Storm with Water
English book, p. 207
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
STORM WITH WATER A poet’s quatrain captures the essence of life with simple grace. The translation reads: He asked, “Shall I ride the camel?” “Yes, ride the camel,” was the reply. “But what about the hump?” he inquired. “The hump will be there,” they said. He asked, “Shall I enter the river?” “Yes, enter the river,” was the reply. “But what about the storm?” he asked. “The storm will be there,” they said. He asked, “Shall I pluck the flower?” “Yes, pluck the flower,” was the reply. “But what about the thorns?” he questioned. “The thorns will be there,” they said. In these few lines, the poet briefly depicts the reality of life. This reflects the truth of life in this world. Where there is a camel, there is also a hump. No camel with a smooth back exists here. In the river, there are storms; no river is completely calm and free of turbulence. Similarly, in the garden created by God, if there are beautiful flowers, there are also sharp thorns. This means that anyone who wants to achieve something in this world must understand from the beginning that the road to success is never direct. Success only happens after overcoming obstacles and difficulties. Someone who

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