This episode briefly outlines my story...

Born and raised in Pakistan (Islamabad) in a modern family, I received doctorate in 2015 in Defense and Strategic Studies.

My parents never appreciated divide. Whether its Sunni, Shia, or Ahmedi, or Christian or non-Muslims. I never my parents telling us not to be friends with a Shia girl or Ahmedi or Christian etc., which was/is unfortunately very common home teachings in Pakistan.

In 2017, I met my husband David Close, who exposed me to a new perspective in life. I won’t say it was something I did not know, but he was certainly the first person I met who was living that perspective.

But now I believe that Love in marriages is not obsolete. Barriers of faith, race, and culture are social constructs that carry absolutely no weight in everyday life. It’s hard to imagine this unless you live it. And, I am living it everyday.

We have been married for over two years now, David practices Christianity (Methodist) and I follow Islam. We learn and grow everyday from our differences. My husband knows how to value woman because he was raised by strong woman. He valued me as ‘me’ and not an ‘acceptable’ version of myself.

I share with you a very interesting story of my childhood. I was around 3 years old and use to play with our neighbor’s son name ADIL. we are of the same age. ADIL was a pampered kid, he was the first born and his granny pampered him a lot. ADIL loved okras.

One day my mom bought me an acoustic guitar. I loved playing it and like a kid, I was happy to share with ADIL my new guitar.

ADIL wanted the same guitar so bad that he forced his mom to get him just like this. Next morning, his mother came to see my mom to ask where did she buy it for me. My mom obviously told her the toy place and the next day, he was playing the same guitar with me.

I don’t remember anything much except this episode of ADIL and this bothered me even when I was a child. What bothered me was not that he bought the same toy as I had, instead, what bothered me was that he refused to play for two days until he got that toy. And, as little as I was then, I decided to stop playing with him later.

This story struck me recently and I realized few things about myself that I was always looking for people with depth in them, that I valued relationships. I was independent and strong even in that little age. I did not settle for less even then.

So why it was easy to then and why so hard to do it later when I compromised for 4 years in miserable relationship. The answer is FREEDOM. I was free when I was a child.

FREEDOM - one word with immense power in it. FREEDOM has a unique relationship with our lives, the older we get, the less we have…

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If you think you have a story to share to empower other women, write me at [email protected]