Coming Home

Guess who’s surfaced : )  I’d like to start off by saying thank you very much for your patience! As most of you know I’ve recently launched my book, Coming Home in Lahore. As a first time author, it was also my first foray into self-publishing. To say the least, the journey was a challenging one on both accounts, but one for which I am deeply grateful.

My absence in the last few months has been marked by more revelations about what the book actually means for me on a personal level. Upon completing Coming Home, I thought I was arriving at a point. The more I pondered over what I wanted to say at the various launch events, the more it started becoming evident that once again with this book, it was not about what I wanted to say but rather what I needed to hear. Throughout my life I’ve found that when I start feeling as if I really get something, God or the universe, very gently turns everything on its head and asks, “How about now?” I call it my auto-correct and over the years have learned to appreciate its value.

So here’s the thing, Coming Home is not only a destination point but also the start of a new journey. That I am writing this blog in January ( the first month of our calendar year, aptly named after the Greek god Janus, who has two faces to represent duality: endings and beginnings, gateways, time etc. ) is not lost on me. Actually I love it. It’s life’s way of confirming I’m on the right track.

In these last few months, I’ve been thinking about what this new beginning has in store for me. Some of the insights are clearer than others. My writing will change; as to how, we shall discover together. I hope. I feel like I’m moving towards fewer words, whether that translates literally or otherwise remains to be seen. I know that overall my intention since the book’s launch has been to move towards stillness. A state of being. Having spent most of my life in my head, I know what I’m being asked to take on and I believe I am ready.

This just came to mind and once again no surprises where it came from: “Intellect will take you to the door, but it does not take you into the house.”   Shams Tabrizi

Wishing you all the best for your own journey towards peace, love and joy as a new year opens.

Best
Afshan x