" I COULD HAVE ANNIHILATED ALL THE JEWS IN THE WORLD
BUT
I LEFT SOME FOR YOU TO KNOW WHY I WAS KILLING THEM"
(Adolf Hitler)
This is so inspirational
ROHTAS FORT
Rohtas Fort is a garrison fort built by the great Afghan king Sher Shah Suri. This fort is about 4 km in circumference and the first example of the successful amalgamation of Pukhtun and Hindu architecture in the sub-continent.Sher Shah Suri named Qila Rohtas after the famous Rohtasgarh Fort in Shahabad district near Baharkunda, Bihar which he captured from the Raja of Rohtas Hari Krishan Rai in 1539. Rohtasgarh is situated on the upper course of the river Son, 20 37’ N and 85 33’E. It was built by Harish Chandra of the Solar dynasty and was named after his son Rohitasva after whom the fort (Rohtasgarh) was named.Reasons of constructionSher Shah constructed Qila Rohtas to block Emperor Humayun's return to India after defeating him in the Battle of Kanauj. This fort lies on the old GT road between the North (Afghanistan) to the Plains of Punjab. It blocked the way from Peshawar to Lahore. The other reason was to suppress the local tribe of this region Potohar called Gakhars who were allies of Humayun and refused their allegiance to Sher Shah Suri. The Emperor instructed the local Janjua Rajput tribe to help construct the fort to crush the Gakhars[1] when the latter became openly defiant and persecuting labourers who attended the construction.The Fort was built by Todar Mal under orders of Sher Shah.“ Sher Sháh threatened to construct such a fort in that country that it should not only effectually restrain the Ghakkars, but also the passage of the Mughals. He therefore himself made a tour through the hills of Girjhák Ninduna [mountains circumjacent], * and finding a fit spot, he laid the foundations of the fort, which he called Rohtás.Besides that, he sent a large force against Ráí Sárang, the Ghakkar, and not only was the country subdued, and the hill of Balnáth plundered, which was then the residence of the Dárogha of that tract, but the daughter of its chief was taken prisoner, and conducted before Sher Sháh, who presented her to Khawás Khán; upon which Ráí Sárang, they relate, sent a quantity of [hemp] blankets and millet to Sher Sháh, with the remark that in such only consisted their raiment and food, besides which they could afford nothing; according to others, he sent a lion's skin and some [arrows] spears, which he said was their only property. With this conduct, however, Sher Sháh was by no means satisfied. Sárang [Sárang's troops] being weakened by [skirmishes] the attacks of the holy warriors, and greatly reduced and straitened, submitted himself in person to Sher Sháh, who ordered him to be flayed alive, and his skin to be filled with straw, and so pay the penalty of his misdeeds.
Sher Sháh issued farmáns to complete the fortifications of Rohtás; but Todar Khatri represented that the Ghakkars, to whom that country belonged, would not allow any one to work for wages; and that they had agreed amongst themselves, upon oath, to expatriate every person that should contravene their wishes. Sher Sháh, in answer, told him [that he should noways be allowed to give up that work, which he only wished to do in consequence of his greediness for gold]* that the work did not seem to advance under his superintendence, and that a man who was fond of money, and was alarmed about disbursing it, would never accomplish the king's designs.Todar, on the reception of this fresh command, fixed first a golden ashrafí as the enormous remuneration for one stone, which induced the [Kakers] Ghakkars to flock to him in such numbers that afterwards a stone was paid with a rupee, and this pay gradually fell to five tankas, till the fortress was completed.* ”. LocationQila Rohtas is situated in a gorge approximately 16 km NW of Jhelum and 7 km from Dina. It was constructed on a hillock where the tiny Kahan river meets another rainy stream called Parnal Khas and turns east towards Tilla Jogian Range. The fort is about 300 feet above its surroundings. It is 2660 feet (818 meters) above sea level and covers an area of 12.63 acres.ConstructionQila Rohtas is a garrison fort and could hold a force of up to 30,000 men. Due to its location, massive walls, trap gates and 3 Baolis (stepped wells) it could withstand a major siege although it was never besieged.Most of the fort was built with ashlar stones collected from its surrounding villages such as Tarraki village. Some part of the fort were built with bricks.The fort is irregular in shape and follows the contours of the hill it was constructed on. The fort is approximately 4 km in circumference. A 533 meter long wall divides the citadel (for the Chieftain) from other parts of the fort.The fortification has 68 bastions (towers) at irregular intervals. Out of the 3 Baolis, one of them is in the citadel and the rest are in the other parts of the fort. One of the Gates (Langar Khani) opens into the citadel and is a trap gate because it is in the direct line of fire of the bastions.The Khwas Khani gate is an example of double walling. A small enclave on the western side is a citadel within a citadel. It is accessible by only one gate and also had a very fine Baoli which suggests that it was meant for the Chief and his family. In this citadel there is a beautiful Masque called the Shahi Mosque (Not to be confused with the one in Lahore). There are no palaces in the Fort except for a structure built by Raja Man Singh called the Haveli of Man Singh. It is built on the highest point of the citadel.Cost of constructionThe work on this fort was started in 1541 with Todar Mal Khatri, the revenue minister in charge of the project. The Gakhars whose area the fort was built on refused to provide labour for this project.Todar Mal faced with such problems informed Sher Shah about these difficulties who wrote in reply,” I know you for a man of business, understanding and intelligence. I see no work can be expected from you, because you consider money as your friend. When I have commanded you to do a thing you ought not to have cared for money in fixing the rate. Whatever be the expenses, shall be borne by my government.”After receiving this reply, he fixed one red Ashrafi for each slab on the first day. The rate gradually decreased to one Paoli or Bahluli.Because of the boycott the cost of construction was huge. It would have been much lower had it not been for the Ghakkars. The following sources all give slightly different estimates of the cost• Waqiat-i-Jahangiri says the cost was Rs. 34,25,000. It refers to an engraved stone over the Shishi Gate which reads “The amount is 16, 10, 00,000 Dams and something more, which is 34, 25,000 Rupees of Hindustan, 120,000 Tumans of Iran or 1,21,75,000 Khanis of Turan”.• According to Tarikh-i-Daudi, its cost is 80,505,002 Dams (Bahlulis).
FORTIFICATION:
Fortification wall The height of the outer wall varies between 10 and 18 meters. Its thickness varies between 10 and 13 meters. The wall has 2 or 3 terraces and varies in thickness, the maximum being 13 meters near the Mori Gate. The terraces are linked by staircases. The topmost terrace has merlon-shaped battlements. Muskets can be fired from these battlements. Soldiers could also pour molten lead over the walls.The wall is built in sandstone laid in lime mortar mixed with brick. The gates are in grey ashlar masonry. Some portions have been built using burnt brick.The gatesThe Rohtas Fort has the following 12 gates. All of them are built in ashlar stone.Sohail Gate is the best example of masonry in use in the time of Sher Shah. It derives its name from a Saint names Sohail Bukhari buried in the south-western bastion of the gate. Others say that it was names after the Sohail Star which rises on this side of the fort.It is a double gate rectangular in shape. It is 21.34 meters (70 feet) high, 20.73 meters (68 feet) wide and 15 meters (50 feet) deep. The central archway is 4.72 meters (15 feet) wide. It has an inner and an outer arch which is decorated with beautiful and simple motifs of sunflower. This decoration is repeated in all parts of the Qila.Shah Chandwali GateThis gate links the citadel to the main fort. It is named after a Saint Shah Chandwali who refused to get his wages for working on this gate. The saint died while still on work and was buried near the gate. His shrine still stands to this day.This gate is also a double gate. The outer gate, the entrance of which is from the citadel is 13.3 meters wide and 8.23 meters deep. The inner gate is a simple archway which is 3.66 meters wide.Kabuli GateThis gate opens to the west and is named “Kabuli” because it faces Kabul. It is a double gate and its opening is 3.15 meters (10 feet) wide. It has two bastions on each side. The gate has 5 battlements on top and has stairs leading up to it from the outside. On the southern side of the gate is the Shahi (Royal) Mosque because of which many people also call it Shahi (Royal) Darwaza (Gate or Door). There is a Baoli near this gate.Shishi Gate; The gate derives its name from the beautiful glazed tiles used to decorate its outer arch. These tiles are the earliest examples of this technique which was later refined in Lahore. These tiles are blue in color.An inscription on the left side of the gate gives the date of construction of the fort. The inscription is in Persian and is translated as followsIn the Hijri Year 948 came the exaltedAt that time constructed the great fortThe emperor is Sher, with long lifeThere is no match to his good fortuneIt was completed by Shahu SultanThe Hijri year 948 is 1541 CE.Langar Khani Gate;It is a double gate 15.25 meters (50 feet) high, 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) wide with a central arched opening. The oouter arch has a small window like the Sohail Gate. The outer opening leads to a Langar Khana (Mess or Canteen).There are two bastions on either side of the gate which have kitchen, stores and a well for water. The opening of this gate is L shaped. As soon as one enters from the outer gate one has to turn right.Talaqi GateThis gate is 15.25 meter high and 13.8 meter wide with two bastions on either side. This gates name derives from “Talaq” (divorce). According to a legend, Prince Sabir Suri entered the gate and had an attack of fever which proved fatal. This was regarded as a bad omen and the name became “Talaqi”.Mori or Kashmiri GateThe gate opens to the north and faces Kashmir. This gate opens into one chamber which opens into another.Khwas Khani GateThis gate is named after one of Sher Shah Suri’s greatest general, Khwas Khan. This was the original entrance to the Qila (Fort) because outside the gate lies the old GT Road.It is a double gate. The outer gate is 12.8 meter wide (42 feet) and 8 meter (26 feet) deep. This gate has a bastion and a defensive wall on each side. On the bastions canons could be deployed. The inner and outer gates are almost mirror images of each other. The top of the gate has five battlements. All of these have loopholes as well as machicolation. Unlike other gates of this Qila, the inner side of the gate has five battlements.The inner and outer arches have sunflower motifs like the Sohail Gate. The gate also has a room which has windows opening to the inside and the outside.It is pertinent to mention here that when the Gakhars refused their allegiance to Sher Shah Suri, he launched an expedition to punish them. This resulted in the capture of the Gakhar chief Sarang Khan and his daughter. Sarang Khan was then killed. His daughter was then married to Sher Shah’s favourite general Khwas Khan.Gatali Gate is a single gate 9.15 meter high and 6.1 meter deep. This gate faces to the village Gatali Ford(ravine) which is called also Patan Gatiali or Gatiyalian, the important point to cross the River Jhelum for the Kashmir Vally, thus the name.Tulla Mori GateThis is an entrance rather than a gate. It is on the eastern side of the fort. It is about 2 meters wide. There is a bastion next to this entrance.Pipalwala GateThis is a small entrance like the Tulla Mori Gate. It is 2.13 meter wide.Sar GateThis is a small entrance. There is a bastion next to this gate. There is a Baoli next to this gate. It is called “Sar” because “Sar” means water.Other buildingsShahi Mosque; This small mosque is near the Kabuli gate. It has a prayer chamber and a small courtyard. It is the most decorated of the original buildings of the fort. To be ever ready in case of attack, stairs lead directly from the courtyard of this mosque to the top of Kabuli Gate.On the outer wall of the mosque are beautiful round designs in which Islamic verses are written in Naqsh script. These verses are surrounded by a Lilly going around the Naqsh script. The Lilly design was later used by Mughals in Tomb of Jahangir, Tomb of Nur Jehan and the Shah Burj Gate in Lahore Fort. The design seems to have been copied from the coins used in that time.BaolisThere are 3 Baolis in the fort. These were made by cutting deep into the lime rock. They areThe Main BaoliIt is in the middle of the Fort for soldiers, elephants, horses etc. This Baoli has 148 steps. Each step is 20 cm (8 inches) wide. The upper portion has been cut in stone. It has three arches that span the length of the baoli.The Shahi Baoli is near the Kabuli Gate for the Royal family. It has 60 steps and has small chambers that were used as baths by the Royal family.Sar Gate BaoliA small Baoli near the Sar Gate, most likely used by soldiers.Rani Mahal is near Haveli Man Singh. It is a one storey structure. It originally had four rooms but only room remains standing today. The foundation of the four rooms can still be seen today. The room still standing today is about 20 feet high and beautifully decorated on the inside and outside. The roof of the dome like room is like a flower. The inside of the roof is decorated with flowers, geometrical patterns and fake windows. The room is about 8 feet by 8 feet.Decorative featuresThis fort is an example of purely “Masculine” architecture. It places function over form. This can be gauged from the fact that the fort originally had no permanent building for living.
IT WAS ON 20th JANUARY-09 THAT
I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM MY FORMER
COLLEAGUE AT HBL..KHAWER;
QUOTE
Here is pic from Hajj that Doumuoa (Dom) took which is quite a miracle… whilst she was standing on the roof of the haram during Fajr prayers she wanted to take a picture of the people doing Tawaf… but as she took the pic she saw a bright light- almost like thunder. Thinking that her camera had broke she turned to look at ppl sitting around her, but no one flinched. As she went to check her camera, she noticed that it captured an Angel… which is a true blessing… No its not fake… this is real!!! Mashallah! The angel in the pic is really clear!! Dom is truly blessed to have caprtured such a moment!!!
***UNQUOTE ***
MY GUESS IS AS GOOD AS YOURS..
HOWEVER-AS A MUSLIM I DO STRONGLY
BELIEVE IN ANGELS AND THE FACT
THAT DURING FAJR, THERE ARE
70,000 ANGELS DOING TAWAAF OF KHANA-e-KA’BA.
*Commentary
An Open Letter--From Pakistan--To President Obama
Imran Khan 01.29.09, 10:00 AM ET
*
***Dear President Obama,
***Your extraordinary ascent to the U.S. Presidency is, to a large part, a reflection of your remarkable ability to mobilize society, particularly the youth, with the message of "change." Indeed, change is what the world is yearning for after eight long and almost endless years of carnage let loose by a group of neo-cons that occupied the White House.
Understandably, your overarching policy focus would be the security and welfare of all U.S. citizens and so it should be. Similarly, our first and foremost concern is the protection of Pakistani lives and the prosperity of our society. We may have different social and cultural values, but we share the fundamental values of peace, harmony, justice and equality before law.
No people desire change more than the people of Pakistan, as we have suffered the most since 9/11, despite the fact that none of the perpetrators of the acts of terrorism unleashed on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, were Pakistani. Our entire social, political and economic fabric is in a state of meltdown. Our sovereignty, dignity and self-respect have been trampled upon. The previous U.S. administration invested in dictators and corrupt politicians by providing them power crutches in return for total compliance to pursue its misconceived war on terror.
***There are many threats confronting our society today, including the threat of extremism. In a society where the majority is without fundamental rights, without education, without economic opportunities, without health care, the use of sheer force and loss of innocent lives continues to expand the extremist fringe and contract the space for the moderate majority.
Without peace and internal security, the notion of investing in development in the war zones is a pipe dream, as the anticipated benefits would never reach the people. So the first and foremost policy objective should be to restore the peace. This can only be achieved through a serious and sustained dialogue with the militants and mitigation of their genuine grievances under the ambit of our constitution and law. Since Pakistan's founding leader signed a treaty in 1948 with the people of the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas and withdrew Pakistani troops, they had remained the most peaceful and trouble-free part of Pakistan up until the post-9/11 situation, when we were asked to deploy our troops in FATA.
**Even a cursory knowledge of Pushtun history shows that for reasons of religious, cultural and social affinity, the Pushtuns on both sides of the Durand Line (which marks the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan) cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of their brethren on either side. The **
Pushtuns are proud of their history of resisting every invader from Alexander onwards, to the Persians, Moghuls, British and the Russians (all superpowers of their times) who were all bogged down in the Pushtun quagmire. So, no government, Pakistani or foreign, will ever be able to stop Pushtuns crossing over the 1,500-kilometer border to support their brethren in distress on either side, even if it means fighting the modern-day superpower in Afghanistan. Recent history shows how the mighty Soviet Union had to retreat from Afghanistan with its army defeated even though it had killed over a million Afghans.
**To an average Pushtun, notwithstanding the U.N. Security Council sanction, the U.S. is an occupying power in Afghanistan that must be resisted. It is as simple as that. Therefore, the greatest challenge confronting U.S. policy in Afghanistan is how to change its status from an occupier to a partner. The new U.S. administration should have no doubt that there is no military solution in Afghanistan. As more innocent Pushtuns are killed, more space is created for new Taliban and even Al-Qaida recruits--revenge being an integral part of the Pushtun character. So, as with Iraq, the U.S. should give a time table for withdrawal from Afghanistan and replace NATO and U.S. forces with U.N. troops during the interim period. **
The Pushtuns then should be involved in a dialogue process where they should be given a stake in the peace. As the majority's stake in peace grows, proportionately the breeding ground for extremists shrinks.
***The crucial lesson the U.S. needs to learn--and learn quickly--is that you can only win against terrorists if the majority in a community considers them terrorists. Once they become freedom fighters and heroes amongst their people, history tells us that the battle is lost.
***Terrorism worldwide is an age-old phenomenon and cannot be eliminated by rampaging armies, no matter how powerful. It can only be contained by a strategy of building democratic societies and addressing the root causes of political conflicts. The democratization part of this strategy demands a strategic partnership between the West and the people of the Islamic world, who are basically demanding dignity, self-respect and the same fundamental rights as the ordinary citizen in the West enjoys. However, this partnership can only be forged if the U.S. and its close Western allies are prepared to accept and coexist with credible democratic governments in the Islamic world that may not support all U.S. policies as wholeheartedly as dictators and discredited politicians do in order to remain in power.
The roots of terror and violence lie in politics--and so does the solution. We urge the new administration to conduct a major strategic review of the U.S.-led war on terror, including the nature and kind of support that should realistically be expected of Pakistan keeping in mind its internal security interests. Linking economic assistance to sealing of its western frontier will only force the hand of a shaky and unstable government in Pakistan to use more indiscriminate force in FATA, a perfect recipe for disaster.
The stability of the region hinges on a stable Pakistan. Any assistance to improve governance and social indicators must not be conditional. For the simple reason that any improvement in the overall quality of life of ordinary citizens and more effective writ of the state would only make mainstream society less susceptible to extremism. However, if the new U.S. administration continues the Bush administration's mantra of "do more," to which our inept leadership is likely to respond to by using more force, Pakistan could become even more accessible to forces of extremism leading to further instability that would spread across the region, especially into India, which already faces problems of extremism and secessionist movements. Such a scenario would benefit no one--certainly not Pakistan and certainly not the U.S. That is why your message of meaningful change, Mr. President, must guide your policies in this region also.
Imran Khan is chairman and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice), and served as an elected member of Pakistan's parliament from 2002-08. The captain of the Pakistan team that won the cricket World Cup in 1992, he founded the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center, the biggest charitable institution in Pakistan. He is chancellor of the University of Bradford, in the U.K.
LAHORE AS SEEN FROM THE SKIES
***The inverted ‘U’ is Lahore 's popular Liberty Market ***
The famous Gaddafi cricket stadium; the Alhamra Art Gallery ; the Alhamra amphiteatre - Foreground: Hockey and athletics stadia. Background, left: grounds of Forman Christian College set up in 1865, named after Dr Charles Forman an American Protestant missionary who settled in Lahore in 1849. The college was nationalized by the government of the late Prime Minister Z. A. Bhutto (father of Benazir Bhutto) and stayed so for over 30 years before being returned to the mission which had run it since inception.
An older Lahore locality forming an interesting mosaic.
***The Dawood Hercules fertilizer plant on the way to Sheikhupura ***
Sheikhupura Fort, Sheikhupura. Built at the centre of a dense forest in 1607 on the orders of Jahangir, the Mughal emperor of India , father of Shah Jehan who built the Taj Mahal. Sheikhupura, initially called Jahangirpura, later Sheikhupura after Jahangir’s nickname ‘Sheikhu’, was a hunting retreat for the emperor who came here frequently from Lahore to relax. Interestingly, Alexander the Great fought one of his fiercest battles in the vicinity of Sheikhupura around 100 BC
***Hiran Minar, built by Emperor Jahangir as a monument to Mansraj his favorite pet deer. A remarkable structure with many features some being added after Jahangir’s death by his son and successor the Emperor Shahjehan. ***
***Lahore’s Badshahi Mosque. Clad in red sandstone this breathtakingly beautiful place of worship was built in 1673 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb Alam gir, grandson of Jahangir and son of Shah Jehan. Opposite the mosque the white structure is Alam giri Gate, the main entrance to Lahore 's historic Shahi Qila. Structures behind the gate within the fort’s massive walls were royal quarters for various Mughal emperors. According to excavations and historical references the origins of the Lahore Fort date back to before 1000 AD. Most of the existing structures were built in the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar between 1550-1600 AD. The densely packed houses to the right of the Fort and Mosque form Lahore 's famous Walled City , the original Lahore dating back over 2000 years. ***
The pink structure with the tall tower and a playing field in front is Lahore ‘s famous Government College , now Government College University . Established in 1864, ‘GC’ as it is popularly called soon became and continues to be one of the foremost centers of education in Pakistan . The square structure next to the college is the Quadrangle, the male students’ hostel. Other buildings within the grounds to the right and left were added later to house various academic faculties.
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**BULLET ART;
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Panorama was taken on a hike from Fairy Meadows camp to Nanga Parbat’s base camp (North Face of Nanga Parbat).
Nanga Parbat has tremendous vertical relief over local terrain in all directions. To the south, Nanga Parbat boasts what is often referred to as the highest mountain face in the world: the Rupal Face rises an incredible 4,600 m (15,000 feet) above its base. To the north, the complex, somewhat more gently sloped Rakhiot Flank rises 7,000 m (22,966 feet) from the Indus River valley to the summit in just 27km, one of the ten greatest elevation gains in so short a distance on Earth.
Re: INTERESTING LIVES and INTERESTING FACTS
Olny srmat poelpe can raed this.
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this psas it on !!
Don’t ask me! I don’t know how it’s done!!)
Read out loud the text inside the triangle below.
More than likely you said, ‘A bird in the bush,’! And. … If this IS what YOU said, then you failed to see That the word THE is repeated twice! Sorry, look again.
Next, let’s play with some words.
What do you see?
In black you can read the word GOOD, in white the word EVIL (inside each black letter is a white letter).
Now, what do you see?
You may not see it at first, but the white spaces read the word optical, the blue landscape reads the word illusion. Look again! Can you see why this painting is called an optical illusion?
What do you see here?
This one is quite tricky! The word TEACH reflects as LEARN.
What do you see?
You probably read the word ME in brown, but… When you look through ME you will see YOU! Do you need to look again?
******Test Your Brain ******This is really cool. The second one is amazing so please read all the way though.
****Count every ********F ********in the following text: ****
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI****FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS…
****(SEE BELOW) ****
****HOW MANY ? ****
****WRONG, THERE ARE ****6
****-- no joke. ****
****READ IT AGAIN ! ****
****Really, go Back and Try to find the 6 F’s before you scroll down. ****
****The reasoning behind is further down. ****The brain cannot process ‘OF’.
****Incredible or what? Go back and look again!! ****
****Anyone who counts all 6 ‘F’s’ on the first go is a genius. ****
****Three is normal, four is quite rare. ****
=================================
Look at the spinning woman and if she is turning right your right side of your brain is working . If she is turning left your left side of your brain is working . If she turns both ways for you then you have a 160 or better IQ
TRUE TALE FROM OVERSEAS:
As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had
lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some
identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet contained
(hold) only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as if it had
been in there for years.
The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible
(plain) on it was the return address. I started to open the letter,
hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline --- 1924. The letter
had been written almost sixty years ago. It was written in
a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationery with a little
flower in the left-hand corner. It was a "Dear John" letter that told
the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer
could not see him any more because her mother forbade (forbid) it. Even
so, she wrote that she would always love him. It was signed, Hannah.
It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the
same Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I called
information, the operator could find a phone listing for the address on
the envelope.
"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying
to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you could
tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an
envelope in the wallet?"
She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a
moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I
can't give you the number." She said, as a courtesy (kindness), she
would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they
wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back
on the line. "I have a party (person) who will speak with you."
I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew
anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from
a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!"
"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I
asked.
"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing
home some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with
them they might be able to track down the daughter." She gave
me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me
the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone
number for where they thought the daughter might be living. I
thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah
herself was now living in a nursing home. This whole thing was
stupid. I thought to myself. Why was I making such a big deal over
finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter
that was almost 60 years old? Nevertheless, I called the
nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who
answered the phone told me, "Yes, Hannah is staying with us."
Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to see
her. "Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a chance, she
might be in the day room watching television." I thanked him
and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guard greeted
me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building in
the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah. She was a
sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her
eye. I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. She
saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she
took a deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last
contact I ever had with Michael." She looked away for a moment
deep in thought and then said softly, "I loved him very much. But I
was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was
so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor." "Yes,"
she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should
find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she hesitated for a
moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still love him. You know,"
she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I never did
marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael..." I thanked
Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I
stood by the door, the guard there asked, "Was the old lady able to help
you?"
I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last
name. But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole
day trying to find the owner of this wallet." I had taken out
the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the
side. When the guard saw it, he said, "Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr.
Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with that right red lacing.
He's always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at
least three times."
"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.
"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike
Goldstein's wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks."
I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told
her what the guard had said.
We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr.
Goldstein would be up. On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I
think he's still in the day room. He likes to read at night. He's a
darling old man."
We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was
a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had
lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in
his back pocket and said, "Oh, it is missing!" "This kind
gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?"
I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and he saw it, he smiled
with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have dropped out of my
pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward." "No,
thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I read the letter
in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet." The smile on
his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that letter?" "Not
only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is." He
suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she
still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me," he begged.
"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said
softly.
The old man smiled with anticipation (looking forward) and
asked, "Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He
grabbed my hand and said, "You know something, mister, I was so in love
with that girl that when that letter came, my life literally
(completely) ended. I never married. I guess I've always loved her."
"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "Come with me." We took the
elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and only
one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah
was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her.
"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was
waiting with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?" She
adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word.
Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's Michael. Do you
remember me?"
She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you!
My Michael!" He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse
and I left with tears streaming down our faces. "See," I said.
"See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be, it will be."
About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the
nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael
and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"
It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing
home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige
dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood
tall. They made me their best man.
The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted
to see a 76 years old bride and a 79 years old groom acting like two
teenagers, you had to see this couple.
A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60
years.
:)When Insults Had Class:)
***These glorious insults are from an era when cleverness with words was still valued, before a great portion of the English language got boiled down to 4-letter words, not to mention waving middle fingers.
***The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor:
She said, "If you were my husband I'd give you poison," and he said, "If you were my wife, I'd drink it."
A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."
"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress."
"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill
"A modest little person, with much to be modest about." - Winston Churchill
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).
"Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?" - Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)
"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know." - Abraham Lincoln
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend.... if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one." - Winston Churchill, in response.
"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." - John Bright
"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S. Cobb
"He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson
"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." - Paul Keating
"There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure." - Jack E. Leonard
"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt." - Robert Redford
"They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge." - Thomas Brackett Reed
"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily."- Charles, Count Talleyrand
"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker
"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
"He has van Gogh's ear for music". Billy Wilder
I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it". Groucho Marx.
Turn up the volume.
***She will say anything you type. When you move the mouse around, her eyes follow the pointer. ***
***When you write something in the left space and then click on ***
‘Say it’, she says it!
You can also change persons doing the talking and the language that they speak.
**Technology! Wow! **
Raju’s Roses Club
Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often and Forgive Quickly
*This is a beautiful article: *
*The woman in your life...very well expressed... *
**Tomorrow you may get a working woman; butyou should marry her with these facts as well. **
**Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;
Who is earning almost as much as you do; **
**One, who has dreams and aspirations just as
you have because she is as human as you are; **
**One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements **
**One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life; **
**One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family ,name **
**One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen **
**One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain;
to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you; **
**One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities; **
**Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise **
**One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met; **
**One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her; **
**One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it. **
But not many guys understand this......
**Please appreciate "HER" **
Send this to all girls to make their day and to all guys who can handle it.......
Famous Food Phrases Explained !
**“Not worth his salt.” **
*** In Roman times, salt was a highly valued commodity used for trading. To say a soldier was not worth his salt was the same as saying he wasn’t worth his salary; he was absolutely worthless. Photo from What’s Cooking America.***
**“Pie in the sky” **
is actually only half of the phrase - the whole thing is “there’ll be pie in the sky when you die,” and it’s a sarcastic remark that means heaven is a silly notion.
**Money is sometimes called “dough” or “bread” **
because money is what puts the bread on the table. By that logic, the two are basically interchangeable.
“Egg on your face”
*** may come from the times of Victorian live theater. While we’re most familiar with the fall guy getting a pie in his face, Victorian theater had the embarrassed party getting raw eggs cracked over his head. However, another explanation suggests that people who eat eggs often get yolk all over their faces, which is embarrassing.***
“Won’t amount to a hill of beans” (or the like)
*** comes from the practice of planting bean seeds in clumps in a mound of soil (the hill). This is a very small hill indeed, so saying you won’t amount to a hill of beans is pretty insulting.***
**“Apple of my eye” **
*** is thought to have originated from an old English idea that the pupil of the eye was solid, like an apple. So the “apple of my eye” is the pupil of my eye.***
“Cool as a cucumber”
*** exists because the high water content of a cucumber keeps them pretty cold. Lettuce and celery both have high water contents as well,***
**“Cream of the crop” **
*** is because if you have a pail of freshly-squeezed milk, the cream will rise to the top of the pail because of the high fat content. Since cream is so rich and delicious, it’s considered the best - so if you’re the cream of the crop, you’re obviously the best!***
**“Top banana” and “Second banana” **
**probably come from the same place. The term comes from the early 1900s vaudeville days, and may have come from comedian Frank Lebowitz, who used bananas in his act. **
**“The greatest thing since sliced bread” **
*** is pretty self-explanatory - how great is it to just pull out a couple of pieces of bread and not have to be bothered with getting out a knife and trying to cut even slices without hacking up the loaf? It’s hard to believe, but pre-sliced bread actually wasn’t really a practice until 1928 and wasn’t marketed until 1930 by Wonder Bread***
**“Cut the mustard” **
*** has might seem strange, but it actually makes sense: it means to be up to a challenge. And if you think about it, cutting mustard? Pretty difficult.***
“Dollars to doughnuts”
*** means “most assuredly,” . It comes from the fact that if you’re willing to bet dollars to something that’s essentially worthless , you must be pretty sure that you’re right. Variations include dollars to buttons, cobwebs and dumplings.***
*This is a beautiful article: *
*The woman in your life...very well expressed... *
**Tomorrow you may get a working woman; butyou should marry her with these facts as well. ** **Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are; Who is earning almost as much as you do; ** **One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are; ** **One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements ** **One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life; ** **One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family ,name ** **One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen ** **One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you; ** **One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities; ** **Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise ** **One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met; ** **One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her; ** **One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it. ** But not many guys understand this......
**Please appreciate "HER" **
Send this to all girls to make their day and to all guys who can handle it.......
how sweet .
beautiful writin . I will save it and give to my son in law and my boys on their wedding days one day inshAllah :)
Join us in celebrating the sisterhood of Islam. Where you will find insightful articles, lectures, learn about the gems of Islam, our Muslim sisters
It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with the duties, benefits, and rights of Muslims women. The site will help you understand the difference between culture and the true Islam regarding Islams Women. That’s the name of the site…
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Ayshah & Muhammad - The True Love Story for Eternity click here](http://www.shareislam.com/newsletter/12all/lt/t_go.php?i=20&e=MTA5NzE=&l=-http--islamswomen.com/marriage/ayshah_and_muhammad.php)
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