Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-True Friend

Farrukh Kazmi: Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “no man’s land” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

“You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but i don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.” The lieutenant’s advice didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”“It was worth it, though, sir,” said the soldier.(Farrukh Kazmi)

“What do you mean; worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”

“Yes, Sir” the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, “Jim…, I knew you’d come.”

Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u looks at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out. War doesn’t determine who’s right. War only determines who’s left.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-A gift of love!

Farrukh Kazmi: “Can I see my baby?” the happy new mother asked.

When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.

Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. “A boy, a big boy … called me a freak.”

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might mingle with other young people,” his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart. The boy’s father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? “I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured,” the doctor decided.(Farrukh Kazmi)

Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, “You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret,” said the father. The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.

Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. “But I must know!” He urged his father, “Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him.” “I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know … not yet.” The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come … one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears. “Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut,” he whispered gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?”

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-Cut to connect

Farrukh Kazmi: Hairdresser Lex Low’s journey in empowering and connecting with people through haircutsCan a pair of scissors become a tool for empowerment? Can a haircut change the lives of the marginalised?

Lex Low believes so.

Although he is one of Malaysia’s most popular hairdressers, it’s not in Othrs Barbers, his salon in Kuala Lumpur, where we first meet Lex, but in a small room at the back of Pit Stop cafe.

Lex and his team are there to give free haircuts to the homeless. Above the snipping of scissors and the dull buzz of a clipper, the banter and laughter between Lex and his customers for the day fill the air. As their hair falls, their smiles brighten.

It’s these connections with people from marginalised communities that are at the heart of Lex’s social initiatives.(Farrukh Kazmi) 

“A pair of scissors is a just a tool. What matters is the conversation within the haircut. You have no idea what that person went through, and a haircut is the first step to open up that door to that relationship.”

Coming from a family of artists, it is easy to see why Lex gravitated towards a creative career. But to his surprise, his ultimate success was what made him feel restless and empty inside. He was looking for something more and he would find it with those who had less.

Lex’s search for a meaningful use of his skills led him out on the streets of Kuala Lumpur where he gave free haircuts to the homeless. He knocked on the doors of orphanages and old aged homes offering his services. read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-Rediscovering life in death

Farrukh Kazmi: “I was only five minutes away from the hotel to the house, but it was the longest run of my life. ” says suicide survivor Elaine Lek, her voice quivering as she recounts the fateful morning of 28 September 2018, when her eldest son Zen Dylan Koh took his life in his college dormitory in Melbourne, Australia. 

When she arrived at the scene, the paramedics were attempting to resuscitate Zen. He was duly whisked to the hospital, where he fought for his life for three days.

“By the third day, the doctors told me and my husband that there’s a very slim chance that Zen will pull through,” says Elaine. “I thanked him for choosing me as his mum for 17 years and 11 months… I saw tears rolling down his cheeks.”

Zen passed away that same night, with family and friends by his side. To honour him and his desire to help people, Elaine and her husband donated his organs. 

“Zen took his own life,” says Elaine, “But he gave six back to six lives in Melbourne. He lives on in them.”

In the wake of Zen’s death, as Elaine searched for meaning behind her family’s tragic loss, she found an answer on his phone; he had written about wanting to be a psychologist.(Farrukh Kazmi) 

“This gives me the idea of what I can do to find purpose in life for him and for me. And that’s when my husband and I decided to set up the Zen Dylan Koh Fund with Limitless,” says Elaine.

Limitless support to youth

The Fund provides free counselling for disadvantaged youths who fall into three categories. 

These are children whose family cannot afford to pay the high cost of therapy, or who have parents who would not understand and hence would prefer not to know, because of stigma. The third group includes those whose families are in denial and refuse to pay for their kid to speak with a professional.

Limitless Co-founder Asher Low, who himself has recovered from depression, says he relates to what youth are going through: “There are so many youths out there struggling and they have nowhere to go.”

Based in Singapore, the non-profit reaches out to youth aged 12-25 years experiencing mental health concerns, providing support through therapy, counselling, social activities, and group work. 

Asher had started Limitless with some friends and wanted to focus on three areas - poverty, social exclusion and mental health, but soon decided to shift attention to the latter.  

“When we opened our doors...we realised that very often if youth come in, even for a social exclusion issue, they get bullied, they have issues with their parents, it’s a BGR (boy-girl relationship) issue, it’s a school issue, underlying all that is a mental health condition.”

Fighting against the lows of depression

One in seven Singaporeans have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives, according to a study spearheaded by the Institute of Mental Health.  

Depression remains the most common mental disorder, with one in 16 people in Singapore having the condition in their lifetime. (Farrukh Kazmi)

“There’s a misconception that mental illness or depression only strikes kids from dysfunctional families. It's so not true,” notes Elaine. “Zen comes from a loving family. He had everything he ever wanted in his life. And we have such a close bond. And yet he has depression. And we lost him to suicide.”

Last year, the number of people in Singapore who took their lives increased by 10 per cent. Suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 29 years. 

Jenny Teo’s 20-year-old son, Josh,  had wrestled with depression and first attempted suicide following a break-up. After leaving the hospital, he retreated further into his own world, isolating himself in his room, immersed in the make-believe universe of computer games. Jenny reckons it was his way to distract himself and to cope with his mental and emotional demons. (Farrukh Kazmi)

“There are many reasons that can cause a person to go into depression,” explains Jenny. “In the case of my son, he found the education system very challenging.” 

She adds, “I also don’t deny there was a toxic family situation, which he had to deal with, and relationship issues.”

Several months after Josh’s first suicide attempt, Jenny found him unconscious in the study early one morning. But it was too late, Jenny could only hold on to her son’s lifeless body, as she waited for the ambulance and police to arrive.

“I feel like I’ve been to hell and back. I felt very strongly that I didn’t want my son’s death to be in vain.”

Turning grief into purpose

Jenny has found purpose in creating awareness about mental illness and suicide prevention. This has included sharing Josh’s story with the public and giving a talk to caregivers of people living with a mental illness.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-Evening Dinner with a Father

Farrukh Kazmi: A son took his old father to a restaurant for an evening dinner.  Father being very old and weak, while eating, dropped food on his shirt and trousers.  Other diners watched him in disgust while his son was calm.

After he finished eating, his son who was not at all embarrassed, quietly took him to the washroom, wiped the food particles, removed the stains, combed his hair and fitted his spectacles firmly.  When they came out, the entire restaurant was watching them in dead silence, not able to grasp how someone could embarrass themselves publicly like that.  The son settled the bill and started walking out with his father.(Farrukh Kazmi)

At that time, an old man amongst the diners called out to the son and asked him, “Don’t you think you have left something behind?”.

The son replied, “No sir, I haven’t”.

The old man retorted, “Yes, you have!  You left a lesson for every son and hope for every father”.

The restaurant went silent.

Moral: To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.   We all know, how our parents cared for us for every little thing.  Love them, respect them, and care for them.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-Looking at Mirror

Farrukh Kazmi: One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written: “Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym”.  In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while, they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself.

The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: “Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!”  One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside they suddenly became speechless.  They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.(Farrukh Kazmi)

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: “There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth: it is YOU.” You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization, and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.  Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your partner changes when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. “The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself”.(Farrukh Kazmi)

Moral: The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed. The world and your reality are like mirrors lying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success. It’s the way you face Life that makes the difference.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)

Farrukh Kazmi Shared (Story)-The Blind Girl

Farrukh Kazmi: There was a blind girl who hated herself purely for the fact she was blind. The only person she didn’t hate was her loving boyfriend, as he was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry him.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her – now she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying:



“Just take care of my eyes dear.”(Farrukh Kazmi)



Moral of the story:
When our circumstances change, so does our mind. Some people may not be able to see the way things were before, and might not be able to appreciate them. There are many things to take away from this story, not just one.

This is one of the inspirational short stories that left me speechless.read more(Farrukh Kazmi)