A Letter to a Dear One — Page 17
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan 17 swimming. Then there is the digestive system, hunger and thirst, to watch beautiful scenes, to smell fragrance, to wear fine clothes, etc. Your parents, dear ones, friends, peers, teachers, acquaintances—each have a perception of what you are like—what sort of a person you are, your attributes, certain merits and beauty, maybe some flaw. However, deep down you know you are not what people perceive you to be. Each person has a different view about you, whereas you look at yourself in a different light. So much so that when you look into a mirror you often wonder if what you see is the self-image you have in mind. You inhabit a world of your own, a detached creative world of your own. You have your own distinct matters of the heart that no one can intrude upon. Indeed, as much or as little as you would allow anyone to interfere in these matters. Fact remains that it is your very own world and you are its own pilot. You yourself are its guardian. Just think how colossal this responsibility is and how essential it is for you to recognize all aspects of this responsibility. It is crucial that you set forth on this journey of life with full awareness and concern—that you carry this world of yours forward with care and safety until such time that you achieve your objective. Divine Favors on Man Consider where your journey started from and all the stages that you have been through. You came into being as electric bubbles, which changed into particles, then into water and dust, and then step-by-step formed into a human being. Many generations passed before you came into being in the twentieth century. This earth with all its treasures was created for you, as was the sun with its light and heat, as was the moonlight and as the stars were created. The earth was ordered to move on its axis, day and night, heat and cold, sunshine and shade, mountains, rivers, oceans, lakes, trees, fruits, greenery, grain, animals, birds, all were created. The winds were created, as were the vapors. Clouds came into being to bring rain to dry lands and to maintain human life. Generation after generation humans progressed on mental, moral and spiritual levels. Civilizations came into being. Governments were set up; laws were made. Knowledge was spread. Inventions were made. The aeroplane, the railways and the motorcar were invented. The telegraph, telephone and the radio became available. All this happened so that you could spend your life in comfort with education; and