MY NOSTALGIC MEMORY

At one point in life, we start thinking about holistic living where health, wealth, parenting, relationships, and Social and spiritual life needs to be balanced. Being successful in one part of life does not make sense. Every stage of life should be proportionate. If you keep one part happy and another part suffering will lead to an imbalance in the cycle of life, this will cause dissatisfaction, stress, and displeasure. Returning to your homeland generates that hope and feeling of liberty and open choice you want to exercise.

The loud sound in the kitchen woke me up from my memories. My wife, Arundhati is preparing breakfast. She is a college professor in one of the Management colleges in Singapore. She is a professor of English literature and Accounting. I finished my coffee, and wanted some more but hearing her sound I understood something happened between the dean of college and her. The dean is the right-hand person for a Principal in a foreign country.

This dean of the college is a weird person; he doesn't like Indians who work abroad. He always finds mistakes and underestimates them. My wife is working as a professor on contract bases. Once in a week, there's a fight between both, but this time I understood it is not a small fight.

I decided to face the situation because I can't see her in pain. I went to the kitchen and asked her for more coffee. She pointed me to the flask. I silently took the flask, but the coffee became cold, so I heated them in Oven because I didn't want to hear her angry words from her. I gathered my strength and asked her why she was worried.

If you want to tell me something then you can tell me. She told me that I don't have anything to say. The coffee was heated and I silently came out of the kitchen, because I know that if I ask her more, she will outburst herself. She is having the habit of telling me everything, after some time I know she will come by herself and tell me the things. I went to my study and started looking at some papers which I kept pending to complete yesterday. I work on Saturdays sometimes, So the work is pending, I completed the work. After sometimes completing her work she came to my study room and told me, "My work contract is complete within three months. I am fed up with the work in that college. Yesterday my mom called me. She is missing me, and I also want to return home, also need a break. I said "We will think about it. At the same time, I decided it is the best time to return to your homeland. It is the day I decided that my homeland needs me. After she left the place I immersed myself in my past, they are beautiful memories of my past.

 I am Abdul Qureshi a Software Engineer who left his home in his twenties and returned in his forties. Worked as an Entrepreneur and Coach in foreign countries for over a decade. I had my M-Tech in Information Technology and worked as a software Engineer abroad with the world's top blue chip companies IBM, HP, and Atos Origin for two decades in Singapore, the United States, Indonesia, and the Gulf.

I belong to a family, where my mother owns a small girls' school near my home. We have an ancestral property in our village which is called haveli. My dad was in the Indian army and dedicated his youth to his motherland. After that, he took voluntary retirement from his service to take care of his dad's property and the agriculture business for years.

I will never forget the day when I left my hometown at the beginning of my youth. That was the day I was in the last final year of my M- tech degree. I was happily returning to my home from college. On the way, I saw a very poor family.

They are working under a landlord and took a loan from the Chit funds and they are harassing them for not paying the installment. Suddenly I realized that in the place of his mother, I saw my mother weeping and crying helplessly. In place of that boy, I saw myself as an ignorant child to my parents. I stood still and within a second that image went away and I stood still for two seconds.

After that person went away, I went near that boy and told him, "You are still young, you can work hard and earn a good amount, don't you feel guilty about putting your mother in this state." The boy sadly said," I want to help them, but am not much educated, I don't have money to leave here and go to any other town, I am not a reliable son of my old parent, I comforted that boy and said, "You should believe in yourself, keep patience and try to learn new things.

Try for better jobs and you can easily recover from this crisis. I handed over some money to him and headed towards my house. On the way home, the roadside scenery is mesmerizing, sheep are enjoying their afternoon meals, and resting under the cool shade of apple trees. The sound of the Jewel blue stream is loud and clear, splashing through the woods and gaps of the mountains. The saying seems true, which says the rivers are the path toward the forest.

The Aroma of the forest is breath taking and refreshing. But my mind is full of thoughts that I encountered today, and one question which is striking my head is What will happen if this situation comes to me, and what do I have to do after my Post Graduation?

I was in deep thought and did not realize that my house came. I went directly to my room, mother already set the lunch table. I changed myself and went to have lunch. I return to my room but the same question is beating my head, I can't control my emotions. I just left my room and went into the fields for some relaxation.

When I reached the field, the fragrance of the flowers came flowing towards me, as if wind purposefully flowed towards me. The incense of the various flowers in our flower fields like tulips, daffodils, Kashmiri roses, and the lotus pond made my eyes glitter in the slight sunlight.

My dad is talking with the flower distributor. I waited for him to finish his conversation. After that man left, I greeted my dad and told him the events which happened to me this afternoon. He asked," My son, what you learned and what you decided to do hereafter? I explained the feeling I am experiencing, till now. He laughed and said." Dear, this is a confusion which every youngster faces during this age."

He then said," During this situation, you can only listen to your heart, it is the place where the real soul exists, and it will lead you to the right path. His words satisfied me and I went to my room and started searching for good opportunities abroad because most of my friends are searching for jobs in foreign countries.

The night is falling and the sun is hiding behind the trees. The mountains were vampire white as if they wanted to touch the clouds. A wave of snow is white as a fairy tumbled down from the peak. That time I realized, that when you reach the peak one day you have to come down otherwise life will create the situation. But at that same movement, I understood whatever happens I have to return to my homeland because this is the place where my soul is buried. This is the place where I grew wings to fly up above the mountains. I decided I will surely return after earning money. I don't want to become the NRI who forgets their motherland.

I have to earn money for my future. The motherland will be waiting for me to return. I finally decided to go abroad and earn and serve my motherland. The night is approaching and the sky is filled with darkness. That time I understood how powerful the sun is.

Mere light is enough for filling the world with brightness and bringing a colorful day. It has taken a year to complete the formalities of the Visa. My uncle helped me a lot in completing the process. The person from Kashmir has to follow some extra process because the Indian government has given special consideration.

During this year, I learned English and German as foreign languages, Worked for IBM Company as an Assistant Executive. During the weekend I help my dad in his business. Finally, the day came and I am on the way to chasing my dreams.