I have deep love and gratitude for everyone who helped me, whether in small ways or big. Those who supported me did so without expectation and without asking for anything in return. Many of those great souls have passed away. I always wanted to praise them—loudly, both in their presence and in their absence.

These stories are so profound that I have narrated them to my family and friends many times. Each time I shared them, I saw amazement in their eyes, and I myself was reminded of God’s mercy upon me. Those moments renewed my faith again and again. Over time, it became a calling inside me to write these experiences down so that more people could read them and, hopefully, feel inspired.

The decision to write the book was made several years ago. My son Nabeel also encouraged me to write. But it was easier said than done. I had a business to run, and I served as a director of outreach, traveling often for shows. Time was the one thing I did not have.

Several months ago, I finally sat down and noted some high-level points—dividing my life into four sections: Kerala, Delhi, Jeddah, and the USA. Once I created these sections, I began adding bullet points under each. This process took months. Even as the bullet list grew, I still couldn’t find the time to sit and write the actual chapters.

Then two things happened that pushed me to finally begin.

First, I realized that as long as I continued long-distance driving for wholesale trade shows, I would never be able to write. Those cross-country trips consumed a huge portion of my life—not just the driving, but packing, loading, setting up, winding down, unloading, and everything in between. I knew that if I continued down that path, I would never get to anything on my to-do list. With that realization, I decided to cut down on the shows this year. Eventually, I want to stop wholesale shows entirely.

Second, one of my customers, Julie Soper—a prolific writer—once heard me mention that I wanted to write a book. From that day on, she asked me about it every time she visited my warehouse. After a few reminders, I finally felt the push I needed.

Once I started writing the first chapter, I announced on my social media accounts that I was writing a book. I did this deliberately to make myself accountable. That public commitment helped me stay on track.

Another thing that kept me motivated was sharing each chapter with four of my relatives in India. At first, it was simply to make sure the events I was writing were accurate, since some of them were part of the extended family. They were amazed at the details and the style of writing. Their response encouraged me to continue.

Soon, they began asking for the next chapter if I delayed. That anticipation gave me even more motivation. Some chapters were written during my stay in Denver for the Gem Show, in the quiet evenings at my Airbnb after show hours.

Finally, all praises be to God—I was able to complete it.

The post The Journey Behind Kerala to Carolina first appeared on Haroon Sait — Inspiring Lives Through Words, Wisdom, and Travel .

Once the book was completed, I created the Amazon Kindle book listing on Amazon. As part of pre-ordering the eBook, I offered the PDF version for those who pre-ordered the eBook. The eBook is being released on 01 November. As of today (21 Oct), I have received seven feedback from people who have read the book cover to cover. Some of the words in all those seven feedback texts were words like “captivating”, “Inspiring”, “Engaging”, etc..

With that said, I will be happy to explain how I did it. Perhaps there are things you can benefit from it. You may have a better approach than I.  Adopt what works for you.

The first and foremost tip in writing a memoir would be that the story has to be authentic. Never try to exaggerate or cut short. An authentic story emanating from one heart will resonate with other hearts.

I stated only good things about people. A lot of people helped me. I said good things about myself. I avoided any bad experiences with people. The book should last forever. I do not want to leave any negative comments about anyone for people to read for eternity. I do not see a benefit in that. Hence, I avoided any negative reactions from people.

One important thing I read and perhaps also listed from some of the YouTube videos is that, in writing your stories, do not just say this happened and that happened. Rather, show them what happened. Meaning, when you are explaining events, describe the surroundings, the air, the place, etc, in a way that the reader can “see” like in a movie. That will bring a lot of interest in reading your memoir.

I did not include a lot of things that could bring embarrassment to me. Some of those things had to do with my age and other weaknesses. If I were to write them in my memoir, then I might leave people with the impression that I have weaknesses, though those were the times of my childhood. I do not see any benefit to anyone in writing those things.

If you are planning to write a book, here is my advice.

• Sit down and identify the things that are consuming your time.
• Divide them between what cannot be avoided (like a job or a business) and what can be discarded.
• Set aside time to write. Some writers wake up at 4 in the morning to write. It might be different for you. Find what works for you.
• Do not look at the quality of writing. Do your best and move on. You can do the editing later.
• Share your writing with one or more of your close family members or friends and seek their feedback.
• Set a realistic target date to finish writing.
• Announce on social media or among your friends about what you are writing. This will help you stay on the job.

I wish you all the best in writing your book.

The post Writing a Memoir: Tips for Sharing Your Story Authentically first appeared on Haroon Sait — Inspiring Lives Through Words, Wisdom, and Travel .

Back in those good old days, there were no smartphones to distract anyone. I am talking about the 1970s. Everyone either enjoyed conversations or simply admired the beauty of the places we passed. I would stare out the window the entire time, soaking in every scene.

Later, during my high school years, I began traveling alone to nearby towns to visit relatives. Looking back, it was quite brave for a young boy to travel by himself, but I had no fear. Every time I was on a bus or train, I would freely speak with fellow passengers. These small interactions built my confidence and helped me learn how to communicate with strangers, which later made it easy for me to connect with people of different cultures.

After finishing school in Alappuzha, I joined an engineering college in Calicut (now Kozhikode). It was a diverse campus, with almost 50% of the students coming from outside Kerala. Though we all spoke Hindi, their mother tongues, accents, temperaments, and expressions were all different. Those four years were a wonderful experience. I had no difficulty connecting with anyone, partly because I spoke fluent Hindi—a rarity among Malayalees. I also had several Urdu-speaking relatives, and my interactions with them gave me proficiency in Urdu, which is similar to spoken Hindi.

Armed with those interpersonal skills, I moved to New Delhi for the next chapter of my life. The next eighteen months were intense. I dealt with people from every profession and background. No school or college could offer such an education in such a short time. Everything was new—place, people, weather, food, and lifestyle. Surviving the tough life in Delhi was not for the faint-hearted. Before I could fully settle into it, I received a visa for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah was a foreign world for me. Although it was a Muslim country, many cultural practices were new. Some people followed very strict interpretations of Islam, and adjusting to that after twenty-four years in India was a huge challenge. Being an oil-rich country, many locals were wealthy, and immigrants often faced unfavorable treatment. There were exceptions, and I consider myself fortunate that in my ten years there, I experienced only a few unpleasant incidents.

Because Saudi Arabia attracted workers from many nations, there was a silent, unspoken competition among different nationalities to assert dominance. The weather was hot, the food was good, and the temperament of people could be unpredictable. Women were not allowed to drive in those days and generally stayed indoors. The unspoken rule for immigrants was simple: work, earn, eat, sleep, send money to your homeland, and keep quiet. I lived by that routine until the day I returned to India with a U.S. visa stamped in my passport.

When I arrived in the USA, I immediately felt like an equal citizen—at least in the eyes of the law. From day one, people were polite and well-mannered. Only rarely did I encounter someone who gave that “what are you doing here?” look.

Life became more enjoyable without daily ID checks on the streets. Giant stores like Walmart and Target made everything easily accessible. It became possible to buy nice cars, own a home, and, most importantly, pursue citizenship and call this country home. Among the many things I appreciate, the greatest is the freedom of expression. After coming to America, I felt as though the rubber band tied around my wings had finally been removed, allowing me to soar.

Of course, there were challenges. Coming from India, where we learned English with a British accent, understanding American accents—and making sure I was understood—became an ongoing lesson. Finding halal food (meat prepared according to Islamic guidelines) is still a challenge many Muslims face in the U.S., and as immigrants, we constantly remind ourselves to be thoughtful in how we speak and interact, to avoid unintentionally offending anyone.

That is a summary of my journey from Alappuzha in Kerala to Carolina in the United States.

The post Immigrant Life Lessons: From Kerala to Carolina first appeared on Haroon Sait — Inspiring Lives Through Words, Wisdom, and Travel .