Story Circle Quotes

“The jokes we tell or laugh at subsume our deepest vulnerabilities. We often struggle to comprehend the sheer intensity of some experiences. Our mind – that cruel beast – tries to soften the blow by teaching us to laugh at things that trouble us the most. Dark humor intrigues me because it originates from pain, irrespective of whether it's conscious or unrealized.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Choosing to stay and work on something shows maturity and there are things of beauty that only consistency reveals. Timing is all, as well. I’m fascinated by Kureshi’s lines; change is what keeps us from stagnating, and perhaps these ‘storms’ show us more colors in each other that we can appreciate in a stronger way.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“I told a friend about these letters, about how you and I don’t discuss mundane concerns in these notes, but instead explore our creative and intellectual interests. He seemed intrigued and mentioned that it was a good strategy to escape our routine.
Rest assured, I don’t see these letters as an ‘escape’. (A rather poor choice of words, don’t you think?) They give me a chance to express myself. If that’s a form of escapism, I suppose we’re living in a strange world.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“I don’t think people are capable of understanding the people they love. This may come across as somewhat cynical because we’re frequently told about the healing power of empathy. But we often forget that empathy is a rare commodity. People are innately self-serving, especially when it comes to love. It is impossible for them to love every facet of our being; they only love those elements that serve their own narrow interests. The parts they neglect are invariably what they choose not to understand. Unfortunately, they develop a myopic view of our identity based on their own perceptions of us.
Ideally, love isn’t about extracting what we can from others. Instead, it requires people to give each other the space to blossom into full-fledged individuals. In a South Asian context, we allow love to become where people are stripped of their individualities.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Grief is something I live with everyday. It has its own language and I’ve learnt to speak it. Memories of my mother are no longer “sacred territory”. I can now answer questions about her without any emotion. I suppose we grow accustomed to the aches we must carry for life.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“In an earlier note, you mentioned I was your superior when it comes to grief. I find it difficult to accept that a hierarchy exists in these matters. All of us are mourning some loss. How can anyone claim ownership over grief when it is a collective burden to bear?”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Though I have also seen that the more truly you begin to express yourself, the more the ‘noise,’ the crowd dissipates, but not before it hurts you in some indefinable way.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“For the past couple of days, I have started a new work routine. I’m calling it a ‘mood board’—I work with images, words, meditation, music and figure out what could be a story? A poem? Or just plain imagination and sorting out my mind and heart.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“The struggle for creative artists throughout times has often been a very real one. Balancing life and art is delicate business. Creating art out of your own life is also very difficult and it is something I have been thinking more and more about.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“It’s been over two years since we were in Quetta for a literary festival. Yet, I vividly recall having a lively conversation in the dining area. Memory is a fiend, an untamed beast. I don’t remember any specific details about what the room looked like or what we spoke about, but I remember that awkward pause – a momentary rupture, followed by an effortless flow of conversation.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Any sea – be it a literal or metaphorical entity – is unnatural, dangerous and, therefore, sacred. If we impatiently swim through its choppy waters, we’ll find ourselves swept into the depths of the ocean.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“We can’t possibly forget that writers are people; they aren’t immune to biases, emotional outbursts and the occasional spell of cruelty. I don’t understand why we’re taught to view writers as superior entities. Maybe it has something to do with their ability to concoct make-believe worlds and bring them to life on the page. Do non-writers envy their ability to imitate a higher power and create worlds out of the straws of their imaginations? If they do, they need to be reminded that writers merely possess an arsenal of words. A flair for language is of no use to anyone if it isn’t complemented by a maturity of perspective. After a series of bad experiences, I’ve learnt to accept writers as flawed beings. It’s easier to be realistic and spare oneself from future disappointment.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Why is boredom viewed as a non-serious, almost child-like, trait? Why do we view ‘boredom’ as the inability to enjoy oneself when it can easily be perceived as the inability to find emotional and intellectual stimulation? All of us are entitled to be with people who give us the space to evolve into better versions of ourselves. I wouldn’t be able to live with someone who I find dull and uninspiring.”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“Your views on writing as an all-consuming beast have struck a chord with me. I also believe writing is a solitary pursuit. As an introvert, I find contentment in being my own companion. My solitude helps me conquer this predatory beast by confronting the blank page. I wonder if my partners felt threatened by my ability to make a voyage into my inner self. Did they see this as a dereliction of sorts?”
― Taha Kehar, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“It has the feeling of ascent mostly, like we are climbing a mountain.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“The night has walked towards me and entered me. I f I could see the color of my soul perhaps it would be this same stab of misty darkness.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“I wonder where these conversations will take us...”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“The initial phase of interest/‘love’ (?) as compared to the aftermath is an interesting position to view this whole picture. It is like a sea we dive into and what we discover is a whole other story. Though I admire that initial leap, there’s something heroic about it—a risk-taking, taking a chance on life. And then there’s the question of the nature of love and how deep does it go. The movie, Atlantics, reminded me that love is easy to read on someone’s expression, in someone’s eyes—she doesn’t have
to make a case for it; it is apparent. As Anne Sexton puts it:
“As it has been said:
Love and a cough
cannot be concealed.
Even a small cough.
Even a small love.”
— Anne Sexton”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“The artist I mentioned I saw in the dream—something about him has disturbed me for years. I always tried my best to bring to his attention anything, I found he could be inspired by. But his reactions were never appreciative, rather bitter and dismissive. As artists, I feel we can connect to each other at another level, but he had a strained relationship with himself as an artist. He didn’t get the commercial success he was hoping for, I assumed that’s what made him generally uneasy. So it was kind of a problem that I couldn’t solve for some time. The dream made me realize his sorrow which was genuine, but an inability as well. I mean, what if you go to art school and learn some techniques, but aren’t able to pour your soul into the work? There’s a ‘disconnect,’ as you say, you’re just not connected.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“I must say your last letter was medicinal, it was just the dose of conversation I needed. I really appreciate your ability to say just how it is on your mind. It was the red pill of Matrix. Haha I’m listening to an old Bollywood song, and you know how an ordinary song can sometimes assume such an accuracy?
Kaali kaali khalee raaton se honei lagee hei dostee
Khoya khoya inn rahon mei ab mera kuch bhee nahin”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“I’ve started thinking about how I feel about returning. There is a lot I discovered about myself in these last two years and I want to carry that knowledge and help people accept me for who I am now. My parents and Lahore—are two tricky areas for me.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“A rotten lemon… I know the black arts deal with dolls and needles—but it could be any object on which you have been willed or imagined. Like a thing that represents you. Sometimes there are two similar objects and one is placed near you and the other is with the person practicing the black arts. Dolls have featured so long in these domains; there is a short story by Carlos Fuentes that features a doll representing a dead little girl.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“A rotten lemon… I know the black arts deal with dolls and needles—but it could be any object on which you have been willed or imagined. Like a thing that represents you. Sometimes there are two
similar objects and one is placed near you and the other is with the person practicing the black arts. Dolls have featured so long in these domains; there is a short story by Carlos Fuentes that features a doll representing a dead little girl.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship

“As I pick out the color of the font to write this letter, I too want to live in a spiritual equilibrium as you say.”
― Fatima Ijaz, Story Circle: Letters on Creativity & Friendship