Three years after the onset of my chronic illness, I realized it was up to me to manage my condition. And what better way to take control than through the practice of chaos magick? In no time at all, I began sleeping better, which helped with the brain fog and whatnot; but, my heart rate still hovered around 160 bpm, and the loneliness remained unabated.
So, I created a sigil tied to the intention, “I am healthy and at peace.”
Who would have imagined I’d wake up this morning at the farmers’ market, sitting contentedly within the kohlrabi bin? I’ll admit, I am a fine specimen, fit as a fiddlestick; and, there’s little to fret over as a card-carrying member of the cabbage family.
A beneficent figure approaches, blocking the glare of the sun. Her bracelets jangle as she rifles through the bin. I then feel a gentle pressure upon me.
Well, how do you do? I think to myself as I’m lifted and carefully placed into a well-used reusable tote.
At last, rather than rotting in my bed, I get to live out the rest of my days with this lovely hippy-dippy lady who reeks of patchouli. Sure, she’ll cut me into slices and slather me in Bitchin’ Sauce; but, after years of frustration, I’ll have, at last, fulfilled my destiny—bringing joy to someone capable of seeing me as I am.
Stephen House has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright, and actor. He’s had 20 plays produced with many published by Australian Plays Transform. He’s received several international literature residencies from The Australia Council for the Arts, and an Asialink India literature residency. He’s had two chapbooks published by ICOE Press Australia: ‘real and unreal’ poetry and ‘The Ajoona Guest House’ monologue. His next book drops soon. He performs his acclaimed monologues widely. Stephen had a play run in Spain for 4 years.
It brings destruction to the lives, civilization, humanity, economics
And what not?
As the rose is burnt in the heat wave
The lives like the roses burned, make us stumbled
On the way the stars fall down
You see, I see, we all see
breaking down our hearts the mangrove forest is firing.
The sound of cry reaches the sky
From above the sky the creator laughs at the play
We everyday are playing with ourselves
With the country people or with the people of the world
Killing mankind without any hesitation awaits a great punishment.
How sweet the scented the roses blowing in the morning breeze!
Would you please meet the dead faces to make the safe journey to heaven?
O the sweet scented flowers in the bushes you refresh us
to the sunny bright beginning of the day.
Please be the companion to our loving brothers, sisters, daughters and sons
Passing away from us.
Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh
03 July, 2025
Md. Mahbubul Alam is from Bangladesh. His writer name is Mahbub John in Bangladesh. He is a Senior Teacher (English) of Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. Chapainawabganj is a district town of Bangladesh. He is an MA in English Literature from Rajshahi College under National University. He has published three books of poems in Bangla. He writes mainly poems but other branches of literature such as prose, article, essay etc. also have been published in national and local newspapers, magazines, little magazines. He has achieved three times the Best Teacher Certificate and Crest in National Education Week in the District Wise Competition in Chapainawabganj District. He has gained many literary awards from home and abroad. His English writings have been published in Synchronized Chaos for seven years.
The Paradox of Expectation: When Letting Go Brings the Best Results
We are all dreamers, aren’t we? We set goals, envision our future, make plans, and wait. We wait for love, for success, for recognition. We wait for things to fall into place. But what if I told you that waiting too much—or expecting too little—can both lead to unexpected, life-altering outcomes? What if the very act of letting go is the secret to finding exactly what we’ve been searching for?
This article is not based on abstract theories or philosophical ideas written in books. It’s personal. These are thoughts born from my own life experiences—moments of deep disappointment, surprising joy, and the realization that expectation can be both a guiding light and a heavy burden.
Two Extremes of Expectation
Over the years, I’ve found myself swinging between two emotional extremes when it comes to expectation.
First, there are times I wait and wait. I put all my heart into something—a project, a person, a dream. I imagine it fully. I dress it in hope, decorate it with possibilities, and rehearse the joy I will feel when it finally comes true. But life often walks in wearing a different face. The results don’t match my script. It feels like I’ve been holding a beautifully wrapped box, only to open it and find it empty. Disappointment whispers, “This isn’t what you hoped for.”
Second, after experiencing repeated heartbreak or failures, I reach a point where I expect nothing. I say things like, “Let it all fall apart. I don’t care anymore.” I adopt an attitude of emotional self-defense, a wall to protect myself from being hurt again. And then, quite unexpectedly, life knocks on my door with a smile. It offers me something better than what I had hoped for. I whisper a quiet “Alhamdulillah” in awe. It’s as if the moment I stop chasing, life starts giving.
The Burden of Waiting
There is a danger in waiting too long. Waiting can slowly become a form of passive suffering. We wait for things to happen, but forget to move. We hold on so tightly to our expectations that we paralyze ourselves. We stop taking risks. We stop exploring new paths. We stop living in the moment.
I’ve seen people—myself included—who waited for someone to recognize their efforts, for a “perfect” opportunity to arrive, or for happiness to knock on the door. But while we wait, life keeps moving. Time keeps ticking. The world keeps spinning. And often, the doors we were staring at remain closed, while other doors pass by unnoticed.
It’s important to remember that hope is not the same as waiting, and faith is not the same as clinging. Hope says, “I believe something good can happen,” but waiting sometimes says, “I won’t move until it happens.”
The Overachievement Trap
On the other side of the coin, some people pour their entire energy into achieving their dreams. They work tirelessly, sacrifice rest, push through failure after failure. They don’t wait—they run. And yet, even after all this, they sometimes find that the outcome still doesn’t satisfy them. Why?
Because even though the effort was there, their hearts were deeply attached to a very specific result. And when the result didn’t match their inner picture, they felt like they failed. They were so focused on the destination that they forgot to enjoy the journey.
This has happened to me more than once. I worked hard, did everything “right,” and still felt unfulfilled. But then—when I least expected it—something completely different arrived. Something I never even asked for. A surprise. A blessing in disguise. A “BOOM” moment that made me say, “This is what I needed all along.”
Letting Go Is Not Giving Up
Many people mistake letting go for giving up. They think if they stop expecting, they’re admitting defeat. But that’s not true. Letting go is not the same as losing hope. It’s about trusting that the universe, or God, or life itself, knows better than we do.
Letting go means this:
You still work hard.
You still love deeply.
You still dream boldly.
But you release the idea that things must happen in a certain way or at a certain time. You stop trying to control the outcome. You stop tying your self-worth to the result.
In fact, letting go is an act of courage. It says, “I am doing my part, and I trust the rest to unfold as it should.”
Why the Best Things Happen When We Least Expect Them
Psychologists call this the “expectancy paradox.” When we expect something too much, we put pressure on it. We become emotionally dependent on its success. This anxiety can actually block the flow of creativity, joy, and spontaneous opportunity.
But when we are relaxed, open, and detached from the result, we are more likely to notice the quiet, unexpected doors opening. We are more receptive to surprise. We become magnetically attractive to good things—not because we chase them, but because we are not chained to them.
Think about it: How many times have people found love when they stopped looking? Or discovered a new path when they gave up on an old dream?
That’s because sometimes, the best gifts come when your hands are not clenched in desperation—but open in surrender.
Action Without Attachment
So what do we do? Should we stop dreaming? Should we stop making plans?
Absolutely not.
Dream. Plan. Act. Push forward.
But don’t attach your peace to the result. Don’t say, “I’ll only be happy if this happens.” Instead, say, “I’ll do my best, and whatever happens, I will grow from it.”
That shift in mindset changes everything.
You can still apply to that scholarship, write that book, pursue that relationship, or fight for your goals—with full heart. But know that life may have better plans. It may reroute you. And when it does, don’t resist. Follow it. You might just find something far greater than you imagined.
A Real-Life Example
Let me share a real example.
There was a competition I deeply wanted to win. I prepared, practiced, visualized the victory. I imagined the applause, the recognition, the pride I’d feel. I gave everything.
The day arrived. I didn’t win.
I felt crushed. Not because I wasn’t proud of my work, but because I had expected the outcome so vividly that I couldn’t separate my effort from the result.
But weeks later, something strange happened. A different opportunity—completely unrelated—came into my life. It turned out to be a doorway to a bigger stage, better connections, and deeper fulfillment. It was a bigger blessing than the one I had hoped for. I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t lost the first one.
That’s when I learned: sometimes, your loss is a diversion, not a defeat.
Final Thoughts: Let Results Find You
The truth is: life is full of surprises, some painful and some breathtakingly beautiful. We are not meant to control everything. We are meant to participate, contribute, love, grow—and then trust.
Don’t stop dreaming. Don’t stop trying. But release the pressure to know how everything will unfold.
Let go of the timelines.
Let go of the fixed outcomes.
Let go of the fear that if it doesn’t happen your way, it won’t happen at all.
Sometimes, the very thing you’re chasing is just waiting for you to stop running—so it can find you where you are.
So here’s my final advice, drawn from experience:
Do your part. Work hard, give your best.
Stay open. Be flexible to life’s surprises.
Detach from the outcome. Trust that what’s meant for you will come.
Celebrate every step. Even the failures lead somewhere.
Let life surprise you.
Because when you stop waiting so desperately, life may just show up at your door with a gift you never expected—but always needed.
Surayyo Nosirova Elyor qizi was born on May 13, 2006, in the Narpay district of the Samarkand region, Uzbekistan. From an early age, she showed a deep interest in literature, languages, and creative expression. Her passion for learning and writing became evident during her school years, where she actively participated in various academic, literary, and cultural activities.
Currently, Surayyo is a first-year student at the Uzbekistan State University World Languages university, specializing in English Philology and Teaching. She is known for her strong academic performance and her dedication to mastering the English language. Her commitment to education extends beyond the classroom—she is the author of three published books: Heartfelt Thoughts, Voices in Writing, and Beyond Words: Mastering English. Each of these works reflects her insights into language learning, writing skills, and the emotional depth of student life.
Dr. Debabrata Maji’s journey is one woven with the artistry of words, the precision of engineering, and the resounding echoes of literary passion. Born on September 6, 1961, in the serene Deulpur Village of Howrah District, West Bengal, India, his life’s path meandered through the structured world of engineering before blossoming into an awe-inspiring legacy in the poetic realm. With the gentle guidance of his parents, the late Harendra Nath Maji and late Nirmala Maji, Dr. Maji grew up immersed in the rhythms of nature and the unspoken poetry of life.
Despite pursuing a career in engineering, the written word never loosened its grip on his soul. It was as if poetry was inscribed into his very being, waiting patiently for the right moment to erupt into brilliance. And erupt, it did. What followed was an unstoppable rise through the ranks of the World Poetic Fraternity, marking Dr. Maji as a luminary in contemporary literature. His works—potent, evocative, and timeless—captured hearts across borders, earning him a place among the greatest voices of his era.
His literary prowess, distinguished by a profound sensitivity and refined craftsmanship, has been recognized far and wide. The world acknowledged his contributions by bestowing upon him twelve Honorary Doctorates, a testament to the depth and impact of his work. Recognition followed in waves, with nine prestigious Annual Literary Awards adorning his illustrious career—one of the most remarkable being the Silver Saraswati Statue, a symbol of divine wisdom and artistic excellence.
The weight of his influence is evident in the vast array of publications that carry his name. His unique poetic creations have graced numerous magazines, newspapers, and contemporary anthologies, reaching readers across India and beyond. His artistry, rooted in heartfelt emotions and intricate expressions, carved a distinct space within global literary landscapes.
Dr. Maji’s written legacy is solidified through six remarkable poetry collections, each bearing the coveted ISBN. His books—*Kavita Bichitra*, *Kavita Darpan*, *Probad Angina*, *Premer Boikunth*, *Sonnet Bhaskar*, *Harano Bamsari*, *Smarane Manane” and *Dreamscape* — are more than literary works; they are extensions of his soul. They have found their way into the hands of eager readers, offering solace, beauty, and wisdom through poetic verses that transcend time.
The accolades are endless, honoring his artistic contributions with the most distinguished awards: *Bharat Gaurav Ishan Award*, *International Solidarity Award*, *Kabi Ratna Award*, *Sarat Sahitya Ratna Award*, *Bengal Shiksha Gaurav*, *International Kabi Ratna Award*, and many more, including the *Royal of Art and Literature Award*, *Bishwa Bongo Sahitya Award*, *Golden Pen Award*, *Golden Star Award*, *William Shakespeare Award*, *Poet of Nature Award*, and the revered *Gold Poetry Prize Winner*. These titles bear witness to his unwavering commitment to poetry and the sheer brilliance of his literary craft.
A life dedicated to poetic excellence naturally garnered admiration and respect, culminating in six prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. These recognitions not only celebrate his mastery but also solidify his place in the pantheon of poetic greatness. His presence as a guest in numerous literary organizations further reinforces the esteem he commands within intellectual and artistic circles.
Through every verse, every accolade, and every page that carries his name, Dr. Debabrata Maji’s journey remains an extraordinary testament to the boundless power of words. His story is not merely about accolades or achievements—it is about a man who dared to transform life’s melodies into poetry, leaving behind an enduring legacy that will inspire generations to come.
J.J. Campbell (1976 – ?) is trapped in suburbia, looking for some lost soul to complete his misery. He’s been widely published over the years, most recently at Misfit Magazine, Disturb the Universe Magazine, The Beatnik Cowboy, Mad Swirl and Yellow Mama. Rumor has it he may have a new book coming out sometime before he dies. You can find him most days legally betting on sports and taking care of his disabled mother. He still has a blog, though he rarely has the time to post on it. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)
