A Pursuit of Happiness
Memories, Dreams, and Mortality
by
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Chapter 1:“Sonia, a second plane has crashed into the WTC,” Kathy said in an alarmed voice. “The entire plane including the cockpit is inside the building. The South Tower is in flames. Did you hear from Nash?”
“No, but he will be fine,” Sonia replied. “Nobody could have survived the impact.” Kathy was emphatic.
I was at peace with myself and lucky to have escaped unhurt… We would be safe once the boat left Manhattan. I had complete trust in God. Perhaps it was the morning prayers that helped. I reminded myself to offer Nafal (thanks) prayer upon reaching home.
The thirteen who perished that day could not tell their stories. Their spouses waited desperately for days to hear from them hoping they had survived. There was Vassillos Haramis- His wife kept on calling for news about him, but there was none.
Chapter 5: “When we returned to the car, the car had been broken into. My wallet and briefcase containing my passport, traveler’s checks, plane ticket, and more were gone. The only relief was that my companions had some cash in their baggage in the trunk.”
Before long, all the issues were resolved. The car’s import papers, issued while entering Italy from Switzerland, were not stolen… the car could be exported to Pakistan. I felt grateful. Somebody above was watching over me…… I left Italy with good memories. I learned some important lessons about traveling and the unexpected disruption.
Chapter 6 : “By March 15, 1971, the people of East Pakistan were in a defiant mood….The Mukti Bahini came to the Agrabad Hotel (Chittagong) looking for the Baqais. Avery was able to hide the Baqais in a hotel walk-in closet for several days…. Mahjabin was expecting a baby in June that year…She recited the Qur’an often, and God listened to her prayers.”
Chapter 8: A reporter began interviewing our family. It was a hot story for the late-night news in Albany that carried the headline “Out of Town People Stranded in Albany…
A TV reporter asked Behram, “Where did you come from?”
“I came all the way from Pakistan,” he replied in an excited voice.
It was obvious that a higher authority was listening……. Miracles do happen.
I spoke of my parents’ wedding in Amritsar, India… the bridegroom party had traveled from Batala to Amritsar, seventeen miles, on a train that took nearly a day…
When we visited Cape Town, Adam was barely three. He spiritedly climbed the last fifty steps to the top of the 4,000-foot-high mountain and said, “I did it! I did it!”
Chapter 9: Abba ji had had a dream…. He was visibly elated. “I saw Deputy Sahib last night.” He was referring to his maternal uncle, who died nearly a quarter of a century earlier. “He came to get me.” He gestured with both hands…
I was operated nearly thirty-two hours after the initial heart attack. The surgery was long and traumatic…. I dreamed that I was flying solo over the deserts of Saudi Arabia trying to reach Mecca for pilgrimage, a sacred religious journey for Muslims.
I asked her, “Would you accompany me for Hajj”? She answered in the affirmative….The heart surgery was an essential detour for the fulfillment of my pilgrimage dream.
“On the tenth day, we met with the doctors’ team in Karachi. Behram was in coma. His heart and kidneys were failing… On the twelfth day, Shaheen came from Rawalpindi and called out, “Behram! main agaye hain, open your eyes!” Behram woke up, as if he was waiting to hear his sister’s voice…”Chapter 1:“Sonia, a second plane has crashed into the WTC,” Kathy said in an alarmed voice. “The entire plane including the cockpit is inside the building. The South Tower is in flames. Did you hear from Nash?”
“No, but he will be fine,” Sonia replied. “Nobody could have survived the impact.” Kathy was emphatic.
I was at peace with myself and lucky to have escaped unhurt… We would be safe once the boat left Manhattan. I had complete trust in God. Perhaps it was the morning prayers that helped. I reminded myself to offer Nafal (thanks) prayer upon reaching home.
The thirteen who perished that day could not tell their stories. Their spouses waited desperately for days to hear from them hoping they had survived. There was Vassillos Haramis- His wife kept on calling for news about him, but there was none.
Chapter 5: “When we returned to the car, the car had been broken into. My wallet and briefcase containing my passport, traveler’s checks, plane ticket, and more were gone. The only relief was that my companions had some cash in their baggage in the trunk.”
Before long, all the issues were resolved. The car’s import papers, issued while entering Italy from Switzerland, were not stolen… the car could be exported to Pakistan. I felt grateful. Somebody above was watching over me…… I left Italy with good memories. I learned some important lessons about traveling and the unexpected disruption.
Chapter 6 : “By March 15, 1971, the people of East Pakistan were in a defiant mood….The Mukti Bahini came to the Agrabad Hotel (Chittagong) looking for the Baqais. Avery was able to hide the Baqais in a hotel walk-in closet for several days…. Mahjabin was expecting a baby in June that year…She recited the Qur’an often, and God listened to her prayers.”
Chapter 8: A reporter began interviewing our family. It was a hot story for the late-night news in Albany that carried the headline “Out of Town People Stranded in Albany…
A TV reporter asked Behram, “Where did you come from?”
“I came all the way from Pakistan,” he replied in an excited voice.
It was obvious that a higher authority was listening……. Miracles do happen.
I spoke of my parents’ wedding in Amritsar, India… the bridegroom party had traveled from Batala to Amritsar, seventeen miles, on a train that took nearly a day…
When we visited Cape Town, Adam was barely three. He spiritedly climbed the last fifty steps to the top of the 4,000-foot-high mountain and said, “I did it! I did it!”
Chapter 9: Abba ji had had a dream…. He was visibly elated. “I saw Deputy Sahib last night.” He was referring to his maternal uncle, who died nearly a quarter of a century earlier. “He came to get me.” He gestured with both hands…
I was operated nearly thirty-two hours after the initial heart attack. The surgery was long and traumatic…. I dreamed that I was flying solo over the deserts of Saudi Arabia trying to reach Mecca for pilgrimage, a sacred religious journey for Muslims.
I asked her, “Would you accompany me for Hajj”? She answered in the affirmative….The heart surgery was an essential detour for the fulfillment of my pilgrimage dream.
“On the tenth day, we met with the doctors’ team in Karachi. Behram was in coma. His heart and kidneys were failing… On the twelfth day, Shaheen came from Rawalpindi and called out, “Behram! main agaye hain, open your eyes!” Behram woke up, as if he was waiting to hear his sister’s voice…”
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About the Book
Nausherwan Hasan, a professional engineer who grew up in Pakistan before immigrating to the United States of America, recalls his journey from the East to the West.
From an early age, he learned how to deal with challenges when his family was forced to migrate to Pakistan following the partition of India in 1947—a history he revisits in this autobiography. His father had to adjust to a new reality but met it head on with hard work and faith.
Hasan shares how he made his way to America and joined Ebasco, which was formed by General Electric in 1905. There, he had the opportunity to work on a range of nuclear power plants, hydro facilities and infrastructure projects. The author, who was nicknamed Nash, worked there his entire career- lasting over 44 years..
Hasan also reflects on surviving two bombings on the World Trade Center, his love affair with New York City, while sharing stories of his work and hid family and the many lessons he learned about pursuing happiness
About the Author
Nausherwan Hasan was raised in Karachi, Pakistan, where he completed his education and an engineering degree, followed by graduate studies at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He immigrated to the United States of America in 1973 and spent his entire career with Ebasco, a design engineering and construction legacy firm of AECOM. He retired in 2017 after working on a variety of projects nationwide. He is also the author of Durability and Sustainability of Concrete, which provides engineers with a step-by-step approach for making durable concrete exposed to aggressive environments.