I imagine the hardest part of living through a war is not being able to see the enemy as anything but just that; an enemy. I imagine the other hardest part of living through a war is realizing you had no stake in it until your way of living was turned into a small pile … Continue reading The old Lie
as a child i listened to The Cranberries singing anthems i could not grasp for Salvation & for Zombies, as Odes to my Family & to Saving Grace; i am 21 & my heart aches as it connects the dots a five year old in her father's car could not. i cry for the Warchild, … Continue reading A post written in poem
I will be the first to admit that I read fiction far more than I read non-fiction*. In her fairly successful attempt to make sure her children turned out to be fluent in English, my mother filled every bookshelf I ever had with books either bought firsthand, secondhand, or passed down from her own childhood. … Continue reading In defense of the fantastic
I don't know when I became aware of Abdul Sattar Edhi. I guess that's the thing about "givens" - they have no origin, there is no place in time to which they belong, they simply are and Edhi simply was in a way we could only hope to be. Edhi was a fixture for every Pakistani. … Continue reading Edhi
I realize my last few blog posts have been a little more depressing than I usually put out. I try and imbue optimism in everything I write, because there's enough sadness going around without me adding to it. And yet, here I am. I forced myself to take a social media hiatus after some encouragement … Continue reading Long note: honest despair
some cooking tips: 1. when you cook chicken (breast, thigh or fillet) make three thin nicks with a serrated knife (okay, it's more for bread than poultry but it was the only knife within reach). stuff rosemary in each pocket & smell the divinity in your kitchen. 2. most things are better crushed. take garlic, mint, … Continue reading Divining
I find myself nervous when I'm too happy. There was a time I used to say without any hesitation that I am a happy person; optimistic and bold, I used to walk forward bravely into any situation, ready to handle whatever crisis came my way. My infamous "crisis head" lends itself well to unpredictable situations, … Continue reading Short note: Happiness?
Before I begin: I don't want to seem as if I'm singling Pakistan out as a means to condescend the country that reared me. Pakistan as a "case study" is the terrain I'm most familiar with and, therefore, most comfortable with discussing. Anything else would be irresponsible. Moreover, this is a legitimate problem in Pakistan that is … Continue reading The peculiar chivalry of Pakistani men
There is a man who stands outside the Park Street T entrance right on the Boston Common. He is always shaven, dressed in a black windbreaker, carrying a backpack which always has a water bottle tucked into it. He carries a cardboard sign that says "My son and I are homeless" and that's when I … Continue reading The profound sadness of living in a city
When fending off darkness and jadedness is resistance, you walk as if your joints are sandpaper. There's a constant ache in a part of your body you can't quite pinpoint. Every time you smile, you throw the bags under your eyes into relief. You still smile with your eyes, though. There's tension in the tangling vines that grow … Continue reading Resisting
Neiha Lasharie 