being passed down from generation to generation, it is of utmost observation that constructive enhancement  and furtherance of personalities only comes when a child feels safe and accepted.

 Although safety is a simple word, its meaning in comparison is very drastic. A child not only needs to be physically safe in his whereabouts but also emotionally secured.  He should not only expect his well-being from the environment but also be AWARE that he is equally an important part of making sure that his movements, mannerisms and words need to be of apt and adequate. The responsibility of bringing such awareness lies with the adults.

"The foremost job of a parent is to be a parent first".
In all good honesty and love we, as parents primarily forget that raising a child means raising a human being who will interact with not solely them but with the community at large.

Sometimes we love NOT to actually “LOVE” in the true, sincere sense. And more than anything it is this “LOVE” that eventually takes its toll and becomes the ONLY hindrance in a child’s development and progression.

What is acceptance? Some of the parents over the years I have encountered feel it is the golden birth right of their child to be accepted by everyone he or she encounters with. The simple truth, NO, it’s not.  Just like your child may or may not like his cousins, neighbour’s children and peers at school. May think that uncle John is the meanest person in the family. Guess what, so may others about your child.  And it’s fine.

Parents who constantly try to in foster in their children that he or she is the best, are actually in reverse laying foundation of an insecure personality trait.  

. Confident people accept their drawbacks and work towards improvements. They don’t rely on simply “Being known as the BEST”.          

. The adjective “BEST” has no substantial meaning in the “REAL” world. We may strive to achieve what is the “BEST”, but at the same time the term itself is so subjective that its literal meaning is well suited solitary in fairy tales just like the term, “HAPPILY EVER AFTER”.

Parents who are always chanting the slogan of “My child is always right” are prime examples of shaken rationalism.  It is this undercover, unseen anxiety that the child is highly receptive of and able to sense rather than the practical act of insistence of the "Slogan".  Therefore it is this anxiety trait which lingers on in the child and such children in return become negative ambassadors of the society. They develop characteristics of bullies without the realization because that is the abyss, they were brought up into. These children hide inside their feebly knitted webs which were early on spun by their own parents.

As parents we should always attempt to emphasis on the E.Q rather than the I.Q. An emotionally stable child will be eager to absorb, enthusiast to acquire and open to criticism which is the key for advancement and evolution. Without necessary criticism learning loses its wings and acuity takes a back seat instead the path to sapped vision is paved and fertilized.

But before we sow the seeds of confidence in our growing little children we should be certain of our serenity first.

. Happy confident people do not rely on others to bring the best out in them. Nobody needs anybody for that. Positive individuals may be an inspiration but neither them nor the negative ones can be held responsible for one’s actions. One should SOLELY rely on his morals and strengths. Peers, friends, relatives and other social entities may array from good to best and from best to worse, they should not become our " Personality Definitions".

. People, who are content within, take responsibility of their own actions, words and mannerisms. On the contrary those who struggle with their inner harmony, always wind up holding others responsible for their deeds.

. People who are in constant need of attention are usually prey to imbalance emotional strength.  They feel they are entitled to be acknowledged for their every effort.

. As human beings we need to come to an understanding that we are part of a cosmos where everyone is required to play their individual role in synchronization with others around not SOLELY to himself.

Let’s as parents brood over on our complexities and look within ourselves for amendments before we think ourselves to be the ace of our own child’s growth and development. Let’s look from a broader perspective for all children not just our own. It is definitely not ENTIRELY them, forming the society; they are, but mere specks on a lens which magnifies the whole.

 BY: Ifra  N.Khoso

 

 

 

 

"NAYA PAKISTAN " ( HOPE WITH IMRAN KHAN).

As a first generation immigrant from Pakistan, I have always been gratified to associate myself with my birth place although find it very heart wrenching when people around me ask, where are you from , socket out my heavy Paki, British accent  and obviously my so identified popularity of being a Muslim. It’s even more astonishing when after told that I am originally from Pakistan, the queries begin, where is that? Or what country is that?  Apparently it was my bias mind set of people’s general knowledge and for the longest of time I laughed at their so- created bubble in which they resided.

 Until of course the Bin Laden façade and his hidden place, a region in Pakistan. Until  Of course the so known popular religion which has suddenly become the talk of the town thanks to some psychopaths who feel the necessity of associating themselves  with this beautiful  religion. The religion whose greeting in translation means, “May Peace be with you”.

All of a sudden I find myself, being looked with a very questioning, inquisitive and mocking eye, Oh so you are from Pakistan, is it where the women are bound to cover their faces? and isn’t it  “The Muslim” country.

My answer to such negligence has always been with a polite smile no, women are not restricted and yes, it is Islamic Republic of Pakistan. With History legends from Founders such as Quaid-e-Azam, Poets like, Allama Iqbal and Faiz, social workers like Abdul Sattar Edhi, Oscar winner and Film maker, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Yes, she is a Pakistani woman. There is always two sides of a coin. With great sportsmen from Jahanghir Khan ranking the top Squash players of his time to all- rounder world cricketer, Chancellor of the University of Bradford and founder of the  Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Center, Imran Khan.

Yes, these are the true faces of Pakistan.

 I deeply wondered how come the popularity of the country is not centered on them. A haunting question for all Pakistanis. Especially for the ones living abroad. What have we given the world to think about Pakistan?

 

With the up- coming elections and facebook, twitter pouring over with the “ Naya Pakistan” ( New and Refined Pakistan) ideology, the hope has not, yet been lost in the darkness. In an argument with a very close friend of mine who is also an immigrant, I came to the conclusion that even when one has nothing, hope is still there. It still resides with triumph and has the innate ability to conquer fear. 

I was never into politics or for that matter enthralled by any Politian’s ideas. To me it’s a game of thorns. A sour candy with sugar coating until one bites it, he wouldn’t really know what the actual flavor is. With everyone raving about how great a Politian the King Khan is, I  listened, heard, read all of the slogans supporting him and thought to myself, an all-rounder in cricket, what does he know how to move about in the game board with players who have been champions in fooling the nation over and over again. You see, to me it was all a pun. For all I knew Imran Khan is just a great Legendary player in the world of Cricket until my friend pointed out his driven, persistent work which he has been doing since he became the chairman of the Political Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf ( Movement for Justice) in 1996.

I was already conscious of the Khan’s enigmatic personality and still proudly have recollection of my first meeting with him as a seventh or eighth grader in a fund raising event for the Cancer Hospital. I knew he has the power to mesmerize, a certain rare caliber which he has been gifted with. The tireless personality and believe in the righteous act, is what Imran is all about.

I argued with a friend of mine what good can one do if one is surrounded by vultures all around. Isn’t it better to be mad with the rest of the world than to be wise alone? And for that matter how long one can hold on to sanity? For me it’s all in the actions. Words are just a bunch of letters framed with great mastery, used as perfect veils to mask the true intentions.

 Imran proved me wrong.

 He is the first Pakistani Politian who conducted intra-party elections and 35 % of the tickets went to the individuals under the age of forty. His action spoke loudly, very evidently and strikingly impressive ….more than his words.

Naya Pakistan (New and Refined Pakistan) doesn’t look like a bemused dream when I look at Imran. To me it seems very possible, very real, very to the core. A cricketer who has the ability to move the entire nation over a game of bat and ball, an individual who has the stature for founding the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Research Center, undeniably has more  than that as a Pakistani who is willingly, sanguinely taking the charge of a country with so many handicapped records.  For me as a Paki immigrant in a foreign country, he is not only the hope for a “Naya Pakistan “but also a Pakistani who can give our future generations, a country to brag about by all positive means.

On May 11, 2013…Let’s not just give him a chance, let’s give him the charge.

By: Ifra N. Khoso

 

 

 

And so the "Dream Continues.....

  As an educator, the true essence of education holds meaningful to me not just "Teaching".    Liberating one's mind from the social taboos is what flourishes a society as the whole


And so the dream continues.....

For a free America...Liberty and justice for All...

A few days back I had an opportunity to meet with one of the candidates running for LA county Judge. While chatting on many various issues, the main topic of the night drifted towards our youth. It was overwhelming, sorrowful and even scary to learn the demographics as to how our society functions...what with gangsters, drug mafia, graffiti, boys on the streets and then Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, firefighters, mega lotto’s and above all the Law itself.. Where does our youth stand in all this??? Are we living in two parallel worlds???

Raising two children of my own, I question my decisions every day. I read about Travyon Martin and Shaima Alawadi and my heart went out to both the families. How does it all starts? Was among the many questions which popped up. Are we engaging our children in meaningful activities? How does one gets tangled so haphazardly that it’s rigid to find your way back?
From a Parent point of view we do what we can best. Provide them with great home environment all complete with the "i" gadgets... enroll them in the best private schools available in town and take them to visit mickey mouse during spring break.
As an educator's point of view this is not enough...My job is not only teaching "academics" or making sure the child is able to read the next level book or do addition and subtraction problems.
It goes beyond that.

One of my 5 year old was reading a biography about Rosa Louise McCauley Parks. She gave me a puzzled look. The look had, if not a hundred at least ten queries clearly posted on her innocent face. More like those questions were prodding my mind and she wanted me to assure her that such a time never existed or does not anymore. I lowered my gaze and tried explaining it to her that " World is a beautiful place" but caught myself amidst realizing that I am guarding her from the truth...the truth she needs to have some knowledge of. I started by explaining how the times were different when Rosa Parks was alive, how skin color, language and religion played a very vital and substantial role in one’s identity. How the times have changed and everybody is “Equal.” She commented, “Rosa had the same skin color as some of my friends in the classroom.” I smiled at her and said, “Sure she did.”

For a 5 year old understanding the complexity of the skin color and making analogies between Rosa Parks and her friends was very simple. What about us adults? We still haven’t figured out that how and where we are born is not our decision but how and what we do is really a choice definitely made by us.

When Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous speech, “I have a dream…” little that he knew, over time his speech will only make him an icon on modern American liberalism and a federal holiday. Even now after four decades we are still wondering whether we will witness such a dream in total reality not just in superior echelons.
And so the “Dream continues…….

BY: Ifra N. Khoso

Perception...

If we all want an eye for an eye, the entire world will be blind
.........Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Carefully pondering on this sentence and putting it into action, we will definitely find ourselves in a dark hollow and aimlessly drowning in it without the hope of touching the solid ground of oneness, brotherhood and respect for each other. Luckily, there is still harmony left to balance out all evil. We have our children, our hope for a better tomorrow, our reason to strive hard and yet harder to provide them with sound and quality education, vital guidelines and sincere virtues.
In any society where darkness lingers in any form, brightness has to find its way to counterpart it. As adults we have responsibility for upbringing our children in clarity of both so that they are able to distinguish between the choices which are good and those which are not so good. The challenge lies when the decision has to be made between the better and the best. Such attributes need to be instilled from the very beginning. It starts by respecting one self. The potion of believing in oneself, in one's strengths and recognizing one's drawbacks and then self-correcting requires a big heart.
One cannot make it next to perfection if one has not travelled the path of mistakes. Repetition of self-correction usually leads towards perfection. The journey no doubt seems endless at the beginning but along the path lies the true definition of success. It should not be the end destination that matters but the winding hurdles and evicting them, the utmost concern. How one encounters , deals and then overcomes them, are all the ingredients of a hero in the making...a hero of a much higher caliber.

Children need not see this world as a chess board where winning is the absolute condition rather than a blank canvas on which they should be allowed to leave their own individual strokes with confidence, uniqueness and positive advancement for the society as the whole.

By: Ifra N. KHoso