O Allah (SWT) hide my sins..!

It was narrated that in the days that Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) wandered with Bani Israel (Children of Israel) in the desert, an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.
It was revealed to Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israel (Children of Israel) who had disobeyed Allah (SWT) for more than forty years of his life.
"Let him separate himself from the congregation," Allah (SWT) told Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh). "Only then shall I shower you all with rain."
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) then called out to the throngs of humanity, "There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah (SWT) for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought."
That man waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one. The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.
He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said, "O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!"
As Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) and the people of Bani Israel (Children of Israel) waited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh) asked Allah (SWT), "O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward."
And Allah (SWT) replied, "O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel (Children of Israel) with water."
Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked, "Show him to me O Allah!"
Allah (SWT) replied, "O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?"
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: "My entire nation is safe, except al-Mujahirin (those who boast of their sins). Among the Mujaharah is that a man commits an (evil) act, and wakes up in the morning while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret, he says: 'O Fulan! Last night I did this and that.' He goes to sleep while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret but he wakes up in the morning and uncovers what Allah has kept a secret!" [Saheeh al-Bukhari]

Excellence of Prayer

Prophet Dawood / David (pbuh) once decided to perform prayers and read Zabur (Book of Psalms) with the excellence that nobody would have done. He entered the Mehrab and prayed.
After he finished to his satisfaction he found a frog appear before him and told him, "Oh Dawood! Is it true that you feel that you have prayed too well? Every night I am habituated to pray 1,000 Tasbih (glorifications) and from every Tasbih three thousand Hamds are expressed.
Sometimes when I am at the bottom of a pond and I hear the voice of any bird above, thinking that it might be hungry, I come to the surface of the water so that the hungry bird may get its food by eating me. This is the part of the duty that I perform towards Allah (SWT)."

To bring a fool to his senses

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was once seen running away from a man. People were surprised to see him running away. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) did not run away from anything or anybody. He was known for his goodness, humbleness and friendliness.
They asked him: "Isa, spirit of Allah, why are you running away from that man?"
Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) replied: "I am running away from a fool."
People were still more surprised, they knew that Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was a prophet. He had cured the sick. He had even brought the dead to life. So they said: "But Isa, spirit of Allah, you have power to bring dead to life."
Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) smiled and said: "True, I have brought dead to life. But I find it difficult to bring a fool to his senses."

Selfish Man

Once upon a time, there was a selfish man. He liked everything to be his own. He could not share his belongings with anyone, not even his friends or the poor.
One day, the man lost thirty gold coins. He went to his friend's house and told him how he lost his gold coins. His friend was a kind man.
As his friend's daughter was coming from an errand she found thirty gold coins, when she arrived home, she told her father what she had found. The girl's father told her that the gold coins belong to his friend and he sent for him. When the selfish man arrived, he told him how his daughter had found his thirty gold coins and handed then to him. After counting the gold coins the man said that ten of them was missing and had been taken by the girl as he had forty gold coins. He further commented that he will recover the remaining amount from him (the girl's father). But the father refused.
The selfish man left the gold coins and went to the court and informed the judge there about what had taken place between him and the girl's father.
The judge sent for the girl and her father, and when they arrived asked the girl how many gold coins did she find. She replied thirty gold coins. The Judge that asked the selfish man how many gold coins did he lose and he answered forty gold coins.
The judge then told the selfish man that the gold coins did not belong to him because the girl found thirty and not forty as he claimed to have lost and then told the girl to take the gold coins and that if anybody is looking for them he will send for the girl.
The judge told the selfish man that if anybody reports that they have found forty gold coins he will send for him. It was then that the selfish man confessed that he lied and that he lost thirty gold coins but the judge did not listen to him.

Moral: This story of honesty teaches us to be always honest as dishonest never pays.

Rock in the sand

An Arab while crossing a desert came across a huge rock half buried in the sand. Written on the boulder was: "TURN ME OVER AND YOU WILL BENEFIT FROM IT"
The Arab felt assuming there was a great treasure hidden underneath it worked mightily to turn it over. He succeeded after several hours. But there was no treasure there, only an inscription on the underside of the rock: "GREED IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL REMEMBER THIS AND YOU WILL BE A BETTER MAN."
Haven't you collected free pens, note books at conferences? Watch people picking up candies, freshening tissues, napkins in the flights simply to go home and throw them. People go on collecting things out of greed and fear.
"Greed is a projection of fear. It is because of fear that man becomes greedy. He is so much afraid, that he wants to accumulate for the future. He is so afraid, that he sacrifices his today for tomorrow and the tomorrow never comes. The greedy man never becomes rich.
He may have the whole world at his disposal, but he remains poor. He cannot enjoy it, his greed won't allow that. He remains miserly. He always remains in such fear of the future that he cannot part with his money. He accumulates, accumulates, wastes his whole life and one day dies.
He was a poor man his whole life - empty-handed he had come, empty-handed he has gone, and his whole life went down the drain with no significance."

Monkey and Dolphin Story

One day long ago, some sailors set out to sea in their sailing ship. One of them brought his pet monkey along for the long journey.
When they were far out at sea, a terrible storm overturned their ship. Everyone fell into the sea, and the monkey was sure that he would drown. Suddenly a dolphin appeared and picked him up.
They soon reached the island and the monkey came down from the dolphin's back. The dolphin asked the monkey, "Do you know this place?"
The monkey replied, "Yes, I do. In fact, the king of the island is my best friend. Do you know that I am actually a prince?"
Knowing that no one lived on the island, the dolphin said, "Well, well, so you are a prince! Now you can be a king!"
The monkey asked, "How can I be a king?"
As the dolphin started swimming away, he answered, "That is easy. As you are the only creature on this island, you will naturally be the king!"

Moral of the Story: Those who lie and boast may end up in trouble.

Epidendrum Orchids

Epidendrum orchids vary widely in flora and vegetation. The flowers range from a quarter of an inch to six inches in diameter. Some plants produce pseudobubls while others possess cane or reed-like stems. Short bulbs are common in many species, while other species can produce bulbs of up to five feet long. Many flowers are fragrant and several bloom continually. These plants grow from sea level to mountaintops, in warm and in cool climates.
When all is said and done Epidendrum orchids are a perfect choice. They’re easy to grow, diverse in shape and color and can handle less than perfect conditions.  

Farmer and Stork Story

Finding that cranes were destroying his newly sown corn, a farmer one evening set a net in his field to catch the destructive birds. When he went to examine the net next morning he found a number of cranes and also a stork.
"Release me, I beseech you," cried the stork, "for I have eaten none of your corn, nor have I done you any harm. I am a poor innocent stork, as you may see - a most dutiful bird, I honor my father and mother. I..."
But the farmer cut him short. "All this may be true enough, I dare say, but I have caught you with those were destroying my crops, and you must suffer with the company in which you are found."
One who enters the places of evil reputes has no right to complain against a man who talks evils of him. Imam Ali (as)

Moral of the Story: People are judged by the company (Friends) they keep. or Birds of the same Feather flock together. Also read Islam and Friends
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was one day amongst his companions (Sahabah), when he (saw) said, "Do not be like a housefly!" Surprised, the companions asked, "And how can we be like a housefly O' Prophet of Allah (SWT)?"
"Don't you see" Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied, "a housefly always prefers to sit on dirt instead of a clean and pure place!"
What Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) meant to say was that one should never chose fellowship with bad people, but with those who are righteous and good as companions in life.

Brassia Orchid

The Brassia orchid is native to the wet forests of tropical Central and South America and is named for a 19th century, British botanical illustrator, William Brass. The spider-like look of Brassia orchids gives this plant a distinct propagating advantage. To certain parasitic wasps these flowers resemble spiders in a web, so the wasps lay eggs on the “spiders”, which are really the interior of the orchid’s blossoms. It’s a win-win situation. The wasps reproduce and the orchid gets pollinated.

Brassia orchids can be cultivated outside the tropics as long as specific growth requirements are met. Give your “spiders” high humidity (50 to 70%) and bright, non noon day light. Bright and diffuse light is perfect for these orchids.

Brassia orchids need a lot of water while producing flowers, but don’t like to get too wet. Good air circulation is important, too, otherwise you will see brown spots on the leaves. A small fan can be used to facilitate circulation, but never let the fan blow directly onto the plant. Daytime temperatures should remain between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Night time temperatures are only slightly cooler with a range of 55 to 65 degrees.

Creating beautiful flowers uses up a lot of energy, so, much like an athlete after a big game; Brassia orchids need to take a break after their growing period. At that point temperatures need to remain at the lower end of the 55 to 60 degree range. Less watering is required, perhaps as little as once a week, but don’t let the pseudopods or leaves dry out.

Fox who got caught in the Tree Trunk Story

Once upon a time, there was a hungry fox that was looking for something to ear. He was very hungry. No matter how hard he tried, the fox could not find food. Finally he went to the edge of the forest and searched there for food. Suddenly he caught sight of a big tree with a hole in it.
Inside the hole was a package. The hungry fox immediately thought that there might be food in it, and he became very happy. He jumped into the hole and when he opened the package, he saw there were a lot of food, bread, meat and fruit in it!
An old woodcutter had placed the food in the tree trunk while he cut down trees in the forest. He was going to eat it for his lunch.
The fox happily began to eat. After the fox had finished eating, he felt thirsty and decided to leave the trunk and drink some water from a nearby spring. However, no matter how hard he tried, he could not get out of the hole. Do you know why? Yes, the fox had eaten so much food that he became too big to fit through the hole.
The fox was very sad and upset. He told himself, "I wish that I had thought a little before jumping into the hole."

Moral of the Story: Yes children, this is the result of doing something without thinking about it first.

Cattleya Orchid

The Cattleya orchid is also called the “corsage orchid” because in the old days fashionable ladies used to sport an oversized Cattleya corsage to special events. Even though it is not so common to wear corsages anymore, the Cattleya orchid is still extremely popular among amateur and professional growers. They are perfect as cut flowers because they are long-lasting and come in an array of colors. The blooms are usually quite big.

The discovery of Cattleya was an accident. In the nineteenth century, a moss and lichen collector just grabbed some random sturdy leaves in the forest as packing material to protect his collections en route from Brazil to England. A horticulturist, William Cattley, saw the strange packing material and decided to grow it. Few years later, the strange plant produced some stunning blooms that rocked the world. The genus was therefore named Cattleya as a tribute to William Cattley, and the plant was then named Cattleya labiata. From then on, people started the crazy hunt for wild orchids in South America. To this day, Cattleya orchids still define orchids; they are the benchmark of orchids. You may hear growers say “grow this orchid like Cattleya except a bit less light” or “this orchids need the Cattleya temperature.” Because Cattleya species are founded throughout tropical Central and South America, these orchids like intermediate to warm temperatures (55 to 65°F/13 to 18°C in winter nights and 15°F/10°C or so warmer during the day) and medium bright light. At home, it’s best to grow your Cattleya orchid by the southern, eastern or western windowsills. Provide as much light as it can take without burning the leaves; touch them to make sure they are not hot. When the plant receives its upper limit of light, it will show you a reddish tinge.

When a loved one has a drug problem

If you suspect that a friend or family member has a drug problem, here are a few things you can do:

• Speak up. Talk to the person about your concerns, and offer your help and support, without being judgmental. The earlier addiction is treated, the better. Don’t wait for your loved one to hit bottom! Be prepared for excuses and denial by listing specific examples of your loved one’s behavior that has you worried.
• Take care of yourself. Don’t get so caught up in someone else’s drug problem that you neglect your own needs. Make sure you have people you can talk to and lean on for support. And stay safe. Don’t put yourself in dangerous situations.
• Avoid self-blame. You can support a person with a substance abuse problem and encourage treatment, but you can’t force an addict to change. You can’t control your loved one’s decisions. Let the person accept responsibility for his or her actions, an essential step along the way to recovery for drug addiction. 

Discovering your child uses drugs can generate fear, confusion, and anger in parents.
Five steps parents can take:

• Lay down rules and consequences. Your teen should understand that using drugs comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them.
• Monitor your teen’s activity. Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. It’s also important to routinely check potential hiding places for drugs—in backpacks, between books on a shelf, in DVD cases or make-up cases, for example. Explain to your teen that this lack of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using drugs.
• Encourage other interests and social activities. Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports and afterschool clubs.
• Talk to your child about underlying issues. Drug use can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress?
• Get help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or drug counselor.

Scorpion and Turtle Story

A Scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a Turtle to carry Him on his back across a river.
"Are you crazy?" exclaimed the Turtle.
"You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown."
"My dear Turtle," laughed the Scorpion, "if I were to sting you, you would drown and I would go down with you. Now where is the logic in that?"
"You're right!" cried the Turtle. "Hop on!"
The Scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the Turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the Turtle resignedly said:
"Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there'd be no logic in your stinging me. Then why did you do it?"
"It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning Scorpion sadly replied. "It's just my character."

Moral of the Story: Children, be careful of whom you associate with.

Boat Orchids

Here in Southern California, one orchid that grows extremely well is the boat orchid, Cymbidium. These types of orchids have been grown and depicted in drawings and poetry for more than two thousand years since the time of Confucius. They are still popular plants today because of the big, showy and long-lasting flowers. The pink, yellow, green, red, brown, peach or combination colored flowers also last superbly as cut flowers—if you change water daily and cut back the bottom of the spike, they can look pristine for a month or two in the vase.

Understanding drug use, drug abuse, and addiction

People experiment with drugs for many different reasons. Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friends are doing it, or in an effort to improve athletic performance or ease another problem, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there is no specific level at which drug use moves from casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug abuse and addiction is less about the amount of substance consumed or the frequency, and more to do with the consequences of drug use. No matter how often or how little you’re consuming, if your drug use is causing problems in your life—at work, school, home, or in your relationships—you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem.


As with many other conditions and diseases, vulnerability to addiction differs from person to person. Your genes, mental health, family and social environment all play a role in addiction. Risk factors that increase your vulnerability include:

• Family history of addiction
• Abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences in childhood
• Mental disorders such as depression and anxiety
• Early use of drugs
• Method of administration—smoking or injecting a drug may increase its addictive potential 

People who experiment with drugs continue to use them because the substance either makes them feel good, or stops them from feeling bad. In many cases, however, there is a fine line between regular use and drug abuse and addiction. Very few addicts are able to recognize when they have crossed that line. While frequency or the amount of drugs consumed don’t in themselves constitute drug abuse or addiction, they can often be indicators of drug-related problems.

• Problems can sometimes sneak up on you, as your drug use gradually increases over time. Smoking a joint with friends at the weekend, or taking ecstasy at a rave, or cocaine at an occasional party, for example, can change to using drugs a couple of days a week, then every day. Gradually, getting and using the drug becomes more and more important to you.
• If the drug fulfills a valuable need, you may find yourself increasingly relying on it. For example, you may take drugs to calm you if you feel anxious or stressed, energize you if you feel depressed, or make you more confident in social situations if you normally feel shy. Or you may have started using prescription drugs to cope with panic attacks or relieve chronic pain, for example. Until you find alternative, healthier methods for overcoming these problems, your drug use will likely continue.
• Similarly, if you use drugs to fill a void in your life, you’re more at risk of crossing the line from casual use to drug abuse and addiction. To maintain healthy balance in your life, you need to have other positive experiences, to feel good in your life aside from any drug use.
• As drug abuse takes hold, you may miss or frequently be late for work or school, your job performance may progressively deteriorate, and you start to neglect social or family obligations. Your ability to stop using is eventually compromised. What began as a voluntary choice has turned into a physical and psychological need.

Drug abusers often try to conceal their symptoms and downplay their problem. If you’re worried that a friend or family member might be abusing drugs, look for the following warning signs:

Physical warning signs of drug abuse

• Bloodshot eyes, pupils larger or smaller than usual
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns. Sudden weight loss or weight gain
• Deterioration of physical appearance, personal grooming habits
• Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing
• Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination

Behavioral signs of drug abuse

• Drop in attendance and performance at work or school
• Unexplained need for money or financial problems. May borrow or steal to get it.
• Engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors
• Sudden change in friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies
• Frequently getting into trouble (fights, accidents, illegal activities)

Psychological warning signs of drug abuse

• Unexplained change in personality or attitude
• Sudden mood swings, irritability, or angry outbursts
• Periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness
• Lack of motivation; appears lethargic or “spaced out”
• Appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason

Side-effects of specific drug classes (for elderly)

There are a number of differences between older people and younger people that have an impact on their treatment with medicines. These are particularly apparent in very old patients:

• Older people's bodies take up and eliminate medicines from the body differently than younger patients'.
• Older people are susceptible to a wide range of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, bone diseases and mental illnesses.
• Older people often have more than one disease at a time, making it difficult to treat the separate diseases.
• Older people may be weaker than younger patients, making them vulnerable to disease and the risks associated with medical treatment.

Side-effects of specific drug classes:

NSAIDs

• Gastrointestinal bleeding is more common and has more serious consequences in older patients.
• NSAIDs can worsen heart failure or aggravate impaired renal function. These effects can be worse in elderly patients.
• They are best avoided, if possible, for simple pain relief in osteoarthritis (OA), etc; paracetamol should be tried instead and, if this is insufficient, try a low-dose NSAID in addition, with proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) or misoprostol cover, or substitute a low-dose opioid.
• Consider complementary therapies such as acupuncture to help with pain management.
• The co-prescription of NSAIDs and ACE inhibitors in older patients can be a recipe for disaster; their combined deleterious effect on renal cortical perfusion and function can lead to significant renal impairment in the older patient.

Hypnotics

• Hypnotics with long half-lives are a significant problem and can cause daytime drowsiness, unsteadiness from impaired balance and confusion.
• Short-acting ones may also be a problem and should only be used for short periods if essential.
• In patients prone to falls or dizziness avoid using these agents unless absolutely necessary.
• Where benzodiazepines are used to help patients overcome a crisis or transitional period, great care must be taken that they be given only for short periods, to avoid the danger of dependence and addiction.
• It is much better to take a good history of an older patient's sleep habits and suggest sleep hygiene and non-pharmaceutical measures to overcome insomnia, than to prescribe drugs, which at best will be a temporary solution.

Diuretics

• This class of drugs is often overused in the elderly and should not be used for chronic treatment of gravitational oedema where measures such as leg-raising, increased walking/leg exercises and graduated compression stockings are often sufficient.
• Where diuretics are used to treat hypertension or cardiac failure, they should be reviewed regularly, along with an assessment of the patient's state of hydration and U&Es if necessary.
• Withdrawal of diuretics requires careful monitoring and consideration of potential contra-indications to withdrawal and can be difficult to achieve. For example, patients with well-controlled heart failure can develop troublesome symptoms and blood pressure can rise significantly in hypertensive patients.

Digoxin

In the very elderly, the daily maintenance dose should be 125 micrograms. In the renally impaired, the dose should be 62.5 micrograms. 250 micrograms/day are likely to cause toxicity.

Drugs that cause bone marrow suppression

Drugs such as co-trimoxazole and chloramphenicol should only be used if there is no suitable alternative.

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs

• Beware of gastrointestinal bleeding and contra-indications such as peptic ulceration which may have occurred a long time ago and been forgotten about.
• For warfarin, prescribe only when patients have a full understanding of why the drug is being taken, its dangers, correct daily dosing/timing and the importance of regular INR monitoring.

Antidepressants

• Tricyclic antidepressants commonly cause postural hypotension and confusion in the older patient; they should be used carefully.
• Serotonergic medications used for depression may cause serotonin syndrome and agitation in the older patient; this can be difficult to distinguish from some of the symptoms of depression.

Diabetic medication

• Long-acting oral hypoglycaemics such as chlorpropamide and glibenclamide should be avoided as there is a significant risk of hypoglycaemia when these agents are used in the older patient.
• Tight diabetic control must be balanced against potentially catastrophic events precipitated by hypoglycaemia, particularly in those who live alone, have a poor understanding of diabetes self-management, or who experience few warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia.

The Travelers and the Plane Tree

Two men were walking along one summer day. Soon it became too hot to go any further and, seeing a large plane tree nearby, they threw themselves on the ground to rest in its shade.
Gazing up into the branches one man said to the other: "What a useless tree this is. It does not have fruit or nuts that we can eat and we cannot even use its wood for anything."
"Don't be so ungrateful," rustled the tree in reply. "I am being extremely useful to you at this very moment, shielding you from the hot sun. And you call me a good-for-nothing!"
All of God's creations have a good purpose. Islam teaches us that we should never belittle Allah's blessings.

Slipper Orchids

My favorite type of orchid is the lady slipper orchid because of their strange appearance. They are like no other types of flowers and have pouch-shaped lips. The mostly terrestrial and lithophytic slipper orchids include four genera—Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium, Cypripedium and Selenipedium. But most Cypripedium and Selenipedium are not plants for the beginner because they can be quite difficult to grow under cultivation unless you live in temperate regions with Cypripedium growing wildly in your back yard!

You can readily buy Paphiopedilum at fancy grocery stores, and if you can’t find them, find a fancier store where women shop with little dogs in their bag! While these types of flowers come in girlie soft pink, eye-catching yellow, innocent white and other soft colors, many of them are dark red, brown and green with hairy and warty petals. The infamous Paphiopedilum sanderianum from Borneo has lateral sepals (the side petals) that can hang down 3 feet (1 meter) long! This highly sought-after plant can cost hundreds of dollars. But there are plenty of wonderful Paphiopedilum plants out there that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Dendrobium Orchids

Another type of orchid you can grow at home is what I call the “Thai restaurant orchids.” These types of orchids are Dendrobium hybrids and can be found at Thai restaurants that decorate their tables with freshly-cut flowers. They come in many colors (white, green, purple, pink, yellow and more) and require a fairly warm environment. In fact, they could loose their leaves in the winter when the ambient temperature drops below 60°F (15°C) or so. But the “Thai restaurant orchid” is really just one small group of hybrids within the Dendrobium genus. Dendrobium is actually one of the largest orchid genera.

Dendrobium species live as epiphytes and lithophytes in New Guinea, Southern China, Thailand, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti and more. As a result, it’s hard to generalize how to care for these types of orchids. Some of them require cool nights of 50 to 59°F (10 to 15°C) while some of them require warm temperatures in the 80s°F (27°C). That’s why it’s so important to understand their natural environment so that you can make them happy.

The Professor

As usual life was hectic for me. Every day, I had to leave in a hurry to reach my office on time by 9:00 am. It was already 8:00 am; I just woke up from my slumber. In a hurry I got freshen up and dressed, ready to leave for office by 20 minutes without having my breakfast. It was a common routine for me; life was full of fixed schedule just like a pendulum moving to and fro.
I stood near the road, waved towards a passing auto, no luck. After 5minutes an auto stood by and I saw a young driver with a black t-shirt and blue denim, quite unusual for an auto driver. Without wasting my time in bargaining I boarded the auto. Another passenger was already seated, a woman in her mid-forties with little make ups, marks of talc near her neck, big rounded spectacles with a hand bag with few books. I guessed she was a professor from the imprint on her bag "Bangalore University."
After 5 minutes, the auto stopped and a woman came to seat near "The professor." Within an instant, the professor strongly opposed to the driver that woman cannot seat near her, or go in the auto.
The lady seemed like a daily laborer, with stains of dirt and dust across her sari, she looked feeble but her hand full of scratches and stiffness proved her strenuous works for a living. She had some masonry tools, dusty and old.
I was left aback when "The professor" said she cannot sit with her.
She can't sit in the auto. "This is my vehicle, I decide who will go or not" said the angry driver.
I will pay the full fare, replied the professor lady.
My anger was nearly out of control. Suddenly I spoke with a burst. "What the hell are you, Human or devil? Being a teacher is this what you teach your children? You think you are civilized? I think you are the most uncivilized one. You call yourself educated, but what is the use of the education. I think you are an uneducated fool."
The professor lady got angry and said to the driver, "I will pay the full fare, just leave this guy here."
The driver was equally angry: "Just get down; I don't need your bloody money. You are a curse to humanity."
With a few angry murmurs, the so called professor of a college with no such thing called humanity in her for a fellow woman, got down angrily.
The laborer lady got up and put her things at the back of the auto and sat down.
Unaware of the pace of time, I was fighting for a person's rights, fundamental rights. I was satisfied, even though it was already late.
I was just getting down from the auto paying my fare, when I heard a low voice saying "Thank You."
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. - Mohandas K. Gandhi

Effects of illegal drugs in pregnancy

If a parent has drug problems it affects their child at every stage, from pregnancy onwards.Almost all drugs pass through the placenta to reach your baby and have some effect on her.

Drugs in your body may reduce the amount of oxygen that can reach your baby. Early in pregnancy, some drugs may affect your baby's development. Your baby may not grow as well as expected in your uterus (womb).

Taking illegal drugs may cause problems later on in your pregnancy, too, as they can affect how well the placenta works. There is a risk that the placenta may come away from the side of your uterus, sometimes causing severe bleeding. This is called placental abruption. Placental abruption is a serious condition and, because of the bleeding it causes, it can be life-threatening for you and your baby.

Your baby may have withdrawal symptoms if you regularly take certain drugs during your pregnancy. Your baby may need to stay in hospital, so nurses and doctors can check her for signs of withdrawal, and give her treatment.

Here is what we know so far about the effects of illegal drugs:

Cannabis (marijuana)

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug. Taking cannabis during pregnancy might make your baby unsettled and more easily startled after he is born. In the longer term, it could cause behaviour and learning problems for your baby as he grows older.

Smoking cannabis also exposes your baby to the risks related to smoking. If you smoke, you are more likely to go into premature labour. There's also a higher chance that your baby will be born with a low birth weight and other complications, and it increases the risk of cot death. (CDC 2013)

Speed (amphetamines) and crystal meth (methamphetamine)

It's best for your baby if you stop taking speed or crystal meth before you get pregnant. You can still quit if you are pregnant, but to be safe, you should stop taking these drugs with medical help in a drug treatment programme. Stopping suddenly could be harmful for you or your baby and could cause miscarriage.

Taking speed or crystal meth can make the following more likely:

• a complication where the placenta can't carry enough oxygen and nutrients to your baby, called placental insufficiency
• the placenta separating from your uterus (placental abruption)

These drugs can affect your baby's growth in the uterus, making her smaller than expected for your stage of pregnancy and increasing the chance of premature birth.

Some babies may have withdrawal symptoms but there are not many studies on this problem.

We also lack full information about the lasting effects of these drugs as your child grows up. But it's possible that children exposed to these drugs in the uterus may not develop and learn as well as other children their age.

Ecstasy

There's a lot of concern about the long-term side-effects of taking ecstasy. But there's very little research on the way that it can affect your pregnancy or your baby. Ecstasy may have an effect on your baby's motor development (co-ordination and movement). There is limited evidence that it could cause birth defects, but we don't know for sure.

Cocaine and crack cocaine

Taking cocaine or crack during pregnancy may increase your risk of having a miscarriage, and of placental abruption later in pregnancy.

Using cocaine while you are pregnant can slow down your baby's growth in the uterus. It may also increase the risk of your baby having problems with learning and behaviour when he is older.

Heroin and strong painkillers

Heroin has serious risks for your baby. The same kind of problems can happen if you are regularly using related painkillers (opioids) like morphine or Tramadol during pregnancy. You may not realise that you can become addicted to strong painkillers.

If you use heroin or other opioids, it is vital to get treatment as soon as you can. Trying to quit on your own could be dangerous for you and your baby. It could cause a miscarriage or premature birth, or your baby could be stillborn. The safest way to quit is with medical help, as part of a drug treatment programme.

During pregnancy, heroin and other opioids can slow down your baby's growth and have an effect on how her brain grows. These drugs can also make it harder for your baby to breathe just after she is born.

The Shepherd

Once upon a time, there lived in Basra an old man whose only occupation was caring for and loving his only son who was a handsome young man. The old man invested all his money on his son's education. The young man went away for a few years and acquired an education at a well known university under the great scholars of that age.
The day had arrived for the son to return from his studies and the old man waited at the door for his son. When the son came and met his father, the old man looked into his eyes and felt great disappointment. "What have you learnt my son?" he asked, "I have learnt everything there was to be learnt, father", he said. "But have you learnt what cannot be taught?" asked the father. "Go, my son and learn what cannot be taught", said the old man.
The young man went back to his master and asked him to teach him what cannot be taught. "Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are one thousand", said the master.
The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd. There for the first time he encountered a silence. He had no one to talk to. The sheep did not understand his language. In his desperation, he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if to say he was stupid. Slowly but surely he began to forget all his worldly knowledge, his ego, his pride and he became quiet like the sheep and great wisdom and humility came to him.
At the end of two years when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand, he returned to his master and fell on his feet. "Now you have learnt what cannot be taught," said the master.

Note: It is interesting to note that the prophets of Allah (SWT) at some time in their lives, generally before Nubuwwat (Prophethood), tended to sheep and other such animals.

Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is. - Albert Camus
Monkeys are superior to men in this: When a monkey looks into a mirror, he sees a monkey. - Malcolm de Chazal

Moth Orchids

The most common type of orchid is probably the moth orchid, or the Phalaenopsis orchids. These are the plants that you can buy from a standard grocery store. Or if you happen to live close by an Asian supermarket, you will find truck-loads of the white or purplish-pink variety. Some fashion/interior designers even dubbed this purplish-pink color as “orchid.” (This is ultra confusing for an orchid grower, as orchids come in a million different shades and colors, but well, these are the same people who invented colors like sour lemon and spiced mustard. It’s just all marketing!)

In the wild, Phalaenopsis are epiphytes and grow on trees in a constantly moist environment. They usually have long flower spikes and therefore look very graceful. These types of flowers have the power to add elegance to the home and brighten up a dull atmosphere, even if your boyfriend leaves his socks on the floor. Phalaenopsis are now widely grown as houseplants. Even though they usually bloom only once or twice a year, their flowers can often last for two to three months.

Types of medicines for children

Medicines for children come in different forms. Tablets, caplets and liquid medicines are given orally (by mouth). There are medicines that are used in the eye, ear or nose, and inhalers for asthma medicines. Other medicines, such as suppositories or enemas, are given rectally (in the back passage, or bottom).

Asthma inhalers

There are many types of inhalers. Our leaflet gives information about using an aerosol inhaler with a 'spacer' device and a dry-powder inhaler. If you are not sure whether you are using the inhaler properly, or need help, contact your asthma nurse or pharmacist, who will be able to show you or check what you are doing.

Capsules

Capsules are given by mouth (orally). Most must be swallowed whole, but some may be chewed, or opened and then the contents sprinkled in food. Find out how to give the type of capsule you have for your child.

Ear drops

Medicines for the ear are available as ear drops. You will need to wash your hands before and after giving the ear drops, and you may need help from another adult.

Eye drops

Use eye drops only in your child’s infected eye, unless your doctor has told you to treat both eyes. Wash your hands before and after giving the drops. You may need help from another adult.

Eye ointment

If you need to give eye ointment, use only in your child’s infected eye, unless your doctor has told you to treat both eyes. Wash your hands before and after giving the ointment. You may need help from another adult.

Granules or powder

Some medicines come as granules or as powder, and are given by mouth (orally). They can usually be mixed in with a small amount of food, or in water or juice.

Liquid medicine (using an oral syringe with a ‘bung’, or medicine spoon)

You can measure out the right amount of liquid medicine using an oral syringe or a medicine spoon. Many bottles of liquid medicine come with a ‘bung’ to help you draw up the medicine into the oral syringe. You can get all of these from your pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount.

Liquid medicine (using an oral syringe without a ‘bung’)

Some bottles of liquid medicine do not come with a ‘bung’, but you can still measure out the right amount of liquid medicine with an oral syringe.

Nasal spray

Some medicines come as a nasal spray and need to be sprayed into your child's nostril or nostrils. Most nasal sprays work by pressing them between your finger and thumb to produce a spray. Your child should tilt their head forward slightly when taking the spray.

Rectal medicines (suppositories and enemas)

Rectal medicines have to be administered through the anus into the rectum (back passage, or bottom). They must not be taken by mouth. Types of rectal medicines include suppositories, foam enemas and liquid enemas.

Tablets

Tablets are given by mouth (orally). Depending on the type of tablet, they can be swallowed or chewed, dissolved in water or juice, put on the tongue, or mixed with a small amount of food.
Make sure you know which type of tablet you have.

A call for unity - 2