Sunday 10 April 2016

In The Neighborhood

Sunday 10 April 2016 - 08:33 Posted by Ayesha Alam Khurram No Comments

I live in a neighborhood where many services are available in any nearby home. For the twenty’15 Eid I got my perfect mehandi design in my neighbor’s house. She definitely took out time to apply mehandi to many girls/ladies in the neighborhood. She doesn’t have a parlor; she doesn’t put notices or banners or packages anywhere. This is just the happiness that she can give to her neighbors from her precious time. For the Eid I got my dresses ready from another neighbor. That was so handy especially for me as I don’t like travelling or going to far away spots. I got my kids’ haircut from the third neighbor.

If these ladies would just think about themselves, their cooking, their families and children they would never offer these little happiness to me and to others. They are not professionals but their services are worth it. I come out of my home take a few steps and these ‘musts of Eid’ are available without any hassle, rush, queue, & appointment. Most importantly, I am in comfort zone and relaxed. In Ramadan if I had to go far for mehandi, haircut and dresses, it would have been very tiring and time consuming for me. These girls and ladies are offering happiness to others by sparing their time and effort.

At my ammi’s neighborhood, my nephew went to a summer camp during summer vacations offered by a lady in the neighborhood. Long ago, I used to go with my friend to learn stitching from a lady at her home. Also long ago, my sister went to cooking classes during her vacations. Those were in the neighborhood too. There are few ladies/girls who offer tuition to school kids in the neighborhood as well.

The point, I am trying to make is that all these examples are of those ladies who have families and are busy. But their small effort & time are beneficial for the neighborhood as a whole. They do not advertise their services; they do not put signboards in front of their homes. They are utilizing their skills to comfort the society. I am sure these works give them freshness and they don’t have time for lazy stuffs like sitting on couch for an extra-long TV / internet, sleeping in then feeling sick, thinking meaningless for hours, chatting & gossiping. Because…they have something meaningful and better to do. A little work of such kind definitely gives them satisfaction that they are not useless and they add happiness to others lives.

How well can we take our part and understand our roles for blossoming happiness in the chaotic society? Can we step out of our comfort zone that just revolves around us and our home? What is the purpose of our lives? Which work can offer some happiness to others, to the world & to the next generation? We don’t have time for others right now as we are too busy in our own selfies. Not now, then when?

Just a little effort can bring change in our mood, our home and our society. It’s not about the money always. It’s about that awe & that passion which we can spare for our own benefit!