Hafsa Amjad
Introduction
As an avid reader and writer, my passion lies in the art of crafting compelling stories and exploring the intricate details of diverse characters. Fuelled by the unique personalities I encounter daily; my writing process is a journey into the complexities of human nature.
I aspire to create narratives that resonate emotionally with readers, breathing life into characters and leaving stories that linger in the imagination long after they’ve been read.
Driven by a deep appreciation for the nuances of human experience, each tale I pen is a deliberate exploration of emotion, character, and the profound experience of life itself.
Works
The Girl in the Mirror – Wisdom
Struck by the sunset at Galata and still under its spell, I entered my room. The fiery hues of the fading sky lingered in my mind, like echoes of a story unfinished. As the door clicked shut behind me, I found myself standing before the mirror, drawn into the reflection of a girl I hardly recognized.
“Do you think you’ve changed?” I asked her. She tilted her head, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Haven’t you?”
“Maybe. But I wonder… was it worth it? Losing who we were to become this?” Her eyes softened, a flicker of understanding passing through them. “Life demands a price. Innocence is always the first to go.”
I leaned closer. “And wisdom? Is that supposed to comfort us? Make it all worth it?” She sighed, almost wistful. “Wisdom isn’t comfort. It’s just clarity—seeing the pieces you’ve lost and understanding why they’re gone.”
I searched her face for answers I already knew. “But we’ll never get them back, will we?” Her gaze held mine. “No. And that’s the irony.”
The Girl in the Mirror – The labyrinth
In the midst of our fervent debate, I eagerly shared a nugget of wisdom I’d encountered, “When there seems to be no way out, there’s always a way through,” I proclaimed, my voice imbued with the conviction of a newfound truth.
To my surprise, the girl in the mirror responded. Her cryptic smile deepened, and with an air of enigmatic authority, she whispered, “Embark on that ‘through,’ and you’ll find it unfolds into more paths. Each path promises clarity but hides another layer. Amid countless ‘throughs,’ you may discover there’s no way out – only an endless maze where each turn lures you further in.”
Her words hung heavy in the air, like a riddle begging to be unravelled. I stared at her, trying to decipher the meaning in her eyes—eyes that were mine, yet seemed to peer into realms I could not fathom.
“Are you saying there’s no escape?” I ventured cautiously, my certainty faltering.
She tilted her head, her expression softening, but the cryptic air remained. “Not escape. Only progression. A labyrinth isn’t a prison if you cease to search for an exit. Perhaps the purpose is not to leave but to traverse, to understand the patterns, and to embrace the infinite.”
Her words unsettled me, yet a part of me understood. Wasn’t life itself a labyrinth of choices and consequences, of hopes and disappointments? Each path I chose seemed to promise resolution, yet it led to new challenges, new questions, new ‘throughs.’ The idea of an eternal maze both terrified and intrigued me. Could it be that the destination I sought was not an escape, but the journey itself?
“I see your point,” I admitted, though my heart resisted. “But what of freedom? What of peace?”
The girl in the mirror leaned closer, her gaze piercing. “Freedom is not the absence of paths but the acceptance of them. Peace is not found in reaching the end, but in walking each step without fear of the next.”
As her voice faded, so did her image, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The labyrinth she spoke of lingered in my mind, no longer a place of despair, but of possibilities. Perhaps the ‘way through’ was not a way out but an invitation to keep moving, keep learning, keep growing. And perhaps, just perhaps, the girl in the mirror was not my adversary, but my guide.
The Girl in the Mirror – Change
For days, a lingering sensation whispered of an imminent arrival, but I stubbornly disregarded its beckoning. Restlessly pacing within the confines of my chamber, my eyes were irresistibly drawn to the mirror adorning the bedside. From this distance, my reflection remained shrouded, casting an unsettling aura upon me. Fearful of confronting her, I hesitated, until at last, with fortitude in hand, I approached.
As I lifted my gaze to meet her enchanting countenance within the looking glass, a knowing smile graced her lips, acknowledging the weight of my trepidation. “Change is on the horizon,” she uttered, affirming the intuitive inklings deep within.
“Why is it that time, supposedly impartial to all, consigns only me to this seclusion?” I lamented.
Her smile deepened, as if prescient of the words about to flow from my lips. Pausing for a beat, she gently reminded me, “Remember, I also explained that time is constant. It is you who holds the power to move on or linger in stagnation… Exercise your free will…….. Won’t you?”
Without a word, I turned away, bidding farewell to the room and all it held.
Echoes from the Sea
‘Neath the moonlit glow, the sea imparts,
Wisdom in waves, to open human hearts.
Live as the tides, in rhythmic grace,
Embrace each moment, let life’s currents trace.
In the vast expanse where horizons blend,
Find solace, dear soul, let your spirit mend.
Like waves, rise and fall, yet ever persist,
A spiritually rich life, in each ripple, exists.
Feel the whispers of the zephyr’s breath,
Connect with the sea, transcend life and death.
In the dance of waves, find your sacred part,
A journey of the soul, an eternal, timeless art.
Dear wanderer, let the sea be your guide,
Navigate with love, and let compassion reside.
For in the depths of wisdom, where the ocean thrives,
Lies the key to a spiritually rich life.