Childhood
Once Upon a Time in Dubai A Journey Down Memory
There was a time when bread was sold unsliced, and crossing the creek from Bur Dubai to Deira meant sitting in a rowing boat, long before engine Abras became common. On Thursday nights, the Indian Association would bring families together with free Hindi movies shown in the open-air theatre opposite the Dubai Museum. The community was small, but it felt like one big family.
By Izhar Ullah7 months ago in Confessions
The Cost of Ignoring a Mother’s Advice
The Cost of Ignoring a Mother’s Advice BY:Khan “Osman, my dear son, don’t play with Nasser,” Mama said firmly one afternoon. “He is not a good boy. I’ve heard he steals, skips school, and spends his time wandering with bad company.”
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
The Risk of Serving Kings: A Timeless Lesson from Sheikh Saadi
The Advice of Sheikh Saadi: A Tale of Wisdom, Temptation, and Consequence BY:Khan Long ago, in a time when people turned to the wise for guidance before making any life-changing decision, a poor man approached the great Persian scholar and poet, Sheikh Saadi. This man was burdened with poverty, his children were many, and his means of livelihood were almost nonexistent. Hunger gnawed at him and despair filled his heart.
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
Something I need to tell you
Dear Aunt, I am sending this as an email because I need a clear place to say what I have been carrying for a long time. I will use “Aunt” here because that is what you are, even though, for many months, you have not acted like someone who cares gently for us. I will still show you respect in this message, because respect is all I can offer if nothing else remains. I know you may not answer. I know it may be ignored. Still, I need to be honest.
By Zidane7 months ago in Confessions
Gudia’s Prayer: A Child’s Hope for Her Friend Guddu
Gudia’s Prayer BY:Khan I am Gudia. Right now, I am sitting in the long, silent corridor of a hospital. The floor beneath me is cold, and so is the air around me. It feels like the whole world has fallen asleep, except for me and the sound of my own thoughts.
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
The Council of Selves
Ras had always been a dreamer. At seventeen, she'd fall asleep with notebooks full of plans scattered across her bed—sketches of the art gallery she'd own, acceptance letters to prestigious universities she'd attend, wedding invitations with blanks where her future husband's name would go. She dreamed in vivid detail of the woman she'd become: successful, polished, surrounded by the life she'd carefully orchestrated.
By Parsley Rose 7 months ago in Confessions
The Things We Do in the Dark. Content Warning.
October 12th I saw him again today. It’s stupid, really. The way my body reacts. A full-system reboot from a thirty-second interaction in a coffee line. It’s not even about the words. It’s about the space between them.
By Chahat Kaur7 months ago in Confessions
The Prize Hunter and the Junkyard Trick
The Prize Hunter and the Junkyard Lesson BY:Khan Bashir Ahmed Bhatti, my old friend, has an unusual obsession. He is always chasing after prize schemes. Over the years, he has won several items through lucky draws—small and big prizes alike. A washing machine, a motorcycle, household appliances—he has collected them all, free of cost.
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
A House Divided: When a Father’s Betrayal Shattered a Family
A House Divided BY:Khan Khalid Mahmood Ashraf’s life took a turn the day his wife, Bushra, fell seriously ill. For years, she had been the heart of their home — the mother of five daughters and two sons, the anchor of a bustling household. But this time, when she was admitted to the hospital after her third heart attack, the doctors shook their heads grimly. “Pray for her recovery,” they told the family, “the rest is in God’s hands.”
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
The Phone That Stole My Sister’s Life
The Phone That Stole My Sister’s Life BY:Khan Kiran woke Noor one morning with a scolding she meant as affection. “Kiran, get up — it’s morning. You stay up on your phone all night and then pretend you don’t hear the alarm. What do people even talk about on the phone all night? It’s nonsense, a waste of time.” Noor rubbed her eyes, used to Kiran’s teasing. They were only two daughters at home now; their father had died and their mother worked long hours cleaning houses to make ends meet.
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
The Silent Widow: A Village Heiress Who Sacrificed Her Life for Others
The Untold Tale of a Village Heiress BY:Khan In the heart of a vast village during the days of the British Raj lived Raisa Khalid Ahmed, a man of immense wealth and influence. His presence commanded respect; he owned nearly half the agricultural lands of the village and two lush orchards filled with trees heavy with fruits of every season. God had blessed him with fortune, land, and prestige. Yet, despite these worldly blessings, there was a void in his life—he had no son to inherit his legacy.
By Khan 7 months ago in Confessions
