From lusting for money to journeying into my soul

During the last few months, I have come across various different types of personalities from travelers, accountants, musicians, comedians to entrepreneurs. Previously my soul was struggling with the dichotomy of trying to be an artist and trying to make my ends meet via a day job. All I thought about was a certain amount of money to fill my pocket.

But as it turned out, money was an illusion! And the answer did not lie in the bank accounts or cars or vacations or designer clothes or great restaurants. I realized that through meeting so many people, I was addressing was a hidden desire to find myself. Moreover, I thought that I could get answers about my own self by learning about their lives from them.

But contrary to my perception, I ended up with a wild goose chase and found that the answer lied in my soul all along! This was taught to me by my fellow Pi Studio member Hussain Zaidi. He said that I like countless others is stuck in the illusion of everyday life and it is he who told me that I need to straighten my priorities in life and what I want from it. After this I started my process of introspection.

I realized that the only thing I actually feel and care about and love the most is work. Whether, one works as an accountant or a photographer, it is only through the rigors of honest and hard work that I can realize myself. No doubt people explore themselves through travel, but I explored myself lately through work. All work teaches us something about ourselves, most importantly it teaches us to love and appreciate other people and their diversity.

It is my solemn promise now that I shall work as hard as I can for myself and for my country as a photographer and documenter of love and hate. I want that the next generation of my country will not be stuck in the dichotomy I was, to earn and pay the bills or to follow my heart. Pakistan will change where people can follow their true calling, for it is in the reconciliation of the heart and mind of the nation that we can progress and prosper into the future.

PAKISTAN PAINDABAD!