" Vital Death "

If you find out that you are about to die in one hour, what do you do?
Maybe you panic so hard you just lay down and wait!

What if it's a day?
You'll try to see all your dearest for one last time.

A week?
Friends, acquaintances...

A month?
Unfinished projects...

A year?
Places you haven't been to. Books you haven't read...

5 years?
Maybe a little more extensive program!

25?
Well... What's the rush? Take it easy!

50?
Well, that means all of us! Let's live it out!!

See?
When you feel death breathing down the back of your neck, you will try to do all the things you always wanted to do, and never found the time for.
The most important things of your life that you had overlooked over and over again. And sacrificed them for the things less important.
But the further you consider yourself from death, the less you feel obliged to pursue your dreams.
You postpone it to a promised tomorrow that never arrives. Because you think to yourself, "Hey! I got the time of the world. Let's take it easy. Haste makes waste!!"
And then you take it too easy. So easy that you don't see the moments rushing away.

We don't die on a specific date and time.
Every night we die from that day and every morning we are born to a new day.
What happens is that one of these days, we die without being born again!!

So' we'd better live every moment as though it is our last.
Getting the best of it.
And be with our dear ones like it's the last time we see them.
Being the best of us.

" Nothing, Something, Everything… "

When I was born (and for some time afterwards) I knew almost nothing. (At least that’s what they tell me!)
Nothing about nothing.
I even didn’t know that I knew nothing.

Then one day I asked myself, “who is this lady who rushes to me whenever I cry?”. You know, it was kind of nice having her around, considering all she did form me, and the gentle touch and everything. But you can’t trust just anyone these days, can you? I mean, look at the newspapers. There are creepy things going on in abundance everywhere. You might say, “Come on man! She was your mother!”. Maybe you are right, but then again; you never know. So you understand why I had to ID her, don’t you?

Any way, to cut the long story short;
My first question had occurred to me:
“Who is this lady? Is she OK?”
Answer: “She is OK. She is your mother.”

Then another day I wondered how I could keep her with me without having to cry all the time.
You see, my voice went hoarse from crying all the time. And sometimes you are in too good a mood to be crying. So why do you have to spoil the high spirits of the moment on, say, a bottle of lukewarm milk. Those bigger ones seemed to be getting along quite well without making half the noise. So there had to be some other way. Easier, quieter, less energy-taking and to the best interests of all. What would that be?

And so;
I had come across my first problem:
“ How can I manage to get things done without taking it to the soprano?”
Solution: “Learn to talk.”

Then there came another question.
And another problem.
And another.
And another.

I had questions and I looked for proper answers.
I had problems and I sought suitable solutions.

So, I started to learn.
And I learned fast.
So fast that soon (or soon enough) I came to a point where I thought I knew everything.
Everything about everything.
I had an answer for every possible question.
I had a solution for every probable problem.

So what with this precious load of knowledge and wisdom?
I had to do something about it.
I had to do something about me.

It was show time. (Or more exactly show-off time.)
It was the time to prove myself higher and better than anyone else.
I saw no reason to listen to what others had to say, for I thought I knew better.
And when I did listen, it was only to answer back. To prove the other party wrong. To win the debate.
I (thought I) was at the top.

But the days of happiness (and ignorance?) didn’t last long.
When I put my ideas to work;
Sometimes my answers were proved wrong, while other guys had the right answer.
And my solutions failed to work, while other solutions worked flawlessly.

It was then that I thought to myself that maybe, just maybe everything wasn’t as easy and all-clear as I thought it to be.
If I was wrong about something once, it could mean that I could be wrong again.

So, once again I started to listen.
This time not to argue. But to learn.

And here I am now.
At the beginning of an all new path.
Aware that I only know something about something.

Very few things are certain now.
And one of the most absolute certainties (besides death and taxes) is The Rule of UNCERTAINTY itself.

" How's Life? "

How are you doing?
How is it going?
How are things?
How's everything?
How's life?

How do you answer these questions?

Terrible?
Sh-- happens?
Life sucks?

Or maybe:
Not bad?
So so?
Life's ... OK?

Or:
Excellent?
Never better?
Life's grand?

Now,
Which one is your choice?
And why?

How do you decide whether you are having hell of a time or a time in hell?
What are the meters according to which you measure the quality of your life?

Money?
Job?
Family?
Knowledge?
Power?
Fame?
Popularity?
Or... what?

You could have any ( or all ) of these and still have a miserable life.
Take a careful look at the people around you and you'll see what I mean.

So, what is it then?
What is it all about?

I'd say it's all about:
Happiness,
Peace,
& Hope


They are the goals we all pursue ( consciously or unconsciously ) through our daily routines.
But sometimes ( or sadly, most of the times ) we forget all about them.
And this is the cause to all the stress, anxiety, depression, misery and dissatisfaction we suffer everyday.

So, next time you want to make a choice, ( about anything ) see whether it gives you any of these in return.

Every choice has its price.
See if it's really worth it.

" Santa Claus "

Have you written your letter to Santa?
What have you asked for?
Health? Success in your exams? Promotion at your job? A peaceful life with no stress...?
Of course, these are really important things.
But they are not anything you can receive in your red stocking.
They are things you can ask from Santa Maria!
What do you want from Santa Claus?

I believe Santa is a chance for all of us, to be a child again.
To believe in miracles:
That a white long-bearded old man dressed in red, with his reindeer-drawn sledge will fly over our rooftops, climb down our chimneys, and secretly stuff our hopeful stockings with the goodies we have wished for so innocently!

And that's the beauty of it all, isn't it?

Merry Christmas!

" Something Happened... "

Something happened to me a few days ago.
I lost my Credit Card AND my Physicain ID Card in the railway station, while on my way back home.
In a land far far away!

At first I panicked.
Then I felt anxious, angry and maybe a little sad.

I felt I had lost everything.
All my money was in that credit.
And my only ID was that Card.
I wondered how on earth I could do without them.
They were all I had.
I was steps away from a full length tragedy.

But then ...
Surprise!
No tragedy came.

Nothing happened.
I didn't die.
I didn't lose a family member or a near friend.
I could still breathe, see, hear, talk, read, write ...
No.
Nothing happened.

And then I noticed something funny:
All of that fuss was just about two worthless piesces of plastic which you could always get again.

And I learnt this great lesson:
Most things you strain all your life to get and keep so dearly,
Are not really that much important.

When nothing happens when you lose them,
It means that they weren't so much big a deal from the beginning.

" You Choose the Question, I Choose the Answer! "

1. What is the reason behind all you do?
2. What gives meaning to your life?
3. How would you summarize your life?
4. What is the definition of life to you?
5. What's your purpose in life?
6. What do you live for?
7. What is the gold standard acoording which you choose through your options?

................................................
................................................
................................................

Whichever question you choose; my answer is only three words:


" Truth, Love, Justice "


How many words is your answer?

" The Reason "

On the way of your life don't miss the reason behind all you do.

Don't forget about the small joys that spice up your insipid days.
Don't ignore the humble flickers that lighten up your dark nights.
Don't overlook the petty things that add color to your black-and-white moments.

Otherwise you'll end up wondering to yourself:
" Is this what I really wanted?
Is this really what I started out for? "

And you will look around at all the trash-treasures you have stashed away all your life and you will ask yourself:
" Why did I earn all this?
To spend it on what? "

So, every now and then, - in the middle of all the daily hustle,- just stop there for a moment, relax and ask yourself:
" Hey! What was it all about? "

" Life Rocks! "

How many times have you heard someone say: "Life sucks!" ?
The less you have, the luckier you are.
And if that someone happens to be you yourself, I have to say I do feel sorry for you.
Not because you have a rotten life.
But because people like you are the source to all negative energy we have around.

What's the big deal?
You have screwed up?
You are all lost?
You are a failure?
You are a loser?
Come on man!
Get a grip!

Given all conditions, you have only two choices:
1- Cry over spilt milk.
And ruin the moment you are in.
2- Or move on with your life.
And try to get the best of whatever you have now.

That's all you have to do to improve any situation, however tragic.
And when you did, be kind enough to let others know about your delightful achievement.
If people learned to share their happiness as much as they share their miseries we would have a much more colorful world.

So, what are you waiting for?
You need some help with the opening?
I'd try "Life Rocks!" if I were you!

" Three Word Tips II ( A Sequel! ) "

Dear Colleagues,
Remember me from last time?
It’s me again!
The Three Word Tips guy letting you on the handiest secrets of medical practice ever!
Here I come with a second helping to serve.

But before everything let me express my most heartfelt gratitude for the dear friends who kindly favored me with their precious comments.
Especially Dr DJ, Arman Arghami, Nasim Choobdari, Muhammad Munir, Sadia Farooqi, Nour-ul-ain Agha, Flavia Pereira, Majid Zakir and many others.

Well, here is today’s bunch. I hope you find it colorful enough!

Consider Patient’s Compliance.
Don’t Hate Hysterics.
Malingering? Maybe Not!
Overprize Pediatric Fever.
Don’t Worship Paraclinic.
Labs Make Mistakes.
Haste Makes Waste.
Read. Then Sign.
Consult Your Manual.
In Doubt, Refer.


…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
And…

So, why don’t you go on and complete the list?
And if you want to comment, be my guest.
Wishing you all the best,
Ali

" Dear Shandiz "

Dear Shandiz,
How's everything?
Thanks a bunch for your nice comments.
I am very grateful and do appreciate them all.

You raised a few points.
Here is the way I see them:

Being Alone vs. Being Lonely
What is the difference between being alone and being lonely?
When you are alone, well, you are alone! Just that!!
But when you are lonely, you feel sad (or mad!) because of that.
As if you feel that you deserve otherwise.
And as if it's such a terrible tragedy.

Well, maybe it's not so.
That's the way it is meant to be:
We are together. But not forever!
I didn't suggest “Be Alone.", as if it were up to you.
I said " You are alone, whether you like it or not."
I'm not telling you to go hide somewhere. Withdraw or seclude yourself.
I said it's a destiny that's bound to happen.
When you accept this fact, you can enjoy being with others without being afraid of losing them one day.
And how could that be bad?

And one more thing, don't ever expect anyone, anyone indeed, to live for you.
You know, in this great great world, there is only one heart that beats only for you: Your own heart!
And finally, the more you know yourself, the more you like yourself and the more you are satisfied with yourself, the more you'll enjoy being with yourself = being alone.

Now, was it all that bad?!


Simplification
Under “A Matter of choice” and “Right or wrong?” you mentioned that I had simplified the matters.
I don't know whether you considered it a fine quality or not.

Anyway, when you want to make decisions in life you need clear, straight and to-the-point guidelines.
However complicated are the thoughts leading you to the result, you need them all simple at the end.
It has to have a kind of yes-or-no answer to your practical questions.
So that you can apply it to your everyday life.

And that's what I have tried to do for myself.

Question Yourself
In “Be Yourself” You asked who is your real you?
No-one can tell you.
You've got to discover that yourself.
By questioning your most common feelings, emotions, worries, behaviors, reactions, etc.
Asking why about everything you are and everything you do.
Not considering anything as a rule or the way it has to be.

That's the key to a better understanding of oneself.

Understanding Choices
As for “What really matters... ", well, I agree with you.
In fact that's somehow what I have been trying to say myself: “We are here to understand the choices we have already made. (Or have been made for us.)" And “No one can see beyond a choice he doesn't understand.”
It's all about understanding your choices.

But my point is that there is really no difference between the different choices.
The difference lies in your attitude towards your choices.
How you realize them. The way you follow them.
And I believe that's the only way to understand your choices.

Success
In “Humanity” you asked why success in childhood.
It's somehow personal.
For anyone it could be anything.
When I was a kid and went to school, for the first time I learned the concept of competition. Winning vs. Losing. And soon it became everything that mattered to me.
That was when I was a kid.
But then I grew up. And...

Live and Let Live
To wrap it all up, here’s one last point:
We – at least most of us – tend to believe we are doing the right thing and living the right way.
Well; so far, so good! That’s no problem.
The problem is that we – again at least most of us – tend to believe we are the only ones doing the right thing and living the right way.
Everyone driving slower than us is an idiot and everyone going faster is a lunatic!
Now, that’s a major problem!

Let’s live and let live, shall we?



Well, that's it for now I guess.

Thanks again for your precious time and kind attention.
I'll be so happy to hear about your ideas, comments, suggestions, criticisms ... and other affairs! All kinds!!
Take care,
Ali

" Three Word Tips "

To All Angles in White

Dear Colleagues,
As some of you might know, I am a recently graduated physician.
A brand new GP!

Through my first independent professional experience as head of the emergency room in a hospital, I have come to some interesting points.
Points that have been mentioned by our professors times and times again, and may sound somewhat repetitious to you.

But as I have somehow re-discovered them myself, they are new to me; and I felt like sharing them with you.
Each of them has a story behind. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, sometimes comic ...
I might someday tell the tale.

As for now, let's take a look at my wisdom treasure!
But before that, promise to let me - and others- know what you think about them.
Many thanks in advance!

Part 1 - First Things First

ABC Comes First.
Blood Pressure, Forever!
Don't Forget Tilt.
Ask All Questions.
Past Medical History!
Explore Current Medications.
Seek Out Pregnancy.
Does She Breast-feed?
Investigate Sexual Activity.
Don't Guess; Ask!


Part 2 - Getting to Work

Perform Complete Examination.
Expose Examination Area.
Over-estimate Every Chest-Pain.
Ask For ECGs.
Diff Is Important.
Diagnose; Then Alleviate.
When Uncertain, Check.
Inspect Filled Prescription.
Supervise The Nurses.
Record All Details.


Part 3 - White Coat Etiquette

Put Patient First.
Explain To Patient.
Express Your Care.
Don't Show Doubt.
Never Lose Patience.
Reassurance Is Healing.
Sympathize With Patient.
Exaggerate Your Warnings.
Remember Patient's Name.
Relax; Be Confident!



So why don't you (specially the brand new ones!) go on and share your own experiences, points, ideas, methods, etc.
All kinds of comments are enormously appreciated!

" On Your Own "

In life there come along some rare chances when you can be yourself. Stripped of all accessories, free from the false identities surrounding your individuality.

A good example is the Army training period.
In a mess hall, things like your family, your education, your profession, your bank account, your social status, ... don't mean
anything anymore.

You are just your self.
Your real you.
Your true, original, inner you.
Your feet get back on earth.
You get to know yourself better:
Your often-overlooked weak points, your long-forgotten potentials.
You - have to - try to define your relations with others once again.
Based on the realities this time.
And you - can - try to make the best of what you really are.
By just remembering that you are an INDIVIDUAL.

And with that privilege comes the responsibility:
You - and only you - are responsible for all the choices you make.
Not your family. Not your friends. Not the society. Not the government.
No-one.
Just you yourself.

And what's more, to fulfill that, you are all on your own.
No-one has to - or even is able to - carry the load which is meant to be yours.

It's your choice after all.
You make it alone.
You do it alone.
So, consider your own ideals. And mind no-one else. Absolutely no-one.
And once you've come to the right decision yourself, don't hesitate.

All this makes you essential and irreplaceable.
And you will be a unique individual, provided of course, that you live up to the name.

" Anything Goes "

What day is it?
Sunday?
Then you are free.
How wonderful!
What are your plans?
Out with friends?
Great!
How about tomorrow?
You are working?
Why?
It's Monday?
Can't it still be Sunday?
What are you laughing at?

You are right.
It can't be Sunday for two following days.
Same as:
It can't be April longer than a month.
or,
It's Y2K only once.

And that's the beauty of it all; The Rule of Change:
" Everything has an expiration date."
And that includes everything.
Only problem is the expiration date is not always printed on the label.

So, never ever depend on anything, as if you can have it forever.
Now is all the time you got. Not even one moment more.
Do what you want with it.

And also,
Never ever lose hope.
Because misfortunes have that expiration date too.

And remember, there is always a different, all new day tomorrow.
However deep-in trouble you are, you can't even imagine the surprises each new day has in closet for you.
Only thing you have to do is to welcome them.

" All Alone "

Have you seen "Meet Joe Black"?

In this inspiring movie, Brad Pit is the angle of death, tired of being an overseer of other people's lives for all the time.
He doesn't want to live alone anymore.
He decides to taste a little bit of human relation delicacies.
And so he does.

There is a scene, in which he is talking about his love to an elderly lady who knows who he really is.
She urges him to let go of - as she sees it - his childish game. And go back to where he belongs. And do what he is meant to do.
He says he doesn't want to go back because he is tired of being alone.
" But I not lonely here. Somebody want me here.", he says.

Her answer is a brilliant piece of wisdom. A real masterpiece:

" It nice it happen to you.
It like you came to Cat Island and you had a holiday, sun didn't burn you red, just brown, sleep no mosquito eat you, rum no pound you head nex' day.
But trut' is, dat bound to happen, you stay long enough.
So tak dat nice picture home wi' you, but don' be fooled.
We lonely here mostly, too. If we lucky, we got some nice pictures."

That's a reality.
We are all alone.

Nobody wants you for your own sake.
Even a mother with her purest love, making all the hugest sacrifices, is striving to quench her own maternal thirst.
Let alone the others.

And everyone will leave you alone, someday.
Sooner or later.
Deliberately or otherwise.
But it's bound to happen.
However close you stick together with your dearests, there is always a Mr Death to separate you for good.

And once you are out of sight, you are - somehow or other - out of mind.
Don't expect otherwise. That's the way it is.
We are all made like this.

If you bring yourself to accept these facts as normal characteristics of human relations in everyday life, you will suffer much less.
Because you've had no other expectations in the first place.

You'll also have a clearer insight into people's minds and a better understanding of their behavior.
Because now, you can climb their back and look at the world through their eyes, with no prejudice.

And you surely agree, that's a priceless privilege.

" La Vita E Bella "

Life is but a game.
Don't take it serious.

Once you've given it your best, there is no difference whether you win or lose.
What matters is to enjoy every single moment of it.
After all, it is a game.

But don't forget, even in games you have to play by the rules.
Otherwise, you're out!

" Dear Friend VII ( The Rain ) "

Dear Friend,
...

As for the " Rain ":
Well, that's it. It is about God.
You see, at first we see a lonely figure, walking in the rain, talking about his love.
His tears are running on his face.
He can't understand why his beloved doesn't care about him although he loves her so much. Then he feels the rain (God's tears) on his face.
Rain comes and washes his own tears away.
And he hears the thunder. (God is crying.)
God can't understand why His beloved (this same person = lover) doesn't care about Him although HE loves him so much.

...

" Dear Friend, VI ( C'est La Vie ) "

Dear Friend,

…
You are right:
"This is LIFE, this is how it is supposed to be (supposedly) and we just have to figure out how to move on with our lives and do what we think is best! And try to be the best of what we can and are given."

And also, I have come to believe that there is a divine meaning behind all these games of destiny.
I am neither mad at God nor suffer from any loss any more. At least I do my best.
Because I believe there is someone, somewhere, who is the kindest. (He is the kindness itself.) And he knows the best for us.
So, naturally, his choices are the best.

What we have to do is only: "try to understand the meaning of these choices".
And also as you said:
"If you let yourself go and if you make yourself free from any minor attachments you have and if you think freely and deeply about what you want from life and from your love and what you want to give to life and to your love purely, u would do it and you would be happy and satisfied."

"So, what is all this pain in your writings?" you might ask.
And my answer is:
"I didn't write them just yesterday.
They are the footprints I have left behind.
Not to forget where I came from, and what I went through.
To find my way back home when it's time.

And that's why everyone should write.

You can't deny your past. You can't run away from it.
It has been your "present" some time ago.
And it's always here.
Around you.
Inside you.
It's what shapes you up.
It's you yourself.
Like it or not.

You have to face it.
Accept it.
Analyze it.
Understand it.
Live it out in your present.
And use it for the best future.

That's what I'm trying to do.
At least, I hope so.
…

" On Life "

* Life might be born indoors,
but it definitely flows outdoors.

* Danger is the spice of life.
Without adventure, life tastes insipid.
But too much of it spoils life.

" Freedom Road "

Freedom lies within.

It's not the outside walls that limit us.
It's our fear of the consequences of adventure.
It's our attachment to guaranteed clichés.

Free spirits live in the same world as we do.
The only difference is:
They are brave enough to risk a change.
They have the courage to go beyond the routine of habits.
And they are willing to pay any price for their choices.

Maybe they lose many advantages. (Advantages that others are fighting for.)
But in return, they win a most valuable reward: themselves.

" Dear Friend, V ( Faith ) "

Dear Friend,

How are you doing?
I hope you are doing fine.

You asked me about "Faith".
Well, there are things to say.
What I want to share with you now is some concept that I have come to believe in after much ado. (When I say much ado, I mean much ado. Believe me!)

Let me start out with a question. (You might at first think it's so irrelevant, but you will see that it is not.)
Have you ever fallen in love? (I mean a real passionate fiery one.)
If you have, then you will be able to understand my words better.
When you are in love, you feel you are in a different world, separate from the rest. If someone tries to reason with you (in any way), you won't listen. And if you do, you won't understand. As if you see everything with a different eye, from a different point of view.
The same is viceversa. That is, it's hard to understand lovers. What they do and what they say seems funny sometimes.
You know what they say:
" Dancers look funny to those who don't hear the music."

It's a whole separate world. With its own rules and values.
When I say they are separate, it doesn't mean you can't be in two of them at the same time, but it means to understand the residents of a world, you have to be one of them.

And the same goes for the World of Art, the World of Friendship (Ma'refat!) and many many other worlds.

One of these worlds, is the World of Logic. (Your world I guess.)
And another is the World of Faith. (The World of Religion.)
These two (like the others) are not opposite. They are just different.

And here rises one of the biggest misunderstandings of mankind, leading to one of the worst mistakes: "Trying to mix up." Trying to judge others through one's own standards:
The Logical calls everyone else "irrational" and The Lover calls them "non-romantic".
The Religious calls others "unfaithful" and The Artist calls them "crude". And so on...
And you know what?:
"They are all wrong."

And the same applies to the concepts in each:
Reasoning with a lover is as pointless as urging a commoner to enjoy Art.
The struggles to prove "There is no God" are as meaningless as the ones trying to prove His existence.

And this mistake has given birth to blind fights and quarrels, cruel wars and bloodshed all along the history, even at this present time. (Especially in the third world countries.)
Simply because people have been unable to come to believe that they are not the only ones.

Finally remains one last question "Which one is better?"
Who could tell? (Except for himself/herself.) That is, maybe for you one is more suitable than the other, but the same might not apply to your brother. (If you have one!)

Well, can you advertise your creed?
Of course. But you have to be loyal to the rules of dialogue. (Something that we Iranians haven't learnt, most unfortunately.)
Are you happy with your choice? And you want to share it with others?
Be my guest. Do it.
Talk about yourself: your beliefs, your ideas, your World, its beauties, its advantages... Instead of focusing on finding faults with others, making fun of each-other, hurting each-other's feelings, calling names, offending, insulting, slighting and humiliating (I am giving you synonyms. Check the rest in your dictionary!!) anyone who doesn't belong to your world. (I don't say that you do all these things, or you are the only who does. I am talking in general.)
You say what you have to say, and so do I and so do the rest.
And then let's allow people to decide which one suits them best. (Everyone for himself.)

In the end, let me wrap it up by a quote from Coelho:
"Respect other people's choices as you expect them to respect yours.
Because, maybe you chose a good way for your life, but it's not the only good way there is.
Because to believe in your way, you needn't prove all the other ways are wrong.
And finally, because if more people believe in a way, it doesn't make it more correct."

Best Wishes,
Ali