lyrics – SKR Web

Rhythm and Uniformity of Belongingness

May 3, 2023October 3, 2023
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

How many times have you felt like running away? This question is running like wild horses in my mind, and I want to ask you all the same. Do you ever feel like running away? From actions, reactions, things in general and people or maybe from life itself? I was sitting in Starbucks yesterday, with my favorite latte and hunting for something interesting to write on. On my right side, I felt someone fidgeting with a hot drink in hand. I felt the guy was trying to peak in my laptop to see what I was working on. I turned to him and smiled, and it all began! His one question out of blue was, “have you ever tried to run away from things?” Well, he had my attention now. I looked at him and immediately replied, “yes. All the time!” He thought for a moment and the dam opened for him now. What was my conversation with him for the next 30 mins or so is not important for you all but what I am about to write is the crux of what we discussed, and I want to work upon in my write-up for today? I feel so glad that I was there at that time!

I am almost sure that there has been a need in most of us to have that sense to belong to someplace where there is no judgment for what you choose to follow or believe in? Each time we go to our self-chosen place of worship to try to live and make peace with the sins that we commit in unconscious conscience, the question of our sense of belongingness arises. The idea when it all breaks down to our existence depends upon a supreme power that holds its all together for those who believe in it. For those who don’t their self-questioning comes as their salvation and rescue. Whatever thought we may have, we need that one uniform force for us as individuals to bring us around to sanity. The question that we ask ourselves at one point or the other is, who do we belong to. To those who give us strength or to those who break our hearts and make us stronger to pick up our pieces –

The morning that brings us out of our deep dark thoughts, spin like a never-ending circle, and ends up breaking our hope, dreams, visions, and fantasies. Remember, each time we fall, there must be that self-wish to stand up and move on. This uniform thought of survival brings that well-rounded concept of uniformity of ideas in our sense of belongingness. The strength moves us to move away from what makes many among us believe that there is nothing that can save us from our doom. Even at our lowest, these are such moments when we end up fighting our thoughts with positivity to find our little happiness. This is the uniformity of belongingness that I am talking about. The sense of belongingness makes us fight for survival. The will to wake up each morning and do what we do is what belongs us to our uniform thought of living. The broken records that scratch around those lyrics that try to break us are the ones that add a uniqueness to the lyrics sometimes.

These may sound like one of the many random thoughts that I end up penning down each week. How about we take these random thoughts and put them in our everyday thoughts, beliefs, and actions. That would be the moment you, me, or anybody and everybody will synthesize the gravity when we all are standing at that edge and try to find the breadth to be able to float just above the waters. Our need to belong or hold on to something or someone (even ourselves) is so intense that we don’t even realize it gradually seeps into our everyday actions, words, and lifestyle. When you go to sleep each night what that is feeling that is dominant in your mind and heart. The emotions may vary, and you may feel a sense of happiness, contentment, excitement, or hope and positivity. You may feel sad, discontented, angry, jealous, disheartened. There may be feeling of revenge, crudeness, hatred, or depression. They may be many more emotions that may run as you wind up your day, but the important angle is getting ready for the next day to do the needful. This sense of uniformity makes us stay alive in all shapes and form and bring a sense of rootedness and belongingness amongst us. If there is no balance and harmony in these emotions this is where the dice start rolling backward and the extremity of actions happen!

The movies that we watch, the literature that we read, the songs that we hear, may strum that chord we are so sensitively attached to. They may sometimes bring out our frustration, anger for all the wrong that has been done to us or our likes. At other times they make us understand the deeper meaning of forgiveness or the point of no regret. They make us recall many times that when we say adios to certain emotions, people, or life, it is just a word and if we are alive and kicking, there is always a scope to go back and try to level the hurt. The music and lyrics are part of a unique rhythm of belongingness that can be as beautiful as the original track even if we cover it with different notes! Never forget that there are similar boats like ours. There are way more people trying to belong and bring about a sense of uniformity in their lives, like us! They are many who are different yet like us in emotionality or approach. We need to remember that it is also about the matter of the heart and soul along with rationality because it breaks alike for all. Whoever you may be, however practical and strong you may be, the sense of peace is the same for all of you even though the source may differ for each one of us!

Opinion Shack

From Love of Power to Power of Love

July 22, 2022July 22, 2022
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

Like every other day, this morning as well I was telling my 9-year-old to rush and do his chores, pushing him to hurry up with his morning routine because what he was doing and in the way he was doing was not enough for me. While he continued to follow my instructions to satisfy my regular expectations of him, I was stunned by his choice of words. Out of the blue, he mumbled his disapproval by voicing his words, “you always force me to do what I don’t want to do! You can’t force me, Mumma. You are pushing your power over me to do things your way!” His words made me stop and shook me well out of my comfort zone to realize that I was indeed putting my authority over him. It may be a mum’s wish to get his child to do a task in a particular manner, but after all, it was my unconscious show of power over someone who may be weaker than me at this moment. We went about doing our respective duties in weird silence since we both knew I was in the wrong. As I returned home after leaving him at school, the thought and his remarks stayed with me. I may have meant well but perhaps my continuous cornering made him retaliate. In a way, I am glad he did that because this makes me realise that what happens every day in our lives leads to what happens all around us. I am an individual among those who need to keep a conscious check on our actions because we humans tend to get carried away in our emotionality. Our actions and behaviours at the micro-level have the power to result in happenings all around us at macro positions!

Have you ever felt personal power over something or someone? A sense where you feel the absolute need to take over the other? It may sound claustrophobic in theory, but the practical world develops our mind in such a way that we want, need and many times crave this sense of absolute control. However, in our quest to gain a sense of self-respect, we may confuse this sense of power and legitimate authority with authoritarianism. A feeling to look down upon others and a sense of self supremacy end up overpowering our sense of right and wrong. When power revolves within the boundaries of legitimate leadership, physical geographies, resources available in nature, and a sane sense of governance as well as empathy of economic development, it is a progressive society. However, the moment it crosses the boundaries with a sense of pressure, autocratic rule, blurring the outlines of humanity, it becomes a force to be wary of. The transitions are so subtle and smooth that we may not even realize the time the power shift becomes dangerous and fatal.

There is a grave need to maintain this uniform balance between natural and social elements of power to create and continue with a healthy society. The change brought about in the actions, opinions, beliefs, and behaviour by the medium of gradual influence brings about a sense of positivity in power. The power that keeps intact the integrity of human emotions, value of life, and strength in emotions of love, respect, and support. But when we use force and compulsion to weaken the borders of human physicality and mind, then authoritarianism seeps in. The feeling of making things, feelings and people belong to a certain person, idea, and ideology turns the power game into dirty powerplay. This kicks us where it hurts the most!

The result trying to attain an absolute sense of power may result in catastrophic consequences in society. A sense of restlessness emerges due to continuous pushing down over the free will of people. This may result in the bursting of the bubble of human patience and end up in physical, emotional, and mental tussles. Since the person in a position or organization of power can carry out threats in the form of punishments, there is a continuance prevalence of lack of trust and emotional disconnect between both. Then there is a sense of prevention from attaining the desired goal as part of emotional punishment. With power comes the fear of losing the same. When people in authority get paranoid with their power being taken away, there arises a vicious circle of further gain in power and supreme authority. This leads to a swift shift from the positive effect of power (where there is a channelized way of thinking involved along with the development of cooperative behaviour among society) to the negative repercussions of authority that inculcates corruption, selfishness, and isolation of freedom of thoughts.

When humans let the animal within them out to run wild, the risk of accidents rises by leaps and bounds. The society in power and authority has a responsibility to keep its humanity intact without letting go of its empathy and logic. Soft boundaries are needed to control the human tendency to encroach on others’ entities. Conscious compromises are needed if we need to turn imaginations into reality. The development that we see around us is the result of working together and mutual adjustments. If there has been tussle all over then we would not have been the live example of a mature society living in coexistence. Power needs to be for guidance and a focussed approach to the all-around development of humanity. It should not become means to the end full of chaos and human destruction. We need continuous healing. Every day there is some or the other form of hurt that is thrown upon us. There is one of the other senses of obligation that needs to be fulfilled, some authority that need to be obeyed. But if that power brings dissatisfaction and clutter in our physical living and mental state then it needs to be stopped. It needs to be softened and needs to be moulded into a form that has a slow pace and developmental approach. We need to have the power of control over ourselves first so that our language, behaviour, and actions stay in line positively. There needs to be a power in all of us to be able to say no and come to a solution that is beneficial for all. We need to stop the fight among ourselves to win over our lust for power bordering controlled authority!

Opinion Shack

How do we Question Freedom?

February 7, 2022February 9, 2022
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

This morning as I sat on my workstation, my mind went straight into my thoughts. I was gazing out of my window far ahead than my vision could reach. I squinted my eyes at the reluctant sun peeping out of the stubborn clouds that have encroached the sky for the last couple of days. I glared at them unconsciously as if to threaten them to give the sun some respect and space, enough to come out fully. He needs to have his time as well. The sudden realization of my weird mental monologue made me chuckle out loud as I started to wonder what I should write about today. In the background, I could hear Pharrell Williams ‘Freedom’ loud and proud from my laptop. My fidgety fingers paused as I listened to the lyrics with lines. I guess I have found my topic for today. with a smile on my face, I listened to the rhythms and lyrics within.

‘…Who cares what they know

Your first name is free

Last name is Dom

cause you still believe where we are from.’

It dawned upon me what words to write us a song? My hands started picking on the keyboard and as if in a world of my own I started my journey of the day!

I remember the years when the subject of civics in my school became a matter of political science as I entered my college years. I was so fascinated with the term as if it gave me the power to be an adult. Today when I think about my fascination with the subject, I laugh out loud with ridicule for my ideas and ideals. I remember our family discussions about the political situation around the globe and at the time I felt so proud that I have claimed my right to speak from my subject knowledge. I could not understand at the time during heated arguments about freedom, and equality, when my father in his (un)usual patient voice used to make me understand, ‘you will understand the gravity of these words which you fight for when you grow up.’ And I used to look at him as if he was joking. In my mind, I almost ridiculed the logic. How much more would I need to grow up to understand, I used to wonder at that time. It is now that I realize, I am 40 and still, sometimes I get so confused with the twisted implications and meanings of the word in question.

What does freedom mean to you? Is it social, political, economic, religious-cultural equality to you or is there still more scope to it? What does feeling freedom as an individual mean to you? As a parent, as children, as human, as people belonging to all genders, or even as an individual or a group entity, what is your take on freedom? I know we use this term in one way or the other in our everyday conversations but how grave does its meaning sink for us, any suggestions? Because for my freedom, when I think about it, has travelled a long way that what I used to understand when I was in my younger years. Today when I read the word, I not only think it to be a concept of equality. I feel it to be more like the idea of mutual respect! The definition of freedom as ‘the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants or the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved’ has a small word missing that is respect. You may very well differ from me because it is your freedom but when I think of the word, I find ‘respect’ overshadowing the other synonyms.

This ability to behave to work without barrios may indeed be a core word meaning where everyone has the freedom to perform any activity without force in practical life. But to me, the addition of a sense of respect brings self-accountability towards life in general. It is the idea of respect that makes us realize that we don’t belong to anyone. We are individuals and each needs to respect the other to bring a wholistic sense of freedom. George Michael‘s freedom say the same,

‘…All we have to see

Is that I don’t belong to you

And you don’t belong to me.

When you listen to the accompanying lyrics you realize that it is the sense of respect that people need in their life to feel free. The music that we listen to, the lyrics that we sometimes believe in or relate ourselves with are all part of human emotions. Be it everyday existence, personal or professional relationships, or even Psychological freedom, the need for respect is integral. For you, as readers and for me as a writer I feel we both need this freedom so that we can realize the importance of our co-existence. You may be an individual, you may be a partner, an employer, parent, friend, acquaintance. I may be anyone, a child, any gender, employee, someone important or invisible, but the moment we come across this powerful word of freedom, there needs to be a conscious realization that respect should never be far behind. It should be a give and take of mutual value that we give from one to the other. Freedom is about political, social, economic, religious, gender equality about the choices we make as an entity. But the sense of mutual respect must be the core of this equality. What you feel and believe gives way to the amount of respect that you give to yourself and others in every small and big aspect.

As I am trying to wrap my head around the topic of today I looked up through my glasses. I can see the sun now fully coming out. It is as if it has found the courage to find its respect or perhaps the cloud has finally found its peace with it and gave it its due respect. I am smiling with a wide grin on my contended face. I may sound cliched but to me, at this moment it is the confirmation of my belief that we all can coexist without overpowering each other. We can respect each other to bring that sense of equality. With equality, there comes a sense of responsibility to respect in return. This mutual give and take rightfully justify the idea of real freedom! It is in a way freedom of equality to respect. It may be the same for you or maybe there is more…

Poetry

From Colours to Shades

October 14, 2021
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

I found a new room the othe rday

But my house remains the same

New possibilities perhaps emerge

As I explore heart of the beings

My identity faced the sheets with pen

of all colours and shades worht seeing.

The suicide that I seem to commit everyday

Reveals my distant cousin, that mind box!

I hound it for treasures and trinklets

When I end up picking a jade so rough

And my identity faced the sheets with pen

Of all colours and shades worth seeing.

Old habits die faster then they should

Untill I cannot see them through my hood

I try to explore every nook and corner

But all that remains is a flicker of memory

Then my identity faced the sheets with pen

Of all colours and shades worth seeing.

Same symbols, great dream are all I can see

humming away with strings of broken guitar

From the fountain of fluid lyrics

I try to make make memories from mortar

For my I dentity faced the sheets with pen

Of all colours and shades worth deeing.

In that new room all I came across

Is a broken social thought that fights

To build back to its old self

By explaining deeper into the sea of dreams

As my identity faced the sheets with pen

Of all colours and shades worth seeing.

Shades that merge to fing new colours

For there seem to be endless possibilities

To paint the city around in any colour

For it looks to be definitely worth it in end

As my identity faced the sheets with pen

Of all colours and shades worth seeing.

Tag: <span>lyrics</span>

Rhythm and Uniformity of Belongingness

From Love of Power to Power of Love

How do we Question Freedom?

From Colours to Shades