It’s been a full 24 hours since Eid was technically over. Everyone is coming off of the assault on your stomachs. Some unfortunate souls have even thrown themselves back into work and studies after having hangouts with cousins, friends and families. There is one thing that must be talked about, though. While we were dressing up every day in our fanciest of clothes and complementing them with matching bangles to look the best among the whole group of cousins (and to have a good enough display picture for Facebook, of course), we overlooked one thing. I would avoid generalizing, but majority of us didn’t notice that the employees of the bakeries you went to fetch a cake for your khala or waiters at the restaurants where you dined out were Muslims too. And yet, they stood on watch waiting for you to relish in the merriment while their families back home awaited their return late at night , all tired and broken.
the man’s face and his smile kept revolving in my mind and I felt disappointed for him, and guilty at myself
On chaand raat I went to a famous place to get some groceries sufficient to feed us for the next three days. While I paid at the counter, I randomly asked the cashier if the place will be serving the Lahoris in the coming three days as well. He smiled and nodded, signalling a yes. Clearly, it was a forceful smile that hid emotions that I could only feel pity for. My very next question inquired about the timings to which he replied, “wohi subah 9 say raat 1 bajay tak.” I paid the required amount and left the place. But the man’s face and his smile kept revolving in my mind and I felt disappointed for him, and guilty at myself, for having wanted to visit during the Eid days.
I kept thinking to myself, isn’t it his Eid too?
As I drove home, a couple of questions clouded my mind and bothered me. I kept thinking to myself, isn’t it his Eid too? Doesn’t his family want to spend this day with him as well? Doesn’t he wish to join his family as they all sit together to have lunch? He would be missing out on so much. Only at night, after a hard day’s work will his family be able to share the happenings of the whole day with him. Their Eid will be eventful and they will share with him all that they did, all the relatives that they visited and will probably show him all the pictures that they took. He will just look at them and walk himself to his room, close his eyes and wait for sleep to come his way because he will be working the next day too. He will have nothing to share as talking about the exuberant ladies and kids that came to buy sweets and cakes for their families will disappoint him further. He will continue to ignore this as he will accept the bitter reality that this is what fate had in store for him. He will continue to bring smiles on our faces by faking his own.
what no one talks about is the people whose stories we don’t hear, those whose stories aren’t fun or colorful to show
Every year, a week before the two respective Eids, the news channel assign their reporters a task of going to all the over-crowded markets, find themselves a place to get through the crowd of aunties and kids and bother them with the same ‘tou Eid ki tiyariyan kaisi chal rahi hain?‘ question. The video clips are then showed to us at the 9 pm news and the lucky aunties and kids who made it to the television screens have their eyes glued to the screens. However, what no one talks about is the people whose stories we don’t hear, those whose stories aren’t fun or colorful to show. The news forget to mention the minority that will still be working and isn’t thrilled by the idea of Eid, because all it means for them is pulling in long hours.
a simple smile and your kind words may make some overworked, underpaid worker’s day, and it will cost you nothing!
What I ask for, is not to stop being happy just because someone else is not. That only makes for a sadder world, and there is already enough sadness to go around. What I do ask is to be kind and generous with everyone, a simple smile and your kind words may make some overworked, underpaid worker’s day, and it will cost you nothing! Everyone has problems, everyone has a not-so-good side, but kindness heals all wounds.
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