"God, may I never think that a poem or song can take the place of a life."
Stunning. I'm curious why we keep putting empathy on a pedestal, there have to be ways to relate to people outside the parameters of "have you felt exactly how i felt at exactly that time?" I love how you engage / disengage / speak to the world outside these tight parameters <3
thank you, sadia. exactly what i wanted to read this morning.
something about lafz i read "Baaz alfaaz kisi insaan ko zinda rakhne ka haq rakhty hain aur agar wo kisi nsaan ko zinda nahi rakh sakty tou kisi khayal ko parwaan zaroor charha sakty hain. kiunke aksar aukaat aesa hota hai ke hmaray darmayan aik aesa lafz mojood hota hai jiski mojoodgi ka hmein sha'oor nahi hota lekin jab uss mafhoom ki koi tabeer suntay hain tou wo kisi khayal ke zahoor aur kisi batini fikr ka zariya ban jata hai."
Your words, as always, are a mirror of my soul. The exoticization of this "other" exists even, perhaps, especially, in cases where the "other" looks, sounds just enough like us. The privilege of being similar enough to call my own, yet removed enough to reap without any of the risks. This sweet spot can have so have many layers, dimensions, too. Language, gender, appearance, class... But as you put so beautifully, raag and rabt, mediums that amplify the lived reality of any time, can never be separated from the lived reality of their creations. To engage with one is to evoke the other and the quests to do so without would and do make both appear hollow. Thank you for this, Sadi. I am grateful (as astounded) for all that you're able to say and do.
That last thought is so important. Thank you for bringing it to the forefront of my thoughts again
Thank you Sadi, this is beautiful.
"God, may I never think that a poem or song can take the place of a life."
Stunning. I'm curious why we keep putting empathy on a pedestal, there have to be ways to relate to people outside the parameters of "have you felt exactly how i felt at exactly that time?" I love how you engage / disengage / speak to the world outside these tight parameters <3
Love this piece dear Sadia
thank you, sadia. exactly what i wanted to read this morning.
something about lafz i read "Baaz alfaaz kisi insaan ko zinda rakhne ka haq rakhty hain aur agar wo kisi nsaan ko zinda nahi rakh sakty tou kisi khayal ko parwaan zaroor charha sakty hain. kiunke aksar aukaat aesa hota hai ke hmaray darmayan aik aesa lafz mojood hota hai jiski mojoodgi ka hmein sha'oor nahi hota lekin jab uss mafhoom ki koi tabeer suntay hain tou wo kisi khayal ke zahoor aur kisi batini fikr ka zariya ban jata hai."
Your words, as always, are a mirror of my soul. The exoticization of this "other" exists even, perhaps, especially, in cases where the "other" looks, sounds just enough like us. The privilege of being similar enough to call my own, yet removed enough to reap without any of the risks. This sweet spot can have so have many layers, dimensions, too. Language, gender, appearance, class... But as you put so beautifully, raag and rabt, mediums that amplify the lived reality of any time, can never be separated from the lived reality of their creations. To engage with one is to evoke the other and the quests to do so without would and do make both appear hollow. Thank you for this, Sadi. I am grateful (as astounded) for all that you're able to say and do.
lovely, as always <3
Thank you Sadi for writing with such grace, such acute attention to complications and layered experiences surrounding such encounters.