When you open your heart to giving, angels fly to your door.

We worry whether we'll get straight As in our exams. There are people who worry whether they'll even get to go to a school and study. We worry about whether mum's going to cook our favorite food this week. There are people who worry about whether they'll even get to fill their stomachs with something as small as a piece of bread.

It's only a matter of time that we realize how better off and how luckier we are than so many people out there. We keep complaining to our parents about out how our friends have the latest iPhone model and how they wear branded clothes and we don't. Little do we realize that there are people in the same world who long to cover themselves with proper clothes, who don't even know that brands and labels exist.

It takes us less than a millisecond to turn to God with anger in our hearts and frowns on our faces as we complain to Him about how He doesn't grant us our wishes. We don't realize how much He is giving us, showering on us and there are people who He doesn't give anything at all.

Between our constant I-want-a-new-phone and I-don't-to-eat-this ramblings, we fail to notice those poor, homeless people spending their days and nights on dry, hard footpaths. Barefoot, shelter less and hungry -they crave for something as simple as a sip of clean water.

The children we see every day picking and collecting garbage in the huge, dirty bags hung over their shoulders, while on our way to our schools and colleges. Do they not deserve to carry a knapsack loaded with books? Or wear the blue and white checkered uniform with shiny, polished shoes? They aren't any different from us, are they? Yet we complain and whine about how imperfect our lives are. Little do we realize that this tad ungratefulness will take away all that we have now and we'll be left with nothing.

If God is constantly showering His blessings on you and giving you more than you ever asked for, do not for a moment think that He is very happy with you and depending on that assumption you stop praying to God. No. It is nothing but a test. A test to see how you extend that helping hand and help those poor, unfortunate souls from the expanding amount of wealth He's giving you.

Don't be ungrateful and tired of your ‘miserable’ life. Learn to be happy with what you have and don't whine about what you don't. Because there are people who don't even have a quarter of what you have all together.

It all comes down to being thankful enough and thanking God for every little thing He gives you. Also, being generous and having a huge heart when it comes to helping others. Maybe, God will then give you something you've never even dreamed of. Paradise.

Mareah Ariff.

Batman and Superman to team up in new film

Superman and Batman are to appear in the same film for the first time, it has been revealed, to the delight of many fans of the popular characters.

The surprise announcement was made by Zack Snyder, who directed the most recent Superman film Man of Steel.

But speaking at a comic convention in San Diego, California, Mr Snyder said the script was still being written.

Production is expected to begin next year and the film is scheduled for release in the summer of 2015.

Warner Bros confirmed that the two superheroes would team up for the first time.

British actor Henry Cavill - who starred in Man of Steel - will again play Superman.

However, an actor for the new Batman is yet to be cast.

"They're both alpha males," fan Benjamin Ha was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. He added that he expected fireworks in the new film.

For many comic book enthusiasts it is a dream come true in what promises to be the ultimate superhero adventure, the BBC's Peter Bowes in Los Angeles reports.

The enduring popularity of Superman and Batman has seen the latest films featuring the two characters earn revenues of more than $1bn (£655m) between them.

Aurora hits Facebook!

We would like to thank you all for reading our posts and appreciating them. We thought it was now high time for our blog to expand. So we discussed with few friends and coined up a Facebook page as well. It's all because of you readers who have made us come to this point. We truly appreciate your participation in spreading awareness and a little dose of imagination. Thank You.
Remember, if you have any complaints or you want to be part of our blog Email us at, crazybloggers1@gmail.com.

Do like our facebook page as well which is: www.facebook.com/auroratheblog
Regards: Ilma Zuberi and Zeeshan Ayub!

Looking past the cover.

"Oh God that man's stinking!" I whispered to my friend as we passed a man with messy hair and adorned in a worn out coat.
"I swear, does he not shower." She giggled back wrinkling her nose.
I heard those girls whispering about how I was stinking. I pulled my coat closer to myself,  slightly shivering in the cold air. I pulled out the keys and unlocked my car. I sighed at the dirty interior. A toothbrush lay on the seat accompanied by a stack of wrinkled clothing. I pulled the seat down and lay down, closing my eyes. Another interview blown. Sleeping in the car without a home, life was just slapping me in the face. And to top it all I was stinking. Brilliant.
"Hey Alice move to the right." I whispered, "That guy looks kind of dangerous." She nodded peering at the guy wrapped in a hoodie, supporting a cut lip and a black eye. We both moved a bit away as we walked.
The man had really done it now. I wiped the slightly bloody lip with the back of my sleeve and winced. And mother hadn't even done anything to stop her husband from beating me up! We were just an all around good family weren't we?
"Look at that girl man. How slutty can you get?!" I whispered to her as she glanced at the girl hanging on the arms of two boys.
I giggled at something Ben said from my left not really hearing what he was saying.
"Hey you want to go for that new movie? What's it called?" Jack asked from my right. I nodded with enthusiasm. Anything to stay away from home and all the fighting.
Ben turned to look at me, his eyes flickering with happiness. At least Someone was happy at something I did, unlike my parents who couldn't think of anything other than each other's fault.
"Want some ice cream?" I asked looking at the ice cream truck standing a few feet away.
"Definately! Who says no to ice cream?" Alice said looking at a mother and son. "Except maybe that kid."
"Probably too much of a snob to have cheap ice cream." I said standing in line.
"Prefers Baskin Robbins or something. Seriously it's the mother's own fault." She said seriously.
"Honey, you can get a lolly. Really it won't matter." Mother said looking at smiling. "I have some money from today's job. I rolled my eyes at her and pulled her on.
"Mom save it okay? We need every pence we got." I said.
"I'm sure a dollar won't harm Rory's stash on medicine." She said walking along.
"Mom, my brother's got cancer. I'm not wasting money on ice cream when we need each dollar to save his life okay mom? So quit it. I don't want a stupid lolly." I said firmly taking her hand. She smiled softly -a first in days.
"You're the best, kiddo!" She said ruffling my hair and we walked on.
"Hurry up man! We haven't got all day." I said to the salesman. I turned to her and said, "Man he's slow."
"I swear, the line's barely moving." She said frowning.
I wiped my brow, exhausted. Maybe I'll take a day off tomorrow and get some sleep. I've barely slept 3 hours in the past week. I took the money from the little girl who happily licked her Strawberry Surprise (the surprise was a lick of vanilla in the middle. What a rip off!). I thought about my wife at home and how she'd fight if I said I wanted to take an off. I sighed. I'd been selling ice cream all my life, she shouldn't have married me if it didn't suit her I earned so little. I worked hard at it, unlike her oh so 'rich' brother who got money for parking his butt on a chair all day.
We walked on eating our Chocolate Swirlies. We came across three girls sitting on a wall. They glanced at us and one turned to whisper something to the others. They all laughed loudly looking at us.
"They're talking about us." I said to Alice.
"I know! Totally judging us!" She said.
"People are so judgemental these days!" I said as we walked past them.
"Yeah! Why can't they just look at what they themselves are doing for like two minutes before assuming about others?!" She said. I nodded in enthusiastic agreement.
Nobody can guess a person's story with just a glance or even a few words, although we do try are best to do so. We all pass judgements here and there, not looking at what we ourselves are doing.
Just something to think about.
Ilma Zuberi.

One should always remember to turn on the light.

Tears leaked down my face as I looked at Aaron standing at the altar in a sharp black tux. He glanced at me and visibly gulped. 
"Mom! The stove! Could you please check that?!" I yelled taking the clothes out of the washer. "MOM!" I yelled. No answer. I rolled my eyes. Who was I kidding? After six months I should just give up. I got up and ran to the kitchen. "Shit!" I swore grabbing a cloth from its peg as I stirred the slightly burning gravy. I gripped the pan and dragged it off the stove. 
"Did you burn it again?" A small voice said from the doorway. I frowned. 
"It can be eaten." I said turning to find the small figure hugging his Batman action figure. He made a face.
"I don't want to eat burnt food." He said looking at me with his big brown eyes. I sighed.
"It's not burnt." I told him bending down in front of him to straighten his jeans.
"It smells like it is." He said blinking at me. I sighed again.
"I'll make you noodles okay? Happy?" I said smiling softly at him. He grinned. I ruffled his hair and he pouted.
"Not the hair, Alex!" He said patting his hair back into place. I laughed.
"Whatever little brother." I spoke.
"Can you help me with my homework?" He asked.
"I have to hang up the laundry and get the groceries first okay?" I said standing up and going towards the basement.
"You always help me. Math sucks." He sniffed.
"I have work too little brother. I'll help you when I'm done." 
"You're always cleaning. I thought you hated cleaning." He said padding along after me.
"Well if I don't who will?" I said quietly.
"Why won't mum leave her room?" He asked me. I sighed.
"She's sad." I said.
"You're sad too, you leave your room." He said. His little feet hurried to keep up with me. I slowed down for him.
"I leave because if I didn't you'd probably eat all the ice cream." I said half-heartedly grinning. I swung down and picked him up. He didn't grin like I expected him to.
"You'd give me all the ice cream anyway so I don't think that's why you leave." He said quietly.
"You're quite smart for a five year old aren't you?" I said softly. He nodded in agreement. I smiled.
"So why don't you stay in your room if you're sad too?" He said.
"Cause of you, little brother." I said honestly for the first time in ages. I had lied too much I realized, 'Yeah I'm okay' or 'Yeah we're coping' and 'Mum is getting better'. 
Aaron patted my head. "I'm too cute to leave behind." He said solemnly. I laughed and he grinned. 
"You're too cheeky." I said, "You need some punishment to straighten you up." I put him down on top of the counter as I continued pulling the clothes out of the washer.
"I'm too cute to punish." He said making his Batman fly.
"I can tickle you to death." I told him. His eyes widened as he realized I very well could. "And Batman can't fly." 
"I know, but why does he wear a cape then?" Aaron asked confused.
"It's bullet proof and helps him balance, little brother." I said taking up the basket and putting it next to Aaron.
"Why do you know that?" He asked grinning at me. I paused. 
"I have no id-" I began but the doorbell rang. "That's probably Uncle Alex right?" I said turning to Aaron who nodded. I helped Aaron down, grabbed the basket and we both ran to the door. I looked through the peek hole and Aaron tapped his feet impatiently. I swung open the door and smiled at the familiar tanned face I was named after. He wasn't really our uncle: my father's best friend actually- but he was as good as.
"There's my favorite girl!" He grinned stepping inside.
"Uncle!" Aaron yelled jumping forward. Uncle caught him as usual and swung him up.
"Oof. You're getting big!" Uncle said falling into our worn out couch. "Would you mind getting me a glass of water?" He said to Aaron who shook his head and ambled towards the kitchen. Uncle immediately turned to me and took out an envelope from his pocket. "I put in extra money so you could get Aaron and yourself some new clothes okay?" 
My cheeks reddened, "You didn't have to. Our clothes are fine." I said. He waved it off. 
"Of course I had to. How's Ariana?" He asked changing the subject. 
"She's still vacantly staring out of the window. She doesn't eat or anything. She just sits in that stupid chair of hers and doesn't do anything. I have to literally put food in her mouth." I said aware that the tiredness was now seeping throughout my demeanor.
"Your father's death was hard on her." He said quietly.
"It was hard on all of us, not just her." I said angrily.
"Here you go Uncle." Aaron spoke entering the room. He passed the glass to Uncle and turned to me. I at once smiled at him, beckoning him to come and sit on my lap. He followed my quiet request. 
"The house looks spotless." Uncle said looking around.
"Alex just finished cleaning. I helped." Aaron said proudly. I ruffled his hair and he pouted.
"And you did good, little brother." I spoke and kissed his cheek. 
"Mum didn't help at all." Aaron frowned. The smile slipped of my face. Uncle frowned too.
"I'm going to go talk to her for a bit." Uncle said.
"No use." I said from experience. He still got up and made his way to her room.
"You want to listen through the door?" Aaron spoke after Uncle had entered her room. I looked at him.
"You're getting too naughty." I said but got up and made my way to her room. I put my ear to the door and began listening. 
"Ariana. Come on. Ariana. Look. At. Me. Ariana!!!" The last word was said in a frustrated tone. No answer. I looked down as Aaron looked up. I wrinkled my nose at him and he wrinkled his back. There was silence at the other end and then Uncle spoke in a quiet voice, "Why don't you jump off the building and make it official that you're dead? So your children don't keep hanging. The least you can do for them." My eyes widened at the cruel words. No answer. I heard him take a harsh breathe. "You're killing them too you know. They've lost enough without you being like this too." No answer. "This is not what Ross would have expected from you. You stopped going to work, you've stopped bathing, talking, eating, Hell you've stopped walking! How much longer are you going to let Alex sponge you off and feed you?! That poor girl has been cooking and cleaning and playing mother to her brother! And for God sakes she's barely sixteen, Ariana!" No answer. "You're not the only one to have lost someone." He spat at her. No answer. I heard Uncle get up and take a step towards the door. I was about to grab Aaron and bolt when he stopped. His voice was low as he said "Actually on the plus you only lost your husband, they've managed to lose Both their parents." He began walking towards the door.
My now shaky hands gripped Aaron's shoulders and began to drag him away when a hoarse muffled voice spoke, "It hurts too much. I can't... Move." 
My hands slackened and my eyes widened. My knees gave away and I dropped on them, breathing hard. After all the times I tried... After all the things I said... After weeping and calling so many times... Not once... Not once had she spoken. Or even reacted. There was nothing. She had given up on her daughter and I had in turn lost hope in her. And now... And now a few words from my father's friend and she... She had denied her freaking daughter even a glance and she spoke for him!!! I had begged and cried and begged and she- 
"Alex?" A small voice said. A tiny hand touched my cheek. I looked up to see Aaron's face. Tears ran down his cheek. I wiped away his tears and hugged him.
I breathed hard as I spoke, "I'm okay. Don't cry little brother. I'm okay. Shhhh..." My hands around him tightened. 
"You have to. It doesn't matter if you can't. You have to Make yourself move." Uncle spoke from inside. "It's hurting them too, but Hell your children are braver than you are." The last words held a tone of pride. Aaron's small hands wound themselves around my neck. I stroked his back.
"I know." Mum spoke. "But I can't Alex. Take them." 
Anger cracked through my body and I gasped at her words. My eyes saw red. I pulled away from Aaron and slammed the door open. My mother sat in her chair by the window. Her hair was falling loose and her face was an ill pale. She had grown thinner and her once bright blue eyes had dulled. 
"You're a coward!" I screamed at her. "A coward! You sit there all day not daring to face anything! You refuse to talk so you won't have to face anyone! You refuse to eat because you can't face your life! You refuse to acknowledge your children because you are scared of the similarities we hold with dad! Fuck, you even refuse to suicide because you're too freaking scared of dying! If I had not been here I think you'd have even let Aaron die so you wouldn't have to face responsibility! I know you're hurt! You think I'm not?! What I wouldn't do to stay and mope in a chair by the window if I could. But I can't! Because you won't bloody move and Aaron has to eat." Tears streamed down my face and my voice broke. "I'm tired." I waited. She turned her head towards the window. No answer.
I breathed in harshly and stood up. 
"Come on little brother, let's make noodles for you." I said firmly wiping my face with the back of my hand. I turned to Uncle Alex. "I'll have us packed by tomorrow if you'll have us." I said quietly. He nodded, his eyes brimming. I grabbed Aaron's small hand and led him to the kitchen.
The wedding tune began to play and in walked the bridesmaids in the traditional horrible dresses. Aaron turned to me again. I nodded at him in encouragement and he turned back to look at Rosa walk in, in a beautiful white gown. He smiled. I began to sob as Rosa reached the altar and her father passed her hand to Aaron's. My husband, Dean, quietly handed me a tissue and Uncle Alex patted my knee. 
"I give you Mr and Mrs. Aaron." The priest announced. I sprang out of my chair and Aaron opened his arms for a hug beaming.
"My little brother's all grown up." I sniffed ruffling his hair.
"Not the hair, Alex!" He pouted.
Sometimes things may get hard. But we have to learn to move on. If not for ourselves then for people around us.
"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." -Albus Dumbledore.
Ilma Zuberi.

Life beyond death.

It seemed angry, the sea, wild and roaring anger. Its waves reaching out to grab me and then pulling back in furious reluctance, coming closer and closer each time. I looked down at it as it crept up faster, standing my ground. I dug my feet deeper into the gritty sand and grinned as each new wave bought in a splash of cool. For something so angry it was very cool.
I took steps back as it leapt forward, eager, and soon it became a careful dance. I kept my eyes fixed on it, and my cousins standing with me laughing and squealing at the might of the ocean. It got more angry, foaming and frothing its way closer.
One wayward cousin leapt ahead challenging the sea in a daring attempt. He danced and waved at us, calling us out further. One started to give in to the temptation, but I held her back, "No more."
I yelled for him to come back. I could hear him snorting, wave me away and ride the wave. "You don't even know how to swim! And I don't think even that would help! Come back you idiot!" I screamed.
"You're paranoid! It's fine!" He yelled. I started to make my way to him and he took steps further back, cheekily.
"You come forward I go back!" He yelled taking another step back, one too far. There was no floor to step on. He slipped under the water, his hands calling out in a desperate plea.
"Call the life guard!" I yelled to my cousin who stood at my side. She began running. I glanced at the distance. Too far and too slow.
He surfaced, I growled and began to run forward. The sea rushed to greet me and I could almost hear the maniac laugh echoing through. It crashed against me, the salty water blinding me for a second. I vaguely made out his arms flailing a few feet ahead. My eyes watched a huge wave in making. I struggled forward, desperate but determined.
I reached out, so close. I kicked my feet against the water and grabbed his arm, gasping as the sea took revenge by pulling us deeper. I pulled him up and he clung to me, in his panicked state he dug his nails in my shoulders and I gave out a cry. I wrapped my arms around him and screamed, "When I tell you, LET GO!"
He looked at me, wildly refusing, and I repeated, turning around to glance behind me. Almost there... I grimaced as he clung to me harder, my arms now aching and the salty water making my eyes burn. Closer... "Now!" I yelled prying him off me. He protested, but I managed to throw him ahead. I did not get a chance to move ahead though. The wave crashed upon us moving us with fierce determination. Him forward towards hope, family and life. Me downwards to its crushing depths.
There was no sound, only silence as I whirled wildly, lost. My feet and arms burned, but my lungs protested the most. I kicked again closing my eyes to the burning. I surfaced, gasping and only for a moment, before the sea pulled me back gleefully. I kicked again and felt something slimy catch my foot. The air rushed out of me in furious bubbles as I glanced down.
Seaweed had clutched my leg, aiding the ocean in grasping another victim. I struggled, getting more tangled. My lungs burned and I longed for a gulp of air. I tried scratching the seaweed away, but my vision was blurring and my chest ached. I looked around me at the nothingness. For as far as I could see there was only murky water and gritty sand. There was no sound and it was almost serene. Almost.
Spots began to creep around my sight and my eyes closed. My heart thrummed in a desperate plea and my feet gave one last kick. My body gave up the last few gasps of air and I felt sharp pain.
Then, everything went black.

"I'm Salma Ali and this Faisal Khan and we're back with today's headlines." A bright girl told the viewers.
"A factory in Karachi burned. 8 found dead. 7 wounded." Faisal begin in an official voice.
"An 18 year old girl drowned at Hawks Bay while saving, successfully, her cousin." Salma added...

Ilma Zuberi.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

I sat, silent, leaning against the wall, my hands wrapped firmly around my knees. My eyes were closed, for even opening them would not remove the crushing darkness. My lips were dry and I was parched, but what use was eating or drinking when it would only sustain the one thing I did not want; to live.
I leaned my head back against the wall and winced as the memories whirled again.
She laughed loudly and shook her head at my antics. I stuck my tongue out at her, walking still like our grade 9 teacher had done, not caring what any other thought. She laughed again and linked her arm through mine, launching into a vivid opinion of exactly how idiotic Professor Ehab had been.
We walked at a leisurely pace pointing discreetly at the people walking on the road and giggling like a couple of loonies. Our conversation altered from how sexy British accents were to the potential psycho paths in our college. There was no sequence or any logic, but still the conversation made perfect sense to us.
We stopped to buy ice cream at the corner of the road. "110rs." The salesman said. She turned to me and asusual shrugged, "I'm broke." I rolled my eyes as I reached into my pocket.
"Tell me something new, you idiot." I told her as I looked for change. She grinned and walked on, licking her ice cream, turning to stick out her tongue at me.
"Here." I said to the man handing him some money. I stood patiently waiting for the change. I turned my head to watch her crossing the road.
A swish of wind blew past me and I saw a car turning wildly around the corner. Straight for her.
My ice cream fell and I screamed, "WATCH OUT!" Her eyes turned to the car speeding at her and she turned to run, her eyes catching mine. They shone with fright as the car hit her. I screamed, calling out for her desperately.
I turned my head as the tears ran and clutched myself tighter. The silence crept around me until I was afraid to breathe in case I upset it. She had always been there to break it, but no more... No one was there anymore.
A creak sounded. I recognised it as the sound of the door opening. Why could they not just leave me be?
"Hey." A low, deep voice whispered. My eyes opened and widened slightly at the familiar brown hair and kind face. I turned away. Footsteps sounded as he walked toward me. He sank on the floor next to me and did not say anything, offered no sympathies or suggestions as many did. He just sat quietly next to me.
"Why did you come back from America?" I asked turning to face him, my voice hoarse from not speaking in a good while.
"I heard a friend needed me so I came." He said simply, turning to me. His eyes shimmered with soft familiarity.
"You didn't have to." I spoke. He smiled softly and reached forward wrapping his arms around me.
"Of course I did." He whispered stroking my hair. I clutched his shirt.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I promised I'd be there for you every time you needed me." He said.
"She promised that too." I spoke, my voice breaking at the end.
"But she never left you alone. She made sure I'd come." He said rubbing my arm.
"How?"
He took out a piece of paper from his pocket, "She left this in her will for me."
'Return to her for I have left, but she cannot be alone.'
I cried on his shoulder and he let me. I knew I would never be alone for she would always be there.
Ilma Zuberi.
P.S= Please follow :)

Samsung has gone nuts!!!

If you crave the connectivity offered by the Samsung Galaxy Camera but don't want to sacrifice image quality or photo capabilities, you are the poster child for the Samsung Galaxy NX. With built-in 3G/4G LTE and Wi-Fi, Samsung envisions it as the "always connected" camera, but really, I'd be happy with just connected enough -- as I suspect many of the people interested in this camera would be -- but which most manufacturers still haven't mastered. And from a connectedness standpoint, the Galaxy NX does everything but make calls.

And it really does seem like the best of all possible worlds for more advanced photographers. It incorporates the same sensor as the NX300, complete with hybrid phase-detection/contrast autofocus systems, the same electronic viewfinder as the NX20, and it supports a reasonable selection of fast and/or inexpensive lenses that makes it flexible for a variety of users. The system could use at least one fast telephoto zoom, however.

Though it uses a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, Samsung supplements it with the same DRIMe IV imaging processor as in the NX300. (It also has 16GB built-in memory.) That should provide speedier image processing than on the Galaxy Camera. It seems like Samsung has learned some lessons from the earlier model as well. The huge battery and grip with a thumb rest on the back contrasts with the Galaxy Camera's relatively poor battery life and lack of place for your right thumb.

I'm still not completely sold on the idea of Android-driven cameras, but Android, combined with Samsung's willingness to open-source its camera API really opens up the potential of the camera in ways I can't begin to imagine.

One downside: it's really big. Of course, that's inescapable given the 4.8-inch LCD, APS-C sensor, and built-in EVF. (Plus, it's annoying that for such a big camera it uses microSD cards, and that they're inconveniently located in the battery compartment.) Also, many of Samsung's best lenses are relatively big and heavy, given that ILCs were intended to be smaller than dSLRs. But it can act as a hotspot, which makes the idea of toting it around it a little more palatable, at least for pros. One question I have is what happens to performance when you use the camera and the hotspot simultaneously. If you can.

Another potential downside is the lack of physical controls. While a chunk of potential buyers for this camera will just be looking for APS-C-quality photos and videos, another group -- say, people like me who need a high-quality camera for live-blogging and event photography -- really, really like our physical controls, and the i-Function design only partly mitigates their absence. I have to say, though, this is the first instance in which the i-Function architecture makes a lot of sense and finally seems like a strategic move on Samsung's part. In previous models, which do have physical controls, it always seemed so superfluous.

It also remains to be seen what kind of integration off-the-shelf Android apps have with the camera. As my review-twin Josh Goldman discovered while testing the Galaxy Camera, they vary with respect to how they operate. For example, most camera apps use some sort of pinch-based zooming; what happens when they encounter a mechanical zoom lens? The units we got to play with weren't yet cell-connected.

The beginning of the end.

In my view this incident is the major cause of Pakistan's reputation around the world.
The Daniel Pearl incident:

The world has come to know Daniel Pearl as the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in early 2002, just four months after 9/11. Since then, he has been remembered as a symbol of hope: a man who built bridges between diverse cultures as a writer and a musician.

Pearl was born in Princeton, New Jersey, and grew up in Los Angeles, California where he demonstrated an insatiable curiosity for music, academics and sports. A gifted writer from a very young age, Pearl's aptitude for journalism became apparent as a student at Stanford University where he co-founded the student newspaper Stanford Commentary. After graduating, he wrote for regional papers before joining The Wall Street Journal in 1990.

In October of 2000, Pearl and his wife moved to Bombay, India where he became the South Asia Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal. From Bombay, Pearl covered many issues, including the "war on terrorism," occasionally venturing to Pakistan. He was retracing the steps of "shoe bomber" Richard Reid and hoped to meet with Sheik Gilani, a spiritual leader, when he was abducted in Karachi on January 23, 2002. For weeks, millions of people around the world—from heads of state to religious leaders and ordinary individuals—rallied for Pearl’s release. Several weeks elapsed without word of his fate, until the unthinkable reality became clear. Pearl's captors beheaded him and posted the video on the Internet. In his final words, Pearl declared "My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish." His tragic murder was confirmed on February 21, 2002.

Two days before his abduction, Pearl learned that his wife, Mariane, was expecting a baby boy; he chose the name Adam for their son. In May, three months after his murder, Mariane gave birth to Adam.

Pearl's family and friends established the Daniel Pearl Foundation to carry on his legacy, using journalism, music and dialogue to address the root causes of the hatred that took his life.

This incident became famous  all around the world, due to which Pakistanis now are known as terrorists.The wounds of this incident are to deep to be recovered and we Pakistanis have to suffer this all along now.

By: M Zeeshan Ayub

The Immortals

Its a fight for their country, not yours!

Lets be honest now, there is no such thing as end of terrorism. This group has grown so much that they can be found anywhere in the world. They are smart and therefore deadly. I'll say that by helping USA in Afghan war, which was done by ZIa Ul Haq, was one of the major mistakes the Pakistani Government made and we are still paying for it.
The terrorist organization has split in so many that now tracing them is nearly impossible, and therefore adds to the threat. The smaller groups might fight with each other, but they unite at one point: destroying the infidels (that's what they call USA).
This mistake has led to some major disasters not just in Pakistan but all around the world.
Pick up a newspaper and you will definitely find some terrorism around.
The point that is to be stated here is that if you trying to end terrorism be hopeless, because it's something impossible, however, we can defend our territory against this.
Terrorism is like a virus, once it plagues the system it is not possible to kill, but you can always limit its effects. The medicines you take to cure this virus (international interference) also have its side effects, one living example of it is Afghanistan. The U.S military has taken control over Afghanistan since 2001. The country is now no more the same after the happenings of 9/11. Angered by the actions of USA and how they changed their country, they spread around the world to keep a strong hold. People just couldn't understand why? They had the answer to it and a legitimate one. Their country was invaded by others, and now they do the same to all others. You might cry over the situation in Palestine, but you will never notice that these guys also had home and they have every right to be angry upon it. I am not saying, though, that their actions to cope with their actions are legitimate, but their anger is.
You know how feels like when someone takes something that defines you away from you?
You say they should have hope to get their country back. Here is the thing, they did have hope, but now as we are hopeless about ending terrorism, they got hopeless that they will get their country back and this what made them IMMORTALS.
The article is not in favor of terrorism or such kind of violent acts. It's just the truth to the world that you would hate it when others rule over you.

By: Zeeshan Ayub

Why are we falling apart!

Recently, me and my classmates were having a discussion about that why India and Pakistan were separated. We asked our teacher about it, and she said that was because Muslims and Hindus can not live together. With that she also continued to say how sad she was that Pakistan turned out be an Islamic republic, but hardly any anyone respected the religion here. She also said that the education over here is so poor that all the parents are now sending their children in O'/A' Levels schools. Many students did not get the hidden message, but those who did knew how heartbreaking and shameful it was, that for so many years Great Britain ruled the subcontinent, and today when they they are gone we still pay them to educate our children. 

There is nothing immoral about seeking education for your child in an O'/A' level school, but it is rather distressing that our own eduction system (matriculation) has no value in front of us, and this is due to corruption, low budgeting etc. Why is it that our Higher Education Commission (HEC) never gets the budget they want and need?

I am very sorry to say that even our education ministers are not literate. All the educational degrees they have are fake or not right for the job. Do they even think what effect it puts on our great nation. Today, Pakistan still stands in the same situation as it was in 1947. The only difference is that now we are fighting for no reason, except may be for the pleasure of it. At least, at that time we all fought for a true aim, the motive to have a separate identity and look what we have done to that!!! Nothing but making the situation worse day by day. 

I don't know why, still, I sit in this country. May be I am expect it to change, it probably can, may be the leaders will finally understand how cruel they are towards this country and will think to change it, may be the people will finally have a reason. 

Today, the youth of Pakistan are feeling the pain that Pakistan is suffering from, and they are ready to demand for a change. However, this revolutionary business may not last long if the people don't show true determination towards their goal as there are many bumps on this road, like there were in 1947.

If anyone asks me about the future of Pakistan today, my answer is going to be in the side of the darkness, because we need to face our problems rather than sugar coating them from the top and showing the world that we are doing the best, when truthfully it is the bear minimum.

I think that one of the most major problem we are facing since the partition is lack of motivation and passion for our country. Our leaders are pathetic and we our selves are the worst as we don't have UNITY, FAITH and even DISCIPLINE, the three basic qualities Quaid-e-Azam said every Pakistani should have. But it is very sad to say that we have none of them. It is not late to change we can still make it if we want to, but now it will be ten times more challenging for us as the world has gone far ahead racing on a Ferrari and we are still a mile behind on horse back!

Zeeshan Ayub.

The end beckons.

“Pens down. Invigilators please start collecting the papers.” A loud voice boomed across the hall. I threw my pen away and exhaled loudly, exhausted. I stretched my fingers and grimaced at the soreness.

A young woman, wrapped tightly in a scarf, gave me a thin, highly creepy, smile as she took away my paper. Her smile triggered alarms and my brain informed me she was going to take my paper, hide in a dark corner and tear it, never to be seen again. I shuddered.

We all sat still, waiting.

‘Tick.’

I glared at the clock, daring it to go any slower. My fingers drummed the table in impatience. My eyes surveyed the limited view for the thousandth time. The same windows, the same out stretched hall with rows of chairs laid out, the same darned chirping chick hidden somewhere, still annoying me till I was ready to pluck every feather off its tiny body.

‘Tock.’

I gave a low groan of frustration. It seemed time had taken my dare seriously and won it too.

“Candidates thank you for your cooperation. You may leave the hall in an orderly fashion. Row one please move towards the exits.” A loud monotonous voice called out.

‘Tick.’

I put my head in my hands. I was oh so luckily seated in Row 23. This was going to take ages and right now even that seemed like an impossible occurrence. Invigilators were cruel, cruel minions sent straight from Hell to torture us poor souls.

‘Tock.’

I looked to my neighbor and grinned at the sight. His eyes were drawn wide trying to count the rows laid out next to us, probably for something to do.

‘Tick.’

“Row 11 please stand up and leave.” The voice almost seemed bored to tears. Just like every other person in this cursed building!

I slowly began to scratch nonexistent itches, pluck out invisible flecks of dust off my uniform and read my ID card till I had it memorized.

‘Tock.’

“Row 23 leave for the exits.” The voice called. I almost went hysterical due to the sudden relief and delight I felt. I got off my seat, grabbed my pencil box and strode purposefully towards the door. I moved as fast as I could without running.

Bursting out of the examination hall for the last time, I breathed in deeply. It smelled like freedom.

At last! Independence was here!

I could now freely get bored and sleep my days away. How absolutely exciting!

Ciao, Ilma Zuberi.

P.S= Follow and leave comments please :D

Life is an art of death!

So here it is to those people who really want to find out what life means.
A few days back, Tim Macharthy (A fictional character), was walking down the main boulevard road, when suddenly he stopped and turned around.
He was looking at something and he kept gazing it for few minutes. They were dried leaves from a tree- which looked almost 200 years old. Tim wondered how a tree was loosing leaves in the spring season. He just stood there and watched every leaf fall from that tree. He didn't notice that it was almost 6pm and he had been watching this tree for 4 hours. He just couldn't get it.
He saw an old man just sitting on the bench right next to the tree. Tim was anxious so he walked up to him and said "Well I guess you are observing the same thing as I am". The old man replied with a small laugh "Well indeed I am observing the same thing, but from a different aspect". Tim looked at the old man's reaction on every leaf that fall from the the tree. "Life should be cherished you know." said the old man in a sad voice. "I am confused sir. I mean why is this tree loosing its leaves in spring and the others aren't?" said Tim in a very puzzled voice. The old man cleared his throat and said "Life is an art, an art created by death. It makes it so colourful and interesting that we involve ourselves so much, forgetting that behind these colours lies the fear, the fear of death."
Tim replied "Well sir if we know that death is always there so why does it not come and get us?"
Old man replied in a very serious tone "Because death is clever, more than you think it is. It always makes you love life like anything." Tim joined the sentence by saying "And when that love is on the extreme point, death shows up?" The old man smiled and said "No son. As I said, death is more cunning than you think. The moment when you take that love to extreme, death just gives you a smile and that smile is still covered with happiness and joy, but the very next morning when you wake up, you find out that you are the death!" "We are the death? How?" asked Tim. "That's because you never notice that when you are enjoying the moment of that love, your life turns to be death for the other."
Tim figured it out, he stood up and watched the tree and then the old man. The old men said one more thing before Tim left. He said "The next morning when you find that you were death. Then you understand the art of it, and then it takes you away" The old man died on every leaf that that fell from that tree, and from the next day Tim didn't see the old man nor a leaf on that tree.
The point of this short story is to understand the true meaning of life and death. Life is like a good word for death. Its like painting a black and white picture because no matter how many colors you add, the picture was originally black and white. Its just the deeper layer that gives this scary fearful creature a good look. No one else knows it. Its just you who knows, but you are just too scared to admit it.
Zeeshan Ayub.

You are never alone!

I have heard so many congratulate me on growing up without siblings. On never having my toys broken in my childhood. A whiny sister stealing all my attention. A brother constantly annoying you with his stupid pranks. Those war like situations over the last cookie. Over having to share your room with someone.

Most people think being an only child has so many advantages; parents spoiling you, getting whatever you want and the best of all things. What many don’t realize is that being the only child does indeed have an overwhelming side effect.

Loneliness.

Being the only one I have taught myself how to be alone. I would spend my days playing by myself when I was a child, drawing and made up games my allies. However, my main occupation is and was reading.

I surrounded myself with hundreds of these paper friends, three bookshelf full. My life filled with my bed, my book and myself. The thrill and rush I get when buying a book, when entering a bookstore and finding myself in that quiet, the musty scent of those pages fraught with magic, wonder, excitement and a world beyond my reach, it’s like no other feeling.

I usually have the house to myself too in the afternoons, as both my parents are hard at work. Sometimes the quiet, the silence, it would get to me. I would never miss a day of school when I could, I still don’t. I surrounded myself with enough friends to let myself think that I’m not alone. I’m a very trusting person and sometimes I found myself at a situation where despite having many ‘friends’, I was still indeed very much alone.

Being scared of that feeling, I tended to attach myself to many and think of them as life. But today, I learned the difference between whose shoulder I could cry on and who I could just laugh with. You might think that those who just make you smile are your best of friends, but that is indeed not true.

You will cross roads with many who make you laugh endlessly. Those you go have various lunches with, see movies with, you spend every day with. But many of those are there to do just that, no more. They aren’t there when the problems start. They don’t care about how you feel. They aren’t the ones who notice when you are hurt inside as long as you smile at them, no matter how fake that smile is. If, however, you do tell them? They might pat your back and give you a small hug with a few words. They might make you feel happy, but are not the ones to make you warm.

The other kind is what you need to cherish. The ones who after a day out make you content and whole. The ones who hug you, furiously tell you that you are the best person in the world and make you believe it if you are down. Those who you think of when something bad happens. Those who know that something is indeed wrong. Those who you know will never leave you behind.

I realize now who the latter in my life are. I realize now how much they mean to me. I realize now that I can never truly live up to what they have done for me.

And after realizing that, I know I’ll never truly be alone.

Ilma Zuberi.

What are we about!

Aurora is a blog where we write what our heart wants to write, starting from different creative stories to long lasting discussions (I'm the creative part of Aurora here :P). Hopefully, you will imagine yourself in a new world due to our words (which I'll... We'll make as witty and picturesque as possible).

Our aim is to create a new look for writing. A place where you can express yourself freely (not Too much now :P).You will find writings starting from technology to football, from reality to the world you create in your mind, from politics to the wild happens around us.

Our writers:

Ilma Zuberi: A very inventive writer, or as she calls it AWESOME writer (Oh you flatter me too much –blushes-) who has flair for spinning tales that you will definitely read till the end and yearn for more.

Zeeshan Ayub: An updater (is that a word? Eh, it defines him) of the new techs, he portrays his point of view on international relations (and he’s pretty good at it too :D) with a sharp focus and thoughtful touch. His perspective might just change yours.

You can also be a part of Aurora! Just email us your pieces on crazybloggers1@gmail.com and we will definitely find a place for you here. 

Keep visiting us for new updates (and inspired stories)!!! =)

Good day, Zeeshan Ayub.

Ciao, Ilma Zuberi.