Re-blog: Travel Series – Celebrity Eclipse

Oceans are mighty and they do call us often.

Not many can hear their call but those who do, often pack up their bags and head towards their nearest dock to board a cruise liner or cruise ferry. On those giant floating cities on water, those individuals can enjoy every luxury they can dream about under one roof.

Various indoor and outdoor activities on such cruise ships provide unlimited amount of travel pleasures to the passengers, who either seek an escape from their hectic daily routine or to finally enjoy all the pleasures they were dreaming about during their prime years.

As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t stepped on a cruise ship yet. I had seen one, an out-of-service giant which was docked on Gadani ship-breaking yard back in the spring of 1998. Since it was there to be dismantled up completely, I didn’t got the chance to step onboard and check it out.

So yes, I do like to step on a cruise ship and sail towards the horizon, where there’s nothing but water wherever you look. Though I may get seasick within a minute or two of my boarding, I may want to try it out. Just for fun 🙂

But until that dream turns into a reality, I can enjoy the snaps taken by Reymon de Real as back in December, he answered the call of the seas and boarded Celebrity Eclipse on a two-week South American cruise.

Head towards his blog for more lovely snaps and details about this magnificent cruise ship!

Reymon de Real Photography

I easily get seasick so I’m probably the last person you’d think would jump on a cruise ship in an instant. Surprisingly, I have been in more than a dozen cruises and am looking forward to my next one June of this year. I have sailed around Europe, Alaska, the Caribbean, South America and across the Atlantic Ocean and my goal is to have cruised around the world before I eventually leave this planet. A month ago I was on a two-week South American cruise on board the Celebrity Eclipse and had an amazing time even meeting new friends. The cruise started in Buenos Aires, Argentina sailing down to Cape Horn, Chile, which is the tip of South America, then up to Uruguay before docking back in Buenos Aires. The ship is almost 10 years old but is still in great shape thanks to regular maintenance. Celebrity Cruises is the…

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Re-blog: Survive or Thrive

A world getting crowded up with materialistic wows each passing day but losing the true spirit of human nature and peacefulness.

What it is we are running after? A question we must ask ourselves every now and then because it can give us an insight about our own self.

I read this simple but amazing piece of thoughts at Kate’s blog about surviving or thriving in today’s world, which can be used as a set of good reminders about our own self, about what we do everyday and for what purpose.

Read it out below!

 

aroused

Is life busy but still a breeze

or just surviving with ill ease

Addicted to devices

Chasing desires and vices

Keeping up with trends

Catching up with friends

Botox to lips or face

World flying by at a rapid pace

Duties, commitments galore

Never satisfied, looking for that flaw

Fear and insecurities abound

Need constant entertainment around

Pause and reflect

to see what it is that you neglect

Living is much more than survival

Breath out, give calm a revival

Daily Prompt:  Survive

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Re-blog: 3,652 Days

In response to Kate’s Friday Fun for this week, I’m re-blogging an old post of mine I published exactly 3 years ago on January 20th, 2016.

That post was about spending a decade/10 years/3,652 days with my lovely wife Jia.

And since today marks our 13th wedding anniversary, I thought it would be great to read out all the thoughts I wrote 3 years ago about my life with Jia, what she means to me and the way she makes me feel.

You can read it also, along with me 🙂

Blog of Hammad Rais

That’s 10 years to be precise, including two leap years. And today, this number of 3,652 is very special for me.

Why?

Because 10 years ago today, which was January 20th 2006, I got married!!!!

The Day We Got Married

Yup, there you have it!! The Surprise I was talking about since last week, this is it!!

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Re-blog: You Just Can’t Stop Running

Because of last night’s late return home from a wedding event, I slept up late. Though I woke up on time in morning but somehow made myself late in leaving home for work.

Hence, I had to run a little to catch my bus, which was waiting for me at the stop, thankfully. That little running made me realized, after I sat in the bus and collected up broken breaths, that I can’t really run in real life also.

Despite being good at walking long distances, I can’t cover the same distance through running. Which is a definite sign for me that I’m now transitioning into not-that-young-lad-anymore era of my life.

And which is also reminding me today about this piece I wrote back in 2017 about running without any breaks.

Read it out!

Blog of Hammad Rais

Running out for so long

Sometime, I wish for a break

But there is no slowing down

Or even a pause sign ahead

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Re-blog: Satisfied?

We eat until we aren’t hungry any more. Similarly, we drink until we are not thirsty any more.

But sadly, many among us don’t follow this same rule when it comes to desiring about worldly materialism. As per the current rule of: the more I get under my belt, the more pumped up I should be to get the remain ones in my hands, which is something truly absurd.

Satisfying inner desires is good but at the sake of ruining personal sanity. I really hate such individuals for whom every new shiny gadget of technological wonderment is a must or who just can’t get their hands full of what they already got.

On this very first day of 2019, I read a nice set of thoughts about satisfaction by Kate.

Read it out below:

aroused

Ever wonder why we are so dissatisfied?
Unhappy with our lot?
Closely watch what others have got?
Our relationships lacking somewhat?

Not quite sure if we are successful?
Mind and body not so zestful?
The only offender is our own deluded mind!
Restless, wanting – check and see what you find?

We invent our own unrealistic fantasies,
Obsessed with self-concern.
Seldom do we stop, look and learn.
Our habit is to project what our delusions expect.

I should look-like, be-like; have this or that.
“Why does she wear that hat?”
“He shouldn’t speak that way.”
Why does contentment stray?

Our own fictitious fables we want to see.
Never pausing to let things just be …
Have you ever tried to go with the flow?
Stop trying to direct your own show!

Everything becomes our own melodrama
And we are centre stage unaware of karma.
Self-grasping the only cause.
Let go…

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Re-blog: Away ‘V’ Go!

As per Kate’s advice, I’m re-blogging an old post of mine today from my first blogging year.

I captured these snaps of clouds playing hide and seek with the sun one morning back in March 2015.

Hadn’t seen such playful wonder of nature back again in the sky, so these snaps are my favorite.

Enjoy!

Blog of Hammad Rais

Okay, these clouds are Cumulus. I didn’t knew about that until today.

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Re-Blog: We Are So Fortunate!

Do you really need what the world is longing for?

Are you worthy enough to possess what many can only dream about?

It is good to ask such questions with our own selves from time to time. There are countless souls in this very world without the basic necessities of life, for whom every new day is like a grueling marathon with never-ending obstacles on its path.

I do feel highly blessed for not being one of them and for this, I say do thanks to THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH every day for providing me with not only what I didn’t asked for but also with what I honestly believe ain’t eligible for.

A gigantic blessings comparison I read today on Calm Kate’s blog, which struck my heart. You should read it too:

aroused

I have food in the fridge, clothes to wear and a sheltered safe place to live …
   so I am richer than 75% of our world

I have money in the bank and some in my purse with spare change around …
   that puts me among the top 8% of the wealthy

I woke up this morning more healthy than sick …
   I am more blessed than the millions who will not survive this week

I have never experienced the horrors of war, the degradation of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of real starvation …
so I am well ahead of 500 million people in our world

I can pursue spiritual practice of my own choice without fear of arrest, torture or death; those that harass are ignorant …
   so I’m more blessed than three billion others!

I can…

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Re-blog: Rescue Remedies

Speaking about being dragging along on rough surfaces of negativity since this morning, I received another helping hand from Kate Blake through this small but lovely piece of rescue remedies.

Use them frequently for your heart, mind and soul’s peacefulness 🙂

aroused

Go for a mooch, more of a meander than a walk … stop look listen

Climb a tree, the world looks different and troubles seem much further away

Pick something, wash it under the tap and eat it raw – parsley is my favourite!

Make your favourite treat with all the embellishments – mint slice, scones n jam

Or make some bread, all that kneading and working is therapeutic

Give someone a bunch of flowers – a neighbour, a stranger, your grocer

Look at photos of old friends, good holidays – have a moment down memory lane

Plant a tree or a shrub – giving back to the environment is healthy

Listen by being still, call it pray or meditation or just connect with the earth

Eat a chocolate frog and offer one to the next person you meet

Buy a friend a coffee or leave one to be paid…

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Re-blog: Worldly Whims

What we runs after in our life explains a lot about who we really are. While many we know do have their own priorities and goals, when it comes to our own selves, we should be doing what is best for us.

The world we live in loves to persuade us into materialism through different ways but once you have set up your own vision and goal clearly, there will be no diversion in achieving what you want to achieve.

Read out this lovely piece by Calm Kate about what is more important to us than what we do consider important.

aroused

Do you have to have this and that

Work to renew those devices

Wear the right clothes

Drive the right car

Have the perfect home

 

Has this made you perfectly
Happy content and satisfied?

 

If not then shed the unnecessary

Cull back to the bare essentials

Change your attitude and focus

Sort your values, set priorities

Know yourself to find freedom

 

This brings me genuine happiness

Contentment and real satisfaction

 

Without trying the alternative

And checking societal norms

You are blindly led down the

Throw away materialistic abyss

Save yourself now to live joyfully

 

Do you want to be happy

Content and satisfied?

 

Or are you prepared to waste this life

Slave to your every wilful desire

Chasing a never ending quagmire

Of elusive worldly accumulation

Distracting you from inner peace

 

You are very precious so please

Be happy content and satisfied

 

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Re-blog: Gifts from Blogging

To those who have no clue about what wonders blogging brings upon, this wonderfully amazing list of blogging benefits by Miriam Blaker certainly packs enough power to let them truly see and understand what they are actually missing.

The world is full of amazing people and I found so many of them through blogging 🙂

 

Added for RDP Tuesday: Parcel

 

 

Out an' About

Roses are red, violets are blue, today’s my birthday but the gifts are for you.

Make a wish 

I’m 53 years old young today. Hip, hip, hooray, where have the years gone?  I still feel 21. Yep, except my need for reading glasses, dodgy memory and aching bones tells me otherwise. Falling off a bike recently didn’t help either.

However, I’ve never felt more blessed and passionate about life than I do right now. I’m grateful for every single day and my heart, mind and eyes are wide open. To a degree, blogging has played a huge part in that.

“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be.” – Robert Browning

I started back in 2015, the February before I turned 50, the year before I lost my mum and my life changed forever.

As I write this (a few days before my birthday) I reflect on…

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