passion

Poem: Engraved
Poem: Engraved 1920 1080 Nadir Keval

I can’t get her out of my mind
ever since I realized that she’s truly one of a kind.

This is not because she is imperfectly perfect,
or, because she is perfectly human.

It is not as though my heart is deserving of her,
or that she is someone I am worthy of…
though I do hope I earn that space one day,
God-willing.

It’s not her wide smile,
or her childlike laughter,
or that she laughs at the most peculiar things,
making me shine in a light that I have never felt before.

It isn’t her mind, body, or soul.

Though, her mind inspires me,
as she speaks with such passion,
even when she finds it hard to breathe,
because God has given her blessings
of tests to show His Love for her.
Her thoughts scaling the deepest of valleys,
and climbing the highest of mountains,
all in search of truth and sincerity,
and every opportunity to change someone’s world.

Her body makes my adolescent fantasies seem unworthy,
because she is shaped in such a way that it is clear
that it takes a special man to be worthy of seeing her.
Her shape comes not from form-fitting clothes
proclaiming their presence
by expressing every crevice,
but rather it comes from the love and respect she holds
towards herself and all that she possesses,
knowing that God has given her something,
that many can only try to manufacture,
and that she must one day return her body to Him,
in the best possible condition.

Her soul is simply awe-inspiring,
as God has built a connection with her.
She now sees Him as her friend, her support, and her everything.
She yearns to earn His Love and Mercy,
and strives to be her best.
And this soul is one that I aspire to adventure into further,
hoping that one day, I’ll be blessed to journey with her.

She’s not on my mind because I see her in everything:
my passion for cooking has shaped itself to please her palette,
my fashion on the daily is inspired in hopes of seeing her happy.
I see her in every face I see,
from the lost soul I mentor,
to the child’s eyes full of possibility.

All of these things are simply a bonus,
because she is constantly on my mind for only one reason:
God has engraved her name into my heart.

Copyright © Nadir Keval

The Average
The Average 1920 1200 Nadir Keval

It’s no surprise that people today are at either end of the spectrum, extremely “normal” or extremely “abnormal”. What I mean by that is that if you look at the majority of the world, people spend most of their time living like robots, systematically designed to follow a particular path towards supposed success, while there are the other few, a smaller percentage of today’s population that are so far out there that they catch the attention of the public and are recognized for their “outlandish behavior” because they choose to pursue their own paths and want to be seen doing it.

Strike a Balance

To be more than average requires us to find a balance between the two extremes. To recognize that there are some aspects of life that require us to maintain submission or embracement of the rules and the norms, while also pursuing what pleases us and fulfills our passions, despite the expectations or opinions of others. I say others instead of society because we don’t often concern ourselves with society as a whole, but rather, concern ourselves with the “others” that surround us every day.  This balance isn’t one that is easy to come by because of the overwhelming temptation and pressure of succumbing to what is easier and more readily available and laid out for us to pursue. Why go through the forest without a map if a path has already been made, proven as being “correct”, and is what everybody else is taking to get to the proverbial “treasure chest”? Well, that brings me to my next point…

Be You

It sounds cliché, but it’s a reality that needs to be accepted and embraced by everyone. It’s definitely not easy to attain, but being yourself requires recognizing that there are some aspects of your life, including faith, societal laws, and a basic moral code that should abide by an understood and laid out plan to maintain humanity. Without those particular rules not only in existence but in practice as well, individuals and society as a whole would run amuck, with people harming, if not killing others out of sheer idiocy, ignorance, or personal agendas, or with people doing whatever they please without having to hold any accountability for their actions. Yet, these rules and guidelines should not define you in your entirety. You are an individual, which means you have traits that make you unique. That said, it is on you to make sure that you pursue those traits and make the most of them, because ultimately, we live in a self-serving society, and not many are willing to let others stand out if it means that they themselves will be left behind. This sounds cynical, but I believe it to be optimistic realism instead. The reason I say this is because it is human nature to do what is necessary to survive, and to survive in today’s world often compels people to push even those closest to them under the bus. Yet, there is hope, because by being yourself, you no longer have to worry about competing with others because you are too busy competing with your past self. When you focus on establishing your own identity, independent of the expectations or opinions of others, you become an elite in your category because you become your own category of personality. There is no one that will be able to completely emulate you, and although there will be attempts to do so, because you pursuing your own self-made identity is admirable, and thus desirable to those who follow rather than lead, no one will ever be you.

This leads to that question of why one would enter a forest without a map or path to follow, when it is proven path to success. Simply put, I would much rather enjoy the experience of running through the forest, making mistakes, getting lost and finding my way, tripping over branches, feeling the cracking of twigs and the mushing of moss below my feet, and hearing the gusts of the wind and the nature’s song through the chirps of birds, than to walk a dead, quiet, and boring path towards so-called success and happiness. Success and happiness are two things I believe to be relative and unique to each individual, so if we all follow the same path, what will be all that exciting about our ultimate “success” and “happiness”?

Push Beyond Limits

This is where you stand out most. I think I’ve made my point of the importance of doing things in your own way, while following base rules and guidelines on the aspects of life that structure our minds. But, that simply makes us different. What makes us stand out is our efforts and attempts to go above and beyond to do what it takes to be our best. That means that if you’re trying to become a painter, you do more than you did yesterday in an effort to strengthen your craft. If you want to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant, or anything else that requires a formal education, don’t just learn from what’s given to you. Go find books, fall in love with the library, volunteer at different places, and ultimately strengthen your knowledge in your field. THIS is what will make you stand out amongst the crowd. That said, if in this process, you compare yourself to others, you will always be left behind someone at some point. Rather, if you simply make your past self your only competition, you will pursue knowledge, application, and overall betterment for the sake of your love for it, and not for rankings in some tally of individuals unknowingly becoming robotic stats on a sheet.

Ultimately, my point is this: Strike a balance of following rules and guidelines with finding your own path towards your pursuits. Don’t let the expectations, opinions, or experiences of others pull or tempt you towards taking a certain path, but instead, make your own path. And finally, push beyond your limits and do what is necessary for you to reach the heights of success by being better than your past you. These are my steps towards success, and although the journey is bumpier, more dangerous, and takes longer, it has and will continue to leave me content and in love with life, insha Allah (God-willing).

To Be Happy
To Be Happy 4000 1160 Nadir Keval

I believe that when we are born, we are all blessed with a natural disposition towards the pursuit of happiness. It is only due to the environments we are raised in that we end up losing that desire for it. Sure, many of us spend a good portion of our lives striving towards having a stable and secure income, the perfect spouse, that ideal family, enjoyment of all types of foods, and a body that would make Greek mythology seem reflective of the average physique. Is all of that possible? Of course it is, but it takes immense amounts of hard work, ambition, self-esteem, patience, and faith – things very few of us are willing to apply to our lives.

What we acquire in life, and how successful we are is often judged based on our bank balances, the size of our houses, the brands of our clothes, and the price tag of our cars. Notice how it’s all related to money? We have become slaves to the things we have created – paper with ink on it, which we claim to be of value because of some sort of signature on it that makes it unique. Money is the largest and longest running ad campaign in human history. We have been convinced and conditioned to make something so worthless into something considered priceless at times. How’s that? Consider being in a situation where law requires you to pay for anything you eat, and that the clerk selling you food must take money from you in order to make the transaction and avoid penalties.  Add to this the fact that you have not eaten for days and have no money with which to purchase food. Other than doing something that could result in you being punished by law, in some cases, to the point of death, you really have no choice but to move forward without nourishment. That mere dollar or two would thus become priceless to you because it is a matter of life and death. This example may seem a little farfetched, but sadly, it’s a truth to thousands of people around the world who live in impoverished places and have nothing to eat or drink. (We must put forth our utmost effort to help those in need, be it as close as home or in places where their basic necessities have become luxuries. I have chosen not to speak further on the importance of helping others in this article, as it takes away from the core of what I am trying to get across. I will, however, speak on the topic in the near future, as it is something I am very passionate and concerned with.)

Yet, look at those people, and you will find that they live out their lives, though often shortened by their unfortunate conditions, with happiness, contentment, and a sincere sense of peace in their hearts. They no longer have attachments to material gains, but rather, attach themselves to faith, family, and hope. We, however, live privileged lives. While others around the world are in conditions where their bare necessities are turned to luxuries, we are living with major luxuries being considered necessities – “Oh, you can’t do much unless you have a cell phone,” “I’m not going to buy those shoes! I want those [insert major brand name here]!” “But what am I supposed to do all day if the TV is out??” We are spoiled. We are pathetic.

Take a look at your life, and ask yourself how much of your time you spend being active? Is your faith the core of your lifestyle? Do you eat to nourish yourself, or to deal with emotions or addictions? Why are you still at your current job? Are you pursuing a passion in at least one component of your life? Ultimately, are you happy? Questions like these are ones that we must ask ourselves often to keep ourselves in check.

For years, I worried about the intangible things, like wealth, careers, food, etc. When I changed my mindset towards focusing around my faith, I found peace. That doesn’t in any way suggest that I don’t have struggles or issues of my own to deal with on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean that I am perfect and completely practice what I’ve written about here, without flaws or errors. What it means is that I no longer felt an attachment to things that I knew would pass. It also means that I am more satisfied and content with my life, and am more open and flexible when it comes to change. I used to think that things had to be done a certain way, and that without pursuing things in that same path, I would be guaranteeing myself a sense of failure and loss. But now, I live with fluidity and flexibility, and am able to adjust to situations with much more ease. I have my affections and attachments, but if they are lost from my life, I no longer feel the need to mope around or be depressed about it, Alhamdulillah.

Life is filled with expectations and norms, but that does not necessarily mean that it’s what best for you. Hold your own goals, work hard, and commit to your dreams and ambitions, but practice fluidity and flexibility through attachment to faith in order to transition smoothly through the turbulence of life. Find a passion, and make an effort to pursue what makes you happiest. Forget the rules of anything but morality and faith, and focus on pursuing happiness as a child without fear and full of imagination. And always, ALWAYS remember to give back and help others, because that is the fastest route to happiness and gaining more true success.

The Roller Coaster Of Life (Video)
The Roller Coaster Of Life (Video) 1274 714 Nadir Keval

Life itself is a roller coaster. The lower the roller coaster, the steeper and slower the climb to thrill and excitement. But, once you get to that pivotal point, the ride down is incredible and breath-taking! Sure, it may be short-lived, but once again, the lower it goes, the more it’ll pay off once you work your way back up to the top. Be patient. Work hard. It’ll be worth it. – Nadir Keval

Hey guys! After a long-time hiatus, I’m back with a new video! I’m going to be posting videos more often, so please be sure to subscribe and to like my videos. And if you can, write a comment below and share this video with your friends. Apologies for my first video back to be one where I look incredibly tired, but this video was actually shot at around midnight, after a day of working and a 10km trek. I hope the message I’m trying to get across touches your heart, and that you feel inclined to continue watching and sharing my videos!

Money Vs. Passion
Money Vs. Passion 2074 3172 Nadir Keval

You know, in the last little while, I have been faced with some questions that could be life-changing. See, I have some projects that have suggested to me, and show signs of great potential financially. But, the question arises as to whether I am passionate about the things I would be getting into by doing these projects.

See, I’ve never wanted to get so involved in the financial benefits of something that I lose focus on its purpose. I mean, sure, with more money, you can accomplish more things. Let’s face it, sounds superficial, but money makes getting around easier. But, I mean, with money, there’s also to temptation and overwhelming drive towards wanting more, and increasing your list of wants, neglecting your list of needs. What about your future? What about your dreams and aspirations?

If you were afraid of losing your passion, would you pursue something like this? What if this holds potential to help you so much in your goals?

See, I think I will do my prayers, think to myself, and come to a decision. Then, and only then will I feel comfortable. Let’s see…

I know, I’m working on so many projects, and everyone and their mother is telling me to focus on just one thing at a time. But, see, I know myself. If I focus on only one thing, I’ll get bored. If that thing has a lot of constant change, that’s a different thing.

Maybe I’m wrong. Or right. I don’t know. I guess it’s about testing the waters. I think I’ll try this whole focusing on one thing at a time for a moment. See how that pans out.

Wait…I don’t think I can, considering my projects are already moving along. How’s about one big project, and one small one? Yeah, that makes sense. I’ll do that.

THEN, I can find the time to SLEEP and get back to my creative self, writing poetry and keeping up with this blog. Sounds like a plan. Let’s see how long this one lasts…

OH WAIT! I forgot to ask you… Would you choose money or passion, in your career? Which would you sacrifice? Do you think one leads to other, thus meaning that there’s no sacrifice?

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