I am so excited to be part of the fundraiser for a primary
school, set to be opened by end of the year. It feels great to be part of
something that is bigger than me. I am volunteering for this multi-national
non-profit that focuses on child education. It's great learning working with
them; great network and will help with my college applications.
---------
Tanveer: Don't
you feel it?
Anum: Feel what?
Tanveer: The numbness.
Anum: What numbness.
Tanveer: This numbness
that's growing around us.
Anum: It doesn't
bother me.
Tanveer: Your
life goes on.
Anum: I am sorry if you have a problem
with me being content. I have my own battles that I fight, I have my own
struggles and I don't need your approval.
Tanveer: I did not mean to offend you. I just
think sometimes, that we have got the bigger and better share of life than most
people. We are privileged in every sense and may be we ought to do more for the
lesser privileged. We owe it to others, its our responsibility. We are where we
are for a reason.
Anum: I have worked very hard for where I
am. I studied hard, I spent wisely, I struggled. I am honest and I contribute
to the economic activity of the country.
Tanveer: True and I do too. But we do it for
ourselves.
Anum: Yes, we do it for ourselves because
we live in a world that judges’ success by money and power and status. The
society designs us to be selfish and not selfless. You may not like to hear it
but it is true and no matter how bad it sounds, it is survival. Money defines
our social circle, residential area, entertainment, lifestyle... likability.
Tanveer: That's not contentment. After
achieving that comfort, social approval and likability; would it feel like
success?
Anum: Thousands die everyday; thousands
are born everyday. No one knows, no one cares. That's the circle of life.
Tanveer: Some live forever. They are the
outliers. They don't care for status and likability. They are disowned by
family and friends. They don't live the easy life but they are the only ones
who live life.
Anum: I don't mind living a dead person’s
life that gives me a pool side view for my breakfast when I am sixty.
---------
We like happy endings. We like seeing the good in the
society. We like consuming stories that inspire us; stories that feature
extraordinary people. It gives us the comfort that there are such courageous,
brave people living among us that save the day. We believe keep the balance in
the world. Those people are not us and we don't try to be them. We are viewers,
we are comfortable in our seats and we like that. We forget that these people
are among us and they are decreasing in number. If these individuals, these
mavericks disappear we will have nothing but tragic endings and darkness to experience.
Source: Movie, "Khalil Gibran's The Prophet", screen shot
