Rasheda Kabir is a woman of the world. She owns equal parts of wisdom and humor. Born in India, raised and educated in Pakistan, her world-wide travels have given her the unique advantage of observing the world through the eyes of many cultures and creeds, through wars and peace times. A deep thinking observer finds gratifying satisfaction in sharing her everyday experiences and philosophical thoughts that they provoke. Now with her husband she lives a retired life in Canada, in the beautiful city of Vancouver where their two daughters are settled with families.

The book, ‘Ripples of Reason’ expresses very personal, sincere and honest feelings and views of the author on some topics; the thoughts which float in Rasheda’s mind, drift to her heart and reach her intellect, searching for answers to some lingering questions, looking for reason d’etre. She considers it consequential to express and expose how one feels deep down in the heart. She feels compelled to seek answers to the unanswered.

Parts of most of the articles are written in the first-person, expressing openly and frankly her intimate inner feelings. Her near death experience and the miraculous recovery gives the ordeal of the suffering, the tragedy of the incompetency of medical services available in the underprivileged countries. The close to fatal condition had left her totally detached from life and its attachments, a complete shut-dawn of mind, feelings and emotions. She had to endure major surgical procedure and months long recovery period. However, the rendezvous with death made her realize the meaning of life.

She and her family lived through the merciless bloody revolution, the war of independence in the country they lived in. Their escape to safety was no less then another miracle.

Most of her adult life she lived in Saudi Arabia where with her husband she lived a privileged life, saw the oil-boom the country experienced and enjoyed and also saw the involution of religious dominance in the restrained society.

Resheda did not believe in the paranormal till she encountered a supernatural entity in her home. The unnerving experience was compelling and real and has put unbelievable doubts in her mind.

Rasheda has two Masters Degrees with Honors to her credit. Her husband, her Master’s class sweetheart has been a marketing executive, now turned science fiction writer. She, the busy-bee, is a creative multi-talented lady, a writer, an artist, an interior decorator, seamstress who also embroiders, knits and stitches like a pro, a gourmet cook and has many more creative hobbies.

Rasheda wonders about the underlying purpose, the real sense of the transitory human life, and about what may come after death. Her mind is disturbed about the inequality of the distribution of affluence, opportunities and resources in the world. She questions why God being omniscient, omnipotent, didn’t create a perfect world and perfect human beings of his liking. Why is vice put into them. She is also in awe of the fascination human beings have for life, so much that they wish for eternal life, even after death.

Rasheda’s inspiration for writing came as a surprise, even to herself. A writer friend was making a study of a social family issue and requested her to write how that issue is dealt with in Pakistani culture. The report was compelling and interesting, the author incorporated some of it in her report. This was the inspiration for her to embark on the edifying journey to express her thoughts in writing. The family appreciated her efforts and encouraged her to write more. That is how Ripples of Reason’ became a reality.

The message the book offers is that one must sieve the mind, interrogate the stoical, philosophical unanswered queries, questions, feelings, and be aware and conscious, attentive to find solutions to clear and pacify the mind, to give purpose to life.

The author has an urge, an inner calling to get to know herself candidly and to express who she is, what her insight and beliefs are in order to understand anything else about life and the world. Her writings are very intimate, based on honest truth expressing heartfelt emotions and feelings.

Readers should read ‘Ripples of Reason’, it may urge and coax their minds to find solutions to the unanswered, to the questions that occupy the mind but one avoids searching for answers. It may help awaken their conscience and make them aware of the need of cognitive growth.

Rasheda has given some personal life experiences told in a veracious and honest dictation. The book is written more from the heart then anyway else, expressing the depth of the feelings and emotions of the writer, her belief that one may not love everyone but can have compassion for all.

 

 


A woman of the world, Rasheda Kabir owns equal parts of wisdom and humor. She finds gratifying satisfaction in sharing her everyday observations, experiences and the philosophical thoughts that they provoke. When she is not writing Rasheda is found at the easel painting and has shared some of her art work in these pages.

A deep thinking multi-talented individual, a writer and artist, enjoys many innovative hobbies and interests. Her writing capture a wide range of observations and diversity of thoughts.

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