The Journey

My Typewriter and the Discipline It Taught Me

A Typewriter on My Desk

A few days ago, I placed an old manual typewriter on my office desk. I had bought it years ago in Lahore simply because I admired its craftsmanship. When I typed a single page on it, a flood of memories returned.
That simple machine did more than print letters. It shaped my discipline, sharpened my focus, and quietly changed the direction of my life.
This reflection carries a message for young people: success is built on effort. Complaints do not move us forward. Struggle does. And sincere effort is always rewarded by Allah Almighty.

This reflection carries a clear message for young people. Achievement is built on effort, not excuses. Complaints create stagnation; perseverance creates progress. Consistent struggle refines character, and sincere hard work never goes unnoticed. Faith and effort, when combined, open doors that once seemed distant.

The 1980s: A Daily Commitment
My journey with the typewriter began in the 1980s. After completing my matriculation in 1978, I decided to learn typing. My village, Meheen Mar in Kasur district, had no typing center. The nearest option was in Raiwind, nearly fifteen miles away.
Roads were unpaved. Public transport requires changing buses. I chose the bicycle.
For four months, I cycled fifteen miles each way, every day, to practice typing for one hour. The distance was long, but the commitment was longer.

The First Lesson: ASDF
I still remember my first typing drill: ASDF.
Our instructor fixed the speed and tested us at the end of each session. Gradually, we were evaluated on two metrics: speed and accuracy. How many words could we type in a fixed time, and how many errors did we make?
Those exercises were not merely mechanical training. They taught discipline, concentration, and measurable improvement.

Building My First Workstation
After some months, I gathered two or three friends and proposed that we rent a typewriter. They trusted me, and we managed to arrange one.
In our village, most homes had charpoys. Study tables were rare. A relative offered a small coffee table, but it was too low. We placed bricks under its legs to raise it.
That improvised setup became my first workstation.
It was simple, but it was mine.

The First Breakthrough
With consistent practice, my speed improved significantly. I appeared for a typing test at the Employment Exchange Office in Kasur. The required speed was 25 words per minute. I achieved 36 words per minute with strong accuracy.
When the results were announced, the word “Selected” appeared at the top of my paper.
Some people at home were surprised. Government jobs were often believed to depend on connections. But within days, the result was confirmed.
That moment strengthened my faith in discipline and persistence.
Merit works, when effort is genuine.

Expanding My Skill: Urdu Typing
Later, I learned Urdu typing during summer holidays when our school received an Urdu typewriter. My speed reached nearly 40 words per minute.
This skill proved valuable in official work. Typed documents were neat and professional. My handwriting was not strong, so typing became my strength. It helped me stand out.
Skills create visibility.

The Seniority Lists Challenge
At the District Education Office, a difficult task arose: long lists of teachers’ seniority had to be typed in Urdu.
The staff hesitated. The workload was heavy.
I volunteered.
The District Education Officer warned me that it was difficult and time-consuming. I asked for the deadline. Two months, he said. I responded that I could do it in one month, then fifteen days, then one week.
They were skeptical.
At that time, we typed on stencils and used cyclostyle machines to make copies. Photocopying was rare and expensive.
I worked continuously for three days and three nights.
When I submitted the completed work, the entire office was stunned. Even today, some colleagues recall that moment.
Deliver what you promise. That reputation stays.

The Night of the “Tik-Tik”
On another occasion, an urgent telex arrived from Lahore with a deadline for the next morning. After Isha prayers and dinner, I returned to the office and began typing.
By 4:00 a.m., I was still working. Mosquitoes filled the room. If I turned on the fan, papers would fly. If I did not, the heat was intense.
The District Education Officer lived nearby. Hearing the continuous tik tik of the typewriter before dawn, he came quietly to investigate. Later he joked that he thought perhaps a jinn was typing at night.
He found me still at work.
He appreciated the effort and later often mentioned it in meetings.
Consistency earns recognition without self promotion.

Lahore: Proving Myself Again
At a meeting in Lahore linked to the Primary Education Project, an assignment was given to a colleague who requested two days.
I said I could complete it in two hours.
They doubted me, especially since it was in Urdu. I was taken to the Project Director. I checked and adjusted the machine and completed the stencils quickly.
Afterward, they asked if I knew shorthand. If so, they said, I could occupy a steno typist position. I requested a test.
I passed.
On 27 June 2003, my orders were issued. Soon after, stenographers were upgraded to a higher pay scale. I had planned to apply for a lower clerical post, but by Allah’s will, the typewriter opened a better path.
Sometimes the skill you quietly build becomes your breakthrough.

A Message for Young People
I have kept that typewriter to this day as a reminder.
It reminds me that no effort is wasted. That distance traveled on a bicycle matters. Those three nights without sleep matter. That skill, when developed with sincerity, opens doors beyond expectation.
My message is simple:
Work with sincerity.
Build your skills patiently.
Strengthen your character consistently.
Inshallah, your effort will be rewarded.