The Sunday after

 I sit here today as I try to ponder on the inner workings of my mind on this silent afternoon, the Sunday after my escapades. It is something I often do after a long bout of extroverted-ness, my chronic condition of expanding more energy than I would care to on various musings of life. So much has happened in the past three weeks, but most of it too private to tell-tale on a public blog.  But know this: there's a bitter coffee to my right, just within reach, and then the ever pervasive sound of the ceiling fan running as my mind tries to count its rotations with accuracy. I sit donning a jade shalwar kameez, buttons of the sleeves in place, back straight as it soothes the pain, I am back in the confines of sunny equatorial Lahore, the city of gardens, home to guardrails of the Punjab.  I am reminded, suddenly and somberly of my grandfather, typing as I typed, with both hands on his keyboard, fingers pushing buttons, the learnings of his typewriter days being translated to the memo
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To be Pakistani

The severe castigation - socially and morally, of individuals that have made mistakes early on in life, is a sad and unfortunate problem that plagues our South Asian community


Why am I saying this? : I've witnessed one of my mentors be subject to this throughout his entire life:


Amid one of our conversations about careers and family, while speaking about a pivotal moment in his personal life, he broke stride and fell silent. The sadness in his face clearly showed. I didn't push, as I was well aware of what was bothering him.


He was abandoned, cast aside, ridiculed and shamed for what would seem to most a trivial mistake.


Today, I reflect on how his life might have been, had the people around him been understanding and empathetic. Life is short, but it is at times long. Mistakes, if not forgiven have a tendency to trickle down and ruin generations


Today, I remind myself that empathy is a skill, one that can save a life. Put yourself in someone else's shoes, forgive that person you hold a grudge against or who has wronged you, it could be whats holding them back. 


#pakistani 

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