Story from Begim Khadjieva

Young Central Asian girl in a tee shirt with a flower on it in black and white. She's in a park at night in front of a fence, flowers, grass and a hiking path.
Begim Khadjieva
HOSPITALITY

I came to school very early that day. I went to a teahouse to pass the time. When I looked, a plate of "gumma" was placed in front of me, and my neighbor Abdullah, who studied one grade above me, was sitting.
"If you're hungry, bon appetite," I said sarcastically.
Hey, Aziz, you came on time; who can I invite? He stood up and pointed to
the chair next to him. I hesitated.
"Don't hesitate; there will be more than both of us," he said with a smile.
For example, like those who are hungry,
 I am on duty at school today. I have to come early and leave after everyone
else. I wasn't hungry. But many are doing it. 
Let's sit and eat before it gets cold.
"Now I'm eating the food with appetite; two more classmates came to help 
me... After we were full, we thanked Abdullah and got up. Abdullah went to ring 
the entrance bell.
                 
We have a wonderful friend; he is very generous, - said Botir.
Even if I don't eat at home, I'm not afraid of going hungry. I trust Abdullah, - 
said Hojiakbar.
"A great boy, no problems, a real gentle and kind boy," my classmates said. 
I agreed with them and nodded my head.
But then I thought: Is Abdullah doing the right thing? After all, he is not making money yet. He sometimes takes money from his elderly grandmother, sometimes from his father. Abdullah has a big family. He is survived by three brothers. Therefore, if he spares the elders and does not ask for money in vain, his father's money will be saved. And the saved money will be spent on the kindergarten of his brothers to cover their lack of livelihood!
Isn't that so? What do you think, dear reader?

Essay from Qurbonova Gulsanam

Young Central Asian girl with black hair and a white shirt and black buttoned overalls.
Qurbonova Gulsanam
REASONS FOR MY SUCCESS

If a person achieves some kind of result in the world, his parents, teachers, and relatives will definitely support him.
The key to my success in life is my parents and teachers. They have always believed in me and are always by my side. They always support me when I achieve something.

  My father, being a school teacher, created a lot of conditions for us, his children, because they want us to become mature staff in the future.My father teaches physical education, so I have a special love for sports, especially table tennis, checkers, chess, volleyball, etc.I got into sports through them, that is, I took a step and achieved many results, I got 1st-2nd places at the district level, at the regional level.
My father always gives me motivation: they encourage me by saying that you can do it, you can play it.My father is happy with my every achievement. I always try to make my parents smile.I always want my parents to be proud of me.

My teachers are also the reason for my success in life.To this day, I have learned from many teachers.including my first teacher Pirmatova Shoira. She is the person who introduced me to letters. She made me interested in knowledge from my youth.
 Another teacher of mine is Saidov Javlon, a german language teacher. I see this person not only as my brother, but also as my real teacher. Through him, I gained a lot of knowledge and achieved results.For example, in the 9th and 10th grades of German language, I took the 2nd place in the district and region and received a monetary award. In addition, my school team and I won 75 million soums. The main reason why I won these awards is my teacher.I think that these achievements are a great achievement. Even now, I regularly practice german with my teacher.I try to live up to the trust of my parents and teachers.

   My future goals are that I will always help others in life, find my place, become a professional specialist, and strive to be the child my parents dreamed of.I realized in life that when a person wants something seriously, he will definitely achieve it, because such a desire was born in the spirit of the universe. Every person was created for this reason in life. If you set a goal, you must achieve it, so do not stop working.The whole world is with you, don't forget that. I would like to thank the people behind my success and give them a reason to be proud of having daughter and students like me.
QURBONOVA GULSANAM Ilhom daughter was born on April 16, 2006 in Dehkanabad district of Kashkadarya region. She is currently studying in the 10th grade of school 68 in Dehkanabad district. She has achieved many achievements to date: in education, sports and others.her articles are published in international journals.

QURBONOVA GULSANAM was born on April 16, 2006 in Dehkhanabad district of Kashkadarya region. She is currently a grade 10 student at school number 68 in Dehkhanabad district and is proud of the regional German language. She has also achieved many results in sports, table tennis, chess, checkers.

Story from Rukhsatbegim Hojieva

Young Central Asian woman with long straight brown hair behind her head, brown eyes, a beige collared shirt and pink jacket standing in front of a white paneled wall.
Rukhsatbegim Hojieva

The greatest virtue

Once upon a time, there was a nobleman who had three sons. One day he called them to his presence:

My sons, I want to test you. Travel for a month. Spend this one month of your life doing good deeds useful to the people.

He said, “If one of you has the greatest virtue with your good deeds, I will give him the very valuable ring on my finger.”

Central Asian image of boys in cloaks tied at the waist with sashes and trumpets and balls. There's a horse and a man in a green cloak, sash, and orange striped coat and headdress.

His sons scattered everywhere and went on a journey. After traveling for a month, they returned to their father. The father asked his eldest son:

My son, what is the greatest meritorious deed you have done this month?

Father, one day I was passing by a garden street alone, and a very valuable diamond fell somewhere. I took it and immediately handed it over to the relevant authorities. The head of the administration thanked me, wrote this certificate in my hand, found the owner of the diamond, and handed it over to him. What I did is a proof of my rightness, isn’t this action the greatest virtue?

answered the eldest son.

His father said:

You did the right thing, my son, you did your duty. But this diamond is not your personal property.

Then the middle son spoke:

One day, I was walking on the edge of a big ditch. At that moment, I saw that a young boy had fallen into the water and was in danger of dying. I immediately threw myself into the water and pulled the child out of the water with great force. I saved him from death and handed him over to his parents. His parents were very grateful to me and blessed me. Even though my life is in danger, I think I deserve your reward for what I have done to save a young child from death.

Father holding his son’s hand:

Good son. I congratulate you; you felt your heart filled with joy just because of this beautiful work, so that is not a reward in itself? – he said.

Then the youngest son bowed to his father and said:

Father, there is a person who always looks at me with hostility and does bad things. Although I have done him no harm, he follows me and even waits for an opportunity to kill me. Last night, I saw my enemy sleeping on the edge of a very low cliff. If he’s sleepily tossed to and fro or woken up by a loud noise, he may fall into a precipice trying to get up. I slowly went to him without making a sound. I held him very carefully and slowly started pulling him towards me. Having escaped the danger for a long time, I continued on my way with high spirits and joy.

His father, filled with tears from his son’s good work, hugged him and kissed him on the face. And he said to his youngest son:

Long live my son! You have the right to receive my reward, because the greatest virtue in the world is to do good for evil, – he prayed, putting the precious ring on his son’s finger.

Essay from Sevenchbonu Ozodova

Young Central Asian woman with long curly black hair and a black top and red jacket and brown belt standing outside on a brick sidewalk in front of a tree and lawn.
Sevenchbonu Ozodova
IF  YOU WANT TO BE POWERFUL , EDUCATE  YOURSELF !
One day , after  leaving   university  ,  my friend  and I took a taxi from the city to go home . At one point , the taxi  driver  asked us : 
“ who are you for society ? “ asked the question . 

And we : 
“We are a  student , we are  future teacher “ . we answered . Then taxi driver  looked at us and laughed : 
“What ?... you could not find it “ 

At the moment , I regretted spending  3 minutes of my  time thinking about  this person’s  question … Then the taxi driver looked at us : 
-	You are  a real  pest for the society , not only  for the society ,but also for your parents , no matter how much money you spend , pay the contract for your university and finish your studies , this one penny of your profit does not reach your family , because you feed  someone else …

But he doesn’t know  that I study  at the university with scholarship and  I thanked God for having a father behind me who would burn his soul for me to my study !
I wonder  if there are still people among us who think like that ? I can not belive it . In fact , I think that these people are the most harmful  people for our society today . Because that person thinks like that , and when he thinks  like that , he does not let his daughter study and poisons  many other  people around him . If everyone in our society thought like that , then our society would never produce educated , knowledgeable  , self-confident , conscious young people . 

A wise man : Make your children – sons and daughters – knowledgeable  and educated , if you have the opportunity to educate only one , make your daughter knowledgeable , because  I am a coward than a cowardly father , a wise and lonely father than an ignorant one . I saw that a righteous child was born to a fool father , but I did  not see a righteous child born to an immodest  mother , a wise one to an ignorant mother , and a righteous child to a thieving mother . If we want to  raise the nation , let’s educate women first !
  Nowadays  , many families and men are against women  going to study .  They  can not properly accept the opportunities  given to women and girls today . Because  they think it corrupts women and girls. 

   Recently , a women threw herself and her 3 children from 9th floor .  This is just a tragedy . This not a women’s , children’s or husband’s tragedy , but a nation’s tragedy . This is because  this nation burdened  a women with tasks that are  30 times more than her body  , they  decided that  if women works , she should give the money she earns to her  husband and others  , and if she  doesn’t work , she should sit at home without  spending  any money at all .  Also , they burdened  a women with the responsibility of having a child , a husband , parents-in-law , and a  sitter –in  for 7 clans .  
They came up with  the ancient  world  view  that only  the mother  should  be responsible  for the child , and father should be a pet man . 
This woman … this is not the first  … this is not the last …
Because with us  , a woman  is not a person  , because  she has been  prepared to be a bride  all her life  , she has not received education  , she has  not  received sarpo … she is not satisfied with the love of her parents   , she is only  satisfied  with advice , she is  satisfied with  unsolicited  advice…

As long as  the environment in society  does not change , such situations will continue  to repeat  themselves … 
Women who do not  receive  love and help  in raising  children  from their husbands  treat their children  as personal  property …
And if he wants to beat , if he wants  to kill …
And the society  builds  a city where they died  , builds tall buildings …
But it does not build  a proper  ,  practical system  to stop  this situation ! 
Let’s say even when women go to ask for a girl , they look  at  the girl from head to toe as if  they  were looking at an object . And in most cases , questions about  

“how many languages you know ? ‘ ,
 “what you are interested in  ?” , and 
“ which book you like ?”  are not asked .
 What is the question ? 
“They ask  if you know  how to cook?”  ,
 “Do you bake dough ?”
 “Are you a cooker?” …

In fact , you don’t  need a very  high IQ  for  these  things  , you can even learn  them by looking them up on the internet  these days .  The world  view of women  in society is this ignorance . 
         
         My goal is that every girl is willing , strong ,independent… 
   Let’s   study , girls : 
This is the only way  that will lead you to a better future and a beautiful life .

-	 In order not to depend on anyone tomorrow ;
-	To be self –sufficient ;
-	So that you can see what you want;
-	To give your child a good education and upbringing;
-	In order to have your own opinion and clear judgement   when  speaking ! 
-	And not to commit similar unconscious  actions . 


           There are so many  reasons that I can’t  finish writing ! 


     The education of girls is so  important in our society that to know this , it is enough to look  at the lives  of many women and girls around us . Women are  suffering , living under heavy pressure , dying , killing their child …


It    can  be  concluded  that    the  society  with educated  women and  girls  is the  strongest  and most  mature . The reason is that when a women studies , it affects not only  herself  but also her family  , children and relatives . 

Before the child is born what the mother  does in the womb , if she  learns , it will affect the child as well .  The way of life of families will change ,  there  will be fewer quarrels and misunderstandings in families where the woman is knowledgeable and intelligent .
 Today , we are living  in a time where the digital age is developing  , you can earn money sitting at home , you can be a useful person  in general . This is the time and it’s great , it should be used  properly . Every woman has a great tendency to grow , to be useful , to show herself . We just don’t recognize this tendency ourselves .
 

 Let’s say  you have a desire and talent for teaching   , you can take small videos  and post them   on the Internet  and show yourself . It is  interesting  because  so many people , kids , may not know what you know , and it is a win-win . You earn money  by teaching what you know , you show  your talent  , and  because of this , many people get new knowledge .

 And motivation for you : 
        Dear girls , if you try and fail , congratulations ! Most people do not even try .
        Dear girls ,  work hard so that one day you can write a big cheque  to your parents , so that they can go on a world tour 
        Dear girls , study hard that one day your school will invite you as  a chief guest.

        Dear girls , your career should your first priority . It is not selfishness. It is necessary .
        Dear girls , your father is working 12 hours  a day just to give a better life . So you have no rights to disappoint that person 
         Dear girls , when your parents are not  rich but still afford to give you a beautiful life . Appreciate their  sacrifices . 

   And  most importantly :  IF   YOU WANT  TO BE POWERFUL , EDUCATE YOURSELF  ! 

Poetry from Dilnurabonu Vaisova

Yellow and white daisies inside an envelope, white against a brown table.

Longing letter

I took a step towards you again,
Hopes for the eternal springs.
I have a longing letter in my hand
Endless heart-wrenching writings.

I took a step towards you again,
I had to send my letter a long time ago.
A grassy suspicion scratches my heart
Missing does not give peace for some reason?

I take one step towards you,
Endless thoughts fall like rain.
What about U? There are thousands of you who are silent
The hearts are filled with hope.

I took a step towards you again,
There are empty rooms in my heart.
This is a longing note full of pain and lamentation,
I know you have those pictures in your mind.

I take a step towards you every day...

✍ Dilnurabonu Vaisova
Student of Bukhara state university

Poetry from Qosimova Parizoda

Butterfly

The life of a butterfly is one day,
Isn't it hard for him?
Thinking of living one day after all,
Is not the biggest concern.

I thought once,
A butterfly has no heart.
Doesn't he cry?
It hurts even if he has a heart.

I have a question,
Don't come?
They are also each other,
I will hurt your hearts.


✍️ Qosimova Parizoda 

Synchronized Chaos Mid-October 2023: Small Islands of Coherence

Synchronized Chaos Magazine expresses sympathy for all the people affected by the recent violence in the Middle East and shares the hope for a peaceful and just resolution and for justice and equality for the region’s many groups of people.

In the spirit of what we do here, we are sharing author Michael Lukas’ recommendations of fiction and poetry from both Israelis and Palestinians that he and others believe will help people understand the issues and the cultures in the region.

Please feel welcome to suggest other titles.

We are also aware that Afghanistan has suffered an earthquake that has killed thousands of people. We invite people to help however they can and suggest the Afghan-founded and led organization RAWA which assists those of all genders and racial backgrounds in the country. They are seeking people to translate articles on their website and help in a variety of ways.

Finally, we stand with the people of Burma who are continuing to undergo war and repression. We encourage people to assist through groups such as Doctors Without Borders.

On another note, this month’s submissions, and the whole project of Synchronized Chaos, bring to mind the research of Ilya Prigogene, whose scientific work demonstrated that when complex systems are far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence can shift the entire system to a higher order.

This magazine is an effort to synthesize various ideas and projects and pieces into a “small idea of coherence” each month.

Aerial view of a lake with small islands full of trees.

Photo c/o Sheila Brown

Nigerian physician Ayokunle Adeleye urges people to rely on science and seek sensible and knowledgeable medical advice. Uzbek author Amirova Niginabonu recognizes the value of parents and teachers in imparting wisdom to younger people.

Adhamova Laylo Akmaljon speaks to the power of faith to heal through calming intense or troubled emotions. Adiba Pardaboyeva speaks to the comfort and calm she finds in her faith and her home and family. Nilufar Thoktaboyeva reminds us that while life’s emotions can be strong, they are transitory.

Anna Ferriero expresses her awe at the power of romantic love and large birds in her Italian and English poetry. Sayani Mukherjee reflects on a transformative love through a panoply of autumn and winter imagery.

Christopher Bernard reflects on another kind of transformative love, Aeschylus’ take on the ancient Greek myth of Io, a human woman who caught Zeus’ eye and was turned to a cow by his jealous wife. In this version, Io is not silenced and her voice continues throughout the ages.

Galapagos Islands. Rocky and sandy beach with red and orange shrubs in clumps and tall cacti.

Image c/o K Whiteford

Iftikhar Zaman Ononno explains the importance of trees to the natural environment and encourages tree planting and conservation. Muntasir Mamun Kiron joins in the song of nature’s beauty and diversity while Aklima Ankhi rejoices in the variety of colors present in each and every season. Mirta Liliana Ramirez recollects a time when she took comfort in poetry and the sea and the sky while in pain. Annie Johnson expresses her love for the totality of nature: summer days, moonlight, and morning. Channie Greenberg sends up hopeful photography of peaceful farm fields in the Middle East. Z.I. Mahmud explores the nuances of the creative and destructive imagery of the West Wind in Percy Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind.

Michelle Adegboro’s speaker comments on whiteness, blackness, and belonging in the world through childhood images of astronomy and eclipses.

Mehreen Ahmed describes the sights and smells of a city at night with elegant, layered language. Khojabekova Musharraf’s poetry, translated into English by Nilufar Ruxillayeva, extols the beauty and majesty of the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

Rafiul Islam shares a tale of best friends who seek adventure and find riches. Nahyean Bin Khalid presents a story of a boy who gets trapped in a haunted house. Fernando Sorrentino relates a tale of how a soccer game gone wrong causes a boy to question his character.

Soccer ball to the right of an image, on a field on a bright sunny day with trees in the distance.

Image c/o Petr Kratochvil

Tasirul Islam celebrates the peace and stability and strength of his homeland of Bangladesh. Faleeha Hassan takes pride in her heritage as a Black Ethiopian Iraqi woman and remembers her father’s love. Zebuzar Yusupova crafts a hymn to the independence, pride, and beauty of her native Uzbekistan. Begoyi Allabergenova Aytjan Egamberdievna’s work, translated into English by Nilufar Ruxillayeva, also honors the Uzbek nation, land, and history.

Nurujjaman’s story shows the danger of marrying without a realistic plan for adult life. Jim Meirose’s tale of a brickyard hod carrier presents a hard working man who never loses his imagination or capacity to dream.

Monira Mahbub extols the virtues of education. Oydinova Malika offers up advice for those in Uzbekistan teaching English as a foreign language, using her experience and research as a guide. Rano Dilshadovna offers advice directly to students on how to learn spoken and written English while Marjona Qurbonova discusses whether online language learning environments can be as effective as in-person courses and Ravshanbek Nasulloyev proposes strategies for learning to think in English.

Jerrice J. Baptiste, niece of our contributor Roodly Laurore, sends in photos and shares about a school in Haiti for low income children where her aunt volunteers. We are also aware that Haiti has experienced major violence and disruption in recent months and encourage people to support education as well as general relief there.

Mahbub Alam laments the human losses caused by warfare. Mykyta Ryzhykh expresses the utter dislocation and destruction caused by modern warfare in his prose and also echoes those themes in his poetry. Abdurrashid Abdulrahman (newbornpoet) mourns the violence and injustice in his native land, while Ajibade Abdurasheed sings out his hopes for justice for the poor and vulnerable. Olanrewaju Timothy Fatoye’s lyrics decry criminal violence against the vulnerable. Indian artist Mantri Pragada Markandeleyu harnesses Marilyn Monroe as a universal symbol to help him advocate for world peace in his graphic design. Giddi Vivian Hembafan speaks to redemption from the violence in the human heart through faith.

Two dogs, one black and another white, stand tall with collars with an out of focus green and yellow background suggesting a sunny day with trees.

Image c/o Karen Arnold

Don Bormon contributes a caring poem about his best friend. Leslie Lisbona speaks to the long-term, profound relationships she had with her family’s various dogs. Taylor Dibbert’s speaker mourns and remembers a very special dog. Catherine Arra illuminates adult and childhood grief through the story of a family dog’s dying in an accident.

Azemina Krehic speaks of a love beset with danger, longing, and loneliness. K.G. Munro evokes the joy of a first attraction between lovers who meet by a campfire, then turns to the dangers of vaping. Kristy Raines talks of a beautiful and unconditional love that might be too amazing to exist in waking life. Sergio Ortiz draws on both nature and mythology to explore his heart and speak to different relationships from his past.

Ahmad Al-Khatat celebrates a love that perseveres and helps him to navigate the memory of past trauma. Hannah Aipoh recollects how writing helped her survive mental illness and a traumatic family situation. Makhfiratkhon Abdurakhmonova relates the story of a breast cancer survivor who triumphs through resilience and patience.

Graciela Noemi Villaverde asks for clarity to understand the true nature of her situation. Elnura Mahammadiyeva urges people to clarify their dreams into specific goals and work towards them.

Zahro Shamsiyya finds her identity and self respect in her poetry and reflects on her life and possible afterlife. Jerry Langdon considers mortality through the metaphorical death of his journal and through another piece on vampires and nighttime. Roy Gu speaks to mortality, grief, beauty, and making the most of an imperfect life. Bruce McRae uses surreal whimsy and entertainment-industry metaphors to wonder about the stability and possible mortality of the universe itself.

Foggy city street at night with streetlamps and a building with lights on off in the distance.

Image c/o Petr Kratochvil

Shamsiya Khudoynazarova Turumnova quests for a departed loved one and for a gentler world through her poetry. Luis Cuauhtémoc Berriozábal returns to ancient roots and to nature as he seeks authentic poetic inspiration. Precious Moses hopes and dreams for a peaceful society in his Nigerian homeland.

Brian Barbeito contributes a lush meditation on nature, groundedness, love, and poetry. Steven Croft memorializes the former poet laureate of the state of Georgia, David Bottoms. Eva Petropolou shares wishes for her poetry to become powerful enough to bring about transformative change.

Duane Vorhees explores identity, autonomy, travel and groundedness, and mythic wonder in his poetry. Precious Olugbodi highlights the importance of grounding your life’s projects with a solid foundation.

Nigirabonu Amirova highlights the up and coming literary scene in her native Uzbekistan. Another Uzbek writer, Bakhora Baktiyorova, shares her dream of becoming a journalist. Meanwhile, Parivash Sobirova regales us with a tale of a young girl discovering the joy of reading and the wonder of a library.

Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa encourages readers to find joy where they can in a lovely but precarious world. J.J. Campbell writes of acceptance: of age, of change, of the presence of different parts of yourself.

Elmaya Jabbarova revels in the music all around her: sounds from nature and her Islamic services. Iqra Aslam finds elegance in precisely chosen language in a Zadie Smith novel. Noah Berlatsky finds a form of rhythmic art in the repetitive daily nature of life.

Pink, blue, and yellow splashes of color in three line drawings of saxophones on a black background. Splashes of paint on the instruments.

Image c/o Victoria Borodinova

Maja Milojkovic speaks to the persistence of sorrow and longing for loved ones. Mesfakus Salahin reminds us in his short story that money alone cannot solve all the world’s sorrows. Laylo Bakhtiyorova addresses the all-too-common human condition of feeling dissatisfied, but not knowing what will solve one’s problems.

Mark Young probes the limits of AI algorithms in understanding us and guessing our preferences and interests. Edward Lee’s poetry looks at different types of human and natural creation and speculates on where we can find beauty.

Patrick Sweeney’s one-line poems combine the mystical, the logical, and the physical for unexpected results. Isabel Gomes de Diego’s photography captures whimsical moments of contrast or interest. Daniel De Culla combines whimsy and humor with curiosity and nature with human crafts. Mantri Pragada Markandeleyu contributes the first installment of a comic play about a group of beggars.

Laura Stamps jokingly laments how the pandemic has turned many of us into homebodies and “slugs.” Stephen House speaks to the need to make the most of our short lives, as we never know when we will face suffering or disaster. Meg Freer’s stories involve change and reconstruction of people and things. Peter Cherches plays with time and identity in his humorous short stories where nothing is as it seems and multiple ideas are simultaneously true.