Sometimes ordinary incidents change the perspective of our life moving us to the inches of our personality. They actually give us a direction to think in a positive way. I also want to share an ordinary incident with you people that forced me to think in an extraordinary way.
Yesterday, I boarded a bus to come to Lahore from Kasur. The condition of the seats was miserable but fortunately I found a comparatively better one. I saw a broken folding-seat and felt pity for the one who would be left at the mercy of that seat with the same fare.
Actually, I was curious to see the person who would sit there. Suddenly, a middle aged man who was looking physically fit entered the bus and sat there. He also realized the defect but there was no seat to change now.
The man remained seated there but he argued with the conductor that he would pay half the fare. The conductor tried to say something but that man made him silent by saying that he would neither leave the bus nor would he give the full fare.
During that conversation, I was silent and admiring that man for teaching that conductor a very good lesson. It made me think. If that man could snatch his right by standing his gorund, then why couldnt we?
We are in the habit of accepting things as they were. Our politicians, leaders and the people who are at the helm of affairs do whatever they want but we dont raise any voice. That man didnt pay the full fare due to the defective seat but we would never raise a voice in favour of our demands. A student faces failure due to the mismanagement of the education department but he accepts it. A policeman takes bribe from a shopkeeper but that shopkeeper never protests.
This little incident has made me think that we are overpowered only due to our self-styled fears. If we start taking notice of the things with a critical eye, we shall mould every situation according to our own choices.
FRAAZ MAHMUD
Lahore
