Chapter One - Commencement Address

Long have she left abide the appetite of being celebrated - found her appearance a greater of the assets when attendees and newly graduates clapped at her executive rise from this ordinary chair that was bearing the feathery weight of her embarrassment in low IQ yet accomplishments and goals at high scale that she profoundly completed. "If I call myself a life-made woman then I should not show my back at the attire of it." gave a thought to herself upon her way to podium.

"Bon Appétit." Wishing herself with a coy smile. 

Oh, let us not waste time any further in appetisers I mean in wordily words and go back to the convocation speech.

"I heard you murmuring. Since, earning a doctorate degree at this age of being fifty is of no use to me anyway. And when, I already did a lot without it." She interrogated from her guts.

“Allow me... to take this pleasure and opportunity to thank you all and specially the President of the Campus to have approached me for this year’s Commencement Address.

”Ah, (under her breath she sighed), "when I received an invitation letter from the Business University of UAE, I took it as a normal invitation that anyone could possibly send me to attend their upcoming event and all. The letter kept resting on my coffee table for a whole month till this morning. The letter, (I reached to my small clutch while talking to my audience) there you go, “oh, even the preparer of this letter will never recognise it in any way,” (I heard everyone giggling heartily and… so did I)

“It was, by the way, for no reason, bothering me I did not dumped it I did not even opened it. For… I know not why. It went through my consideration by chance today.” (I smiled and continued)

“I hired a new personal secretary, today is her first on duty a talented writer herself, well groomed young lady the only employee who got an access to my personal space at home.

“Yes I do go home some times" The audience enjoyed a hearty laugh.

“I was talking about my assistant a promised writer of her kind. I wish I was like her at her age that after such an education is helping me as an assistant. I am saying you all this because I never had done a job of assisting someone after such an education. I had a diploma in Accounts that was much higher than the graduation degree. Only if people knew about its worth. I was a head-high kind a person with no higher education in hand and a youngster who was wishing to survive on her ego." Snorted Jane.

“As per her duty, she opened the letter before discarding it. And read it out to me. I wish I had a sincere a well concerned teacher back in school and I wouldn't have done the mistakes I did in my past while stepping the steps. But I am still glad if getting to give this address in exchange of those mistakes - then I well come those." Took a folded piece of paper out of Channel clutch bag.

A Lady look, with that sexy stature standing in her 5'6" height that almost looked 5'9" with her Christian Louboutin stilettos, folded the letter so beautifully and kept it on the table under her beautifully carved fingers accessorised with a blue Diamond Solitaire pressing it so hard that she could hear the crisp voice which it created in that pinpoint silence and which was not able to read further though. An appearance in that beige knee length figure hugging skirt topped with white shirt and beige coloured knee length un buttoned overcoat  that no man can somehow escape the magic of attraction and innocently served act - even no woman can skip to disguise her look.

The young-looking-woman and mother of five (who still gives a beauty complex to many young ones surrounding her) continued with her Address which wasn’t written or preplanned - as one could least expect from this entrepreneur.

“After listening to what was read in the letter, I felt very honoured as any undergraduate should be. When I was so much in need of this degree I suffered and now when it’s in my hands which was followed by my own illiteracy I may say.  Yes, I was called illiterate where ever I went for a job. They were not going to give me a job of Head of the Company but just a tiny little job that could have ensured me of my living. I wonder what these HR were doing despite of calling me for an interview. I wonder if they have ever read my CV in full before forwarding it to the concerned person and throwing me into the mouth of the scary very demanding interrogating officer (in other words).

“Some of them where great like Arabs who did not graded me down with such dignity. While, some were cruel like Indians and my fellow countrymen from Pakistan. Who planned to tear my dignity a part. To show that I’m educated whereas look at yourself you are not. They will hire an HR who is an unknown TV presenter not having any graduation in the field of hiring and will not hire some one who could be more then an asset to them.

“I have lot of stories to tell you but will share a few bits from all.

“I was so passionate to finish my degree in Management Sciences but a few circumstances occurred which prevented me to complete it. One fine morning, when I was getting ready to go to my work as a Data Entry Operator, I saw my mother reciting her Qura’an. I was about to leave the house for the day when my mother summoned me up. She asked me to sit in front of her. I did. She asked me to do just one thing in life. “Finish your studies and all your sufferings will come to an end. And with you our sufferings will end too.” I said do we have that much money to start my studies again? She said, “yes, if once you started you will manage to sustain to get it any way. And your mother is still here I will help you out. These men (she was talking about my father) will never feed you if we mothers of you children won’t offer them a feast from our body every night. So literally we are their keeps and we mothers live with them for our children. It’s a dilemma,” she said that, “still you children belong to your father’s clan. We, as wet and fertilised soils, won’t disguise and complain as long as these men tear and sow in us to get the fruit for life. No one can take from you what you learn from the classroom child. People would want to take your dignity away throw you astray of the road. Still – they can never take your heart away and the wisdom residing in it.”

"I went into silence while she keeps on talking and clearing her tears out.

“So, do me a favour child, complete your past studies. She literally clasped her hands together and begged me. 'You will fall but ultimately I know you, you will rise.'”

"I said nothing in return but I got the dead spirits alive. I wished I could cry with her but this hard-head of mine never allowed me to do so.

"When I was still at work one of a sibling called me up and said come home soon today. I got the gesture that my mother might have got ill again. I went home spent whole day looking after mum at end I found her dead the same day she asked me to do her a favour. My mother gave life to my spirits by offering them her own in exchange.

"After her death, I lost my job in a very uncertain way one could ever expect.

"I left home. Got married. Had five children. Lost a few. Won a photographic contest. Won 150,000 USD. Gave 50,000 AED of which into the debts of my against the credit cards I use to use so proudly and profoundly without knowing the consequences. After all, I had a lot of children to look after as well. Utilised rest of the money to open my huge fashion house in UAE and across a few international countries latter on - that is a different and new story with a book to write on. And still I did not give my dead mother a favour to finish my studies until today. Today I am here just to honour her wish.

“You are lucky to get a hold on your graduation degree - its ink may not fade but the paper will lost its crispness upon getting aged but the feel of it will fill the lines in your hands those are known as lines of fate. There are still great many deal of people of your age out there who are suffering. I sheltered some and you have to privilege the others now. When u will go out; you will find and I am sure many have already found a job to join in soon.  No one will ever ask you to perform a step on excel sheet or to show something in power point and making the disguised faces at you. Yes, I went through all this…" (A complete silence went on in the air).

"Silence was and is a great thing a great asset I had in that situation. Am glad after the sort of tearing of my dignity I went into a complete silence, which all mighty is very fond of. When you are sunk in silence and has no other way out, it tears the seas a apart it tears hearts and yes it is a help call to my All Mighty.

"I was devastated though. Found myself pretty deserted of the richness of my accomplishment that pulled me up here on this podium today in front of you. I will definitely get this piece of paper framed as it gave an honour after I almost spent half my life thinking of it - what a precious.

"I had not enough money to study. No one was ready to give me a good job. I was not ready to sell myself. Oh good Lord I was lost. Went into a great trauma of silence again that tear the high skies away give me a way to survive. Showed me a way to walk and get ultimate success.

"At last, I got a job as an Assistant through one of a few good connections I managed to carry in my credits. Not only this, I found a part time job in a Humanitarian Centre across the street near a huge ladies park to count on. I was in between switching my appearance in each job. I use to wear a full length Abaya in Humanitarian Centre and take it off soon as I step out of the premises, in my car, revealing a sexy knee length skirt or frock at the other job - as per the job's requirements. I was now earning ten sometimes fifteen thousand AED a month. Life looks pretty successful and colourful with money, init? But, that was not the success in my reference-book-to-life. The meaning of it was something else to me - since the lexicon belong to me so does meanings to its vocabulary. Money is not a success all the time. But according to situation, I was in need of money - again in need of that colourful printed piece of paper - with which, i was able to buy things and pretty looking accessories in order to survive in the valley of livings. So financial wise it was all good BUT SOUL WISE? It wasn’t that satisfying." Said the last phrase as kindly as possible.

"The hunger of my naked soul was still there the leash of which I was not able to cover. It made me wander around so disarmingly and for sure – need is the mother of all the inventions. Naively was I in need of need.

"Somehow, to survive in as a living being one needs money. But I was in need of that glory that follows me a name that is celebrated.

"Fame takes you Far but Money takes you Further - and - hunger takes you higher. Hunger of stomach originates crime whereas hunger of soul originates Janet Kahlifa.

"I would like to tell you one very important thing here. Don’t throw yourself in a state of mind where it gives you pride of being educated. Always rely on what you can do with your attitude of working hard in your field.

"Rely on your instincts believe in your dreams since dream hands you a way out to ultimate success. Dream, now is not associated with fairy tales or girlish thing anymore, so go on have them give them room in your manly minds. Dream is way that sums up your whole life. With or without a piece of paper. Got a dream? wake up; stand on your feet feel that pressure in your knees - dream needs to be worked out on - so stand and work on it!

"All the best wishes for your new venture. For, this is the time when you have born to the world and not only to your maternity mother. This is the time, when world will teach you what your mother has not instilled in you. Let me hope many of you have already come out of that comfort zone and started looking at the world professionally.

“The world is your new parent. It is Arrogant it is Expensive it is your Goal. Accept it professionally. But do not forget to present your facts to this newly adopted parent of yours. Parents don’t like facts of their children but it is “the way” a child presents his/her thoughts. They will pursue you to believe in their old beliefs if you think it’s not worth it offer your new facts and figures to them. Remember "the way" when you present it.”

“May the best child wins!”

After the speaking she profoundly found that she had a right to be astonished and was unable to hear the cheers and claps for that have hurled. How dazzlingly she beheld herself when walked down the podium gracefully in that envying green silk gown with a deep laced back, which was nearly polishing and gliding out of the crease of the graduation cloak . The warmth on every face that came in her sight gave a sexiest pleasure and has satisfied her well while sinking into this whole ambiance around her gradually.

Walking down to the refreshment table with her assistant, Janet was greeted surprisingly by a promising young man of UAE decent.

"First of all, I wana have this opportunity to welcome you here. your commencement speech was emotional yet, ummm, useful to those expats who look for a comparatively high salaries."

Janet kept on listening to what the young local guy has in his white coloured pocket to sail upon her face. she was experienced and a professional after all. and long have left behind getting hyper and showing of the anger without a second thought. in fact, the one who was getting hyper by expressions was her assistant, of course she was a young blood and have just entered into the industry of professionals. she stepped forward while looking at the kind and smiling face of Janet when Janet gave her an expression of not to let the words out of her lips - not yet. while the young graduate continued.

"Ms. Janet, do you have something specific to say to me. I mean, I am new I am so young and already got lot of offers in hand, Hamdellah."

"Alhumdulillah (thanks to Allah)." Said Janet in return.

"we get these offers when we entered the University level, so..." flaunting of his critical smile towards both the ladies.

"I dont suggest anyone for anything." Said Janet with a confided voices that gave confidence to her assistant at once as Janet was about to rove her back to the bank from this arrogant piece of mind - that was a reliefe to the assistand while her boss continued.

"Whereas, my opinion to you is: when you enter in this world from that cozy house of yours, you need not be critical but need to get criticised by others. You will be a professional that day. Good Day gentle man. Now will you please excuse The Ladies. Thank you" smiled and passed off the way of sand storm with health and no harm.

I am still sure he did not understand what he was told. His expressions his body language showed whether he was given an opinion or was critised. I only heard him saying, "Oh! i am a professional from today than, since; i was just critised by a Fashion Tycoon."