by Javeria Nawed
Karachi, Pakistan
We’re often found facing ourselves with one of the most widely-understood-yet-immensely-haunting question: Have we, as humans, made the world rotten?
Look around yourself and you’ll be encircled by waves of shame. Dustbins are no more dustbins, to start with. They’re some ‘official witnesses” of the garbage humans create. Big yellow pits begging ‘use me’ are in fact an eyesore to many who prefer to leisurely consume and ignore. Ignore the responsibility of being a ‘human’.
And do we bother to replace the greens we’re so in a hurry to root off to feed our needs? The plants and trees which are a paradise for living organisms, what injustice are we doing to them? We’re dissolving the bird’s homes to build ours? Huh, what cruelty! The cars. We’re so fond of them. It hurts to walk a mile. After all, aren’t we the focus of the planet? Being the superior most creation? So it must be permissible to liberate tons of killing exhaust from our vehicles. Our comfort counts the most. Who would care about the atmospheric disgust while driving to their favourite eat-out?
If you dare to pretend that my bellowing horn couldn’t make you move an inch, be aware! I can jump off my cultus and tear you apart. Yes, sadly this is the ‘tolerance’ we supposedly- decent beings show. We’re always ready to cut and kill anyone who stands in our way. We’ve even lost the sense of conscience, a sense which distinguishes us from other creations. Isn’t it deplorable?
Moreover, I often see children ‘playing’ to their heart’s content in streets. That must be okay. What becomes unacceptable is when their ‘sport’ involves hitting and running innocent animals. Dogs and cats are stoned for fun, that’s what they call it. Now these little minds cannot be blamed for the choices they’re making. The fault is ours. The adults. How many of us actually stop and advice these youngs that animals are a living being? Honestly, this mind-your-own-business when the world’s decaying has already ruined us!
There’s also the issue of our love for new clothes and makeup and shaving blades. We have to look our best in our gatherings, meetings, parties, gyming, and what not. Do you know that the amount you spend in looking glamorous per month could pay off a poor child’s school fee? Or you knew but you preferred your sparkling hang outs? Probably the second one. Because that’s what we’ve become. Tears of our under privilege brothers and sisters is not ours to worry about. Blame the government for this unequal distribution of wealth. That’s a chicken way out: humans’ beloved excuse!
“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” {Dalai Lama, a noble Buddhist}
This is what the humanity should strive for. This is what we’re born for. To cleanse ourselves of the injustice, to wash off our indignities, to pride in comforting others. Inner solace is the antidote we seek.
And having pointed out the everyday paradoxity,I wish I could possess the Elder Wand somehow. One flick and we would be transformed into a ‘human society’. A place for everyone to fit in, to love, to care, to worry, to cry.
Huh, how I wish.
