My book, ‘Invisible Ties’, is finally out in the book stores and is available as an e-book in Amazon. I just cannot describe the sheer joy of holding the special edition, a hard copy, in my hands. The letters bold, the pages distinct and paragraphs neatly marked on sheets of white crisp paper. I read, re-read passages of it and then tried to make sense of all these intangible feelings merged with the book- now lying on my writing desk.

It took me almost seven years to write ‘Invisible Ties’. I am also counting the time I spent studying for my Masters in Contemporary Psychotherapeutic Counselling in Singapore. While studying for my degree, I became interested in different psychological themes and one which deeply resonated with me was childhood attachment disorders. I did my thesis on defining what is a secure base? And how it is relevant to understand its meaning in different contexts and cultures. The ‘nature’ versus ‘nurture’ debate in understanding human behaviour was also useful in somewhat unravelling the abstract nature of the term ‘security’.

I think security is one of the most relevant issues in our world today. There is wide-spread violence, terror-attacks and incidences which mark most of the territories around the globe. We hear about it all the time in the social media.  Most of the airports around the world are on high alert and have stringent security checks for all the passengers. Travelling has become more cumbersome and exhausting to ensure safety in a world which has sadly become unsafe for everyone.

In the book, I have tied up the concepts of internal and external security and what relevance do they have for the female protagonist, Noor. Do they go hand in hand? Can you live in the safest country in the world and yet experience insecurity? These are some of the questions I have raised in Noor’s experience of her homeland Pakistan, and then her transition to becoming an immigrant in Singapore.

Many people around the world have become global citizens, and travel around the world. They reiterate that the world is their home. Is it a fallacy or is this the new reality? Despite the looming threat of security, these people fit in and flit out of places with least stress and great ease. How do we explain this paradox in our changing world? Do we have to commit to complete allegiance to one country to call it home? These questions need to be addressed but surely like their subjective nature there is no specific answer to all of them.

Let’s ponder on them, and debate further to develop further understanding in broadening our world-view and nurturing our inner selves. In the meantime, please grab a copy of ‘Invisible Ties’ and share all your views with me