As I take a walk down memory lane, I sometimes wish to escape the banality of today and go back to a time when everything was fresh, each experience worth remembering. But the more I grow up, the more I feel myself settling down into a rhythm, swinging to an fro, between my home and the office. The only solace for me is rejoicing in the experiences of my two toddlers and cherishing their expressions as they discover new things.
I guess that’s what people call the circle of life.
Sitting at a wedding, waiting for my family to join me, with nothing better to do, I reached this weird philosophical place where things don’t necessarily make sense, ergo the momentary insanity (for which I apologize in advance). I just couldn’t stop thinking about our maid, whose house burned down in a fire recently. Their family is really poor, with barely enough to make ends meet. What meager possessions they had perished in the unforgiving inferno. This got me thinking…
We live in a material world. We evaluate our successes and failures by what we do and don’t possess. We let our possessions define us. Everything, from our fancy cars to our high-tech phones, is a symbol of pride, a means of flaunting our superiority in front of those less fortunate (read ‘broke’). Everyone covets the finer things in life but when you really think this through, is this all what our life has been reduced to?
Intuitively, in this age of gadgets, my own life has been lost in pursuit of what I don’t possess. I would have wanted more in life, a meaning, a direction. (Un)knowingly, I will live and die for these perishable goods, these items that show promise of adding meaning to my life, yet the more I acquire, the emptier I feel. So are we making life simpler with the introduction of these ‘perceived’ necessities? Our never ending quest to be ahead of the rat race is getting us nowhere, forever running yet stuck in the same place.
If we look at our existence closely, we will notice that many of the evils surrounding us are because what we do or don’t have.
Greed: ”I want more.”
Jealously: ”I wish I had it instead of him; he doesn’t deserve it.”
Pride: ”I possess something and he doesn’t.”
In this day and age of obsessiveness, I find it hard to see someone who has less than I have and be thankful. Five minutes, ten if I’m in a funk, and I’m back to my usual obsessive/possessive self. Why can’t we be patient? Why aren’t we thankful of what we already have? Our peers aren’t helping us by flaunting the latest fashions in lawn (a type of clothing in Pakistan), the life-altering mind-bending smart phones, making us feel left out and insecure. The couture culture and this so-called ‘brand awareness’ is ruining us, turning us into zombies lurking for flesh.
My friends may think I’m a miser if I don’t but new things frequently but it is actually liberating. I know what wanting something badly feels like as I recently went through this phase when I bought my first Android tablet. What I got wasn’t enough and I just wanted better; there was really no end to this greed. What I’m about to say next may sound as cliche as a Kenny G. solo blaring from the nearby speaker at a wedding, but isn’t this what we all know deep inside? Isn’t this something we are afraid to admit in public for fear of being shunned by this so-called ‘civilized’ society?
What we should really focus on is to get our priorities straight and set goals that don’t necessarily revolve around getting something material at the end; we need to be deeper than that (not shallow). Find joy in helping someone out without first thinking how it would benefit you. It’s time we stopped looking at the world from someone else’s eyes and started thinking, really thinking, on our own. This is what life really is all about. Stop worrying about what you may or may not have tomorrow and focus on things that you usually take for granted.
Quit the rat race; it’ll help you sleep at night.
Moments have the power to redefine you, make you complete, change you for good. My one defining moment was when I first laid eyes on this girl, who is now my wife; I instinctively knew I’d never be the same person I was before I met her. My world revolves around her; she’s my rock, my soul-mate, my friend, my enemy, my everything, and I cannot imagine a life without her.
We celebrate our anniversary in October each year and every year, I do something special for her. The last year, however, was a different story as we were mainly focused on our new born son’s recovery. Nevertheless, I had something special planned since then and I just finished the whole thing. It comprises of a poem framed for her and a hand-crafted 3D paper model that ties in with the main theme of the poem. It may not be the most expensive gift but it certainly is original and straight from the heart. I can’t wait to see her reaction when I show it to her in the evening. Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.
In Flight
Sometimes when life gets you down and you think you’ve hit rock bottom, remember that you’ll fly again, as there’s no way but up from there on; time never stays the same and heals all wounds.
In response to this week’s photo challenge.
Takeoff
Having missed out on quite a few weekly challenges, I finally wanted to get back on track. Here’s my entry for this week’s theme, Change. I recently had the pleasure of visiting a village for the first time. The picture above is a symbolic representation of a life we all want but cannot adjust to; we are too unwilling to let go of the hustle and bustle of the city, and the so-called luxuries we have surrounded ourselves with.
If you’re interested, here are the rest of the pictures from this set. Enjoy!
