How ironic is life, it takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence.

     I was standing at the airport, peeking through the gate. I could see my family leaving, I never knew that even a sight of your family could turn out to be so valuable. My family was standing in the line, waiting for their bags to be checked. As the turn came, I felt as if something really precious and strong is being taken away from me. As the bags got checked, my mom turned around to me, looked through me with an affectionate look, which brought back the tears I was holding back. She waved her hand and turned around. Even a wave of her hand seemed so meaningful to me that day. it felt as if I had an conversation with her through her expressions even standing apart. I turned around and moved towards my car. I was repeating to myself that I don’t have to break, but tears wouldn’t stop flowing. I decided to divert my mind and concentrate that I have a car with me and my own city to explore. I headed towards my friend’s house.

     The journey from the airport to my friend’s house never seemed so long to me. Every km seemed like many miles

 to me. I couldn’t resist and called up my mother asking if she boarded the plane safely. I didn’t have the option to express my feelings to my mother or there would’ve been a headline on the news that the flight schedules have been delayed. I didn’t even have the capacity to talk to my youngest brother either. Being the youngest of all brothers, but he is the closest to me. We have a level of frankness that even friends don’t have. I kept the call as short as I can because I was boiled up with so many emotions that one word to trigger them would have brought tears to my eyes.

       As soon as I kept the call, I was passing by the Mosque that was adjacent to our old home, that’s the place where I spent those beautiful days of my childhood and made some beautiful memories. It was time for Asar’s namz, so I parked the car and went into the mosque. I performed wuzu, and walked to the first row and sat there. As soon as I sat there, it reminded me of my father. I can’t recall a day when he wasn’t a part of the first row. He is really punctual and rigid when it comes to namz. I still remember the days when I used to hide as soon as I used to hear the azan. My father used every possible method to bring me on the right track. He used to provide me with hadith references for explaining me the benefits of namz and the consequences of avoiding it. But I guess, I wanted my father to implement the hadith on me. Like every other day, I played hide and seek with my father. My father kept on looking for me and then left for namz so that he doesn’t miss the jamat.  When he came back, I was sitting in front the TV watching a movie. He approached to me with a smile on his face, I couldn’t even predict in a million years that I was about to know what happens when I miss namz. He sat beside me and asked, “which movie?” I replied cheerfully “terminator” He replied, “would you get my slippers from the room?” if I knew I am going to be beaten up by them, I would’ve made a run for it. But I am glad that he used those slippers that day because I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t. However, I was depressed with the fact that he didn’t consider that I have self respect and created that embarrassing moment in my life. I had this grudge always with me. Now I realize that His self respect was on the line from the first day he explained me but he never considered it as important. Those slippers would’ve been used the first day I played hide and seek, if it was about his self respect.

   When I sat in the car, my phone rang and there was message flashing on it. It seemed as if nature had planned to make me realize the value of my family truly. It was my friend’s message, something had come up and he wasn’t available at that time. As soon as I kept the phone, I realized that I don’t have a home now. I have a flat by myself but there wouldn’t be anybody to greet me there.

 I was hungry, I couldn’t go back to the apartment because the only thing I knew how to make was a sandwich. I saved that for the future because there were 4 years ahead of ‘sandwich to the rescue’. I knew how to fry but the mother’s belief that I am capable of burning up the kitchen restrained me to try. It was early in the morning, pathan’s ‘Dood patti and pratha’ was the only sensible option. I went to nearest hotel and ordered. The guy took ample time to bring the breakfast and it wasn’t worth waiting even. The first bite of that pratha was enough to make me stand up and leave. The saddest part was that, this is the best breakfast I get in Karachi. There wasn’t a better hotel than that in Karachi. My mother’s tasty omlet, with amazing scent of few vegetables and a bit of olive oil seemed like heaven. The pratha with ‘Asili ghee’ and tea, was the best combination I could think of. The small details that I took for granted but took ample attention of my mom seemed so prominent now. Waking up early in the morning and cooking, when you are hungry yourself is a thing that I might not even do for myself. But still, with all those pains gifted by age didn’t stop her from cooking my breakfast with a smile on her face. Those years of care had spoiled me. I always preferred dining out but that day I realized the effort a mother puts in cooking for her children.

         After the flight landed, my mom called me up. I was in desperate need to hear her voice. I never felt so incomplete. She asked, “Did you eat anything?” I replied cheerfully “Yeah I did” she replied with a rhetorical question“ Now do you value my breakfast?” I replied “No it wasn’t that bad” she replied with a small laugh and confidence “ I know it wasn’t” I asked “Is rebal(youngest brother) okay, is he still low?” my mom replied “ he’s okay, don’t worry, and you take care of yourself too, I know it’s hard to stay alone, it would be depressing and difficult but hang on to it because once your done with your studies and everything, you’ll be much more than your today. You’ll be a changed man. You’ll have all the tools you need to fight this world through and make your place in it. Just know one thing, if you face hardships today than only you’ll be able to see the good times in future.” I replied with full confidence though my heart was pumping harder than ever to just say it all “ You worry too much, I am totally fine here” my mom replied me in a taunting tone “ after all you took the decision, and you are your father’s son” After that I started the petty talk. Somehow at that time, that taunt seemed really soothing to me. I was missing those taunts that used to irritate me. Truly, there is no one in this world that can know you better than your mom. Somehow she already knew that I need those few lines of guidance and motivation.

    After staying alone, I realized the value of family. No matter how many differences we have staying under one roof, we need each other in every way still. When I used to open up the empty flat, I wish that there was my younger brother to make a mess of my room. I wish that there was mom waiting for me to scold me. I was missing those suspicious looks of my father when I enter late in my house. I miss those time when my elder brother used to boss around. I miss the family unit feeling where we all just sat in our parent’s room packed and talk about silly stuff.

      How ironic is life, it takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence.    

How people are victim of a disease, long lasting as 'Greed'

   Since the start of humanity, humans have been a victim of a disease called greeed. Its in born and instinct  based disease I guess so. Its built in test for every human to hold this back. Its a test within it yourelf. Its an element that is eating up all our humanity. Its undermining all the qualities we have. Greed is an element which creates bickering among humans relations My mother always advised me "Never let money come into any relation, be it friendship, marriage or relatives". The first sin that was done by the human race was backed up by greed. I remember a time when people had less to worry about gathering up money and were more concerned about helping each other and preserving the relations.

  Greed has been given a new name, which is called being "smart". You help somebody until it doesn't effect your personal life and wealth. We see everyday that a wife leaves home to run in race and compete with his spouse in a career. We see everyday, that behind congratulating one of your colleague, their is an element of mockery and jealousy. we see everyday, that we fear, we might earn less, we fear that taking on dreams might cost us to be poor. There very few people who could be original in a world like this,. There very few people who put these things behind and move forward to achieve what the want. In a country, like Pakistan, people don't study here to learn,innovate and contribute to the society, rather they study to keep their pockets heavy. Even a post as a teacher has been corrupted by this element. I've had teachers who charged for me counselling, who charged me for extra help I needed.

   What have we done to this world? To this country? To our homes? This world has become a trap and the only way out is death. People in olden days had to less to show off and were more safe. They used to spend money where it was required . Everyone's homes were open for guests. We have filled our homes with worldly things and taken out those beautiful relations we had. There was a time, when kids in a family used to be a victim of being an orphan, they were rescued by their uncles and brought by them. Their was a time when people spent their savings on people in need. We buy new phones to compete rather to justify our need. we buy things to be among others and stand out, Company's keep extracting profits and create better and more expensive needs for our humans. If only we started spending according to our needs, than we could help the entire humanity. The whole system around this world is based on on this evil element. If we observe, interest rates that people receive annually on their wealth is a way securing wealth to the people who don't deserve it. It sounds childish to remove such a long lasting concept but in reality, were not things better when they were simple? Maybe they were made complicated to extract profits. What if there were no banks to offer interest rates, rather there were only an options to secure wealth through business? Wouldn't that circulate wealth to a certain extent?

   Humanity is vanishing and how ironic it is, that the world started with the element of greed and soon will perish because of the same element.