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Winter is Coming; If We Only Care

A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves…

I believe everything in nature hides in itself a knack to teach and unearth things which we normally disregard. Probably because we pay no heed to things around us, whom we only greet through furtive and superficial glances. Every minute detail of nature encloses in its core a moral, a value which we can unwrap and discover if we only care enough. One such phenomenon which intrigues me is the occurrence of autumn.

This transitional phase between summers and winters hides a story within itself. It is only viewed as shedding of leaves but it’s more than that.

~ It’s a unique face of nature. How could something at one point alive – in fact very much living, sacrifice itself!  The sacrifice starts at the appointed time, and none seems to question or step back. Autumn begins, so does the pain, and the series of painful sacrifices. Leaves tear themselves apart from the whole and distance themselves from the mother tree. A distance which will never be reduced or removed again! But they seem to bow before what’s already been decided. Separating their paths, blocking their ways, turning away, they shed themselves, falling down, happily, without whining, and all knowing that it’s the end. But the pain is so blatant. Green surface changes to pale yellow, but we hear no sound of grief – for it is kept inside.

The strength is amazing that they exhibit. The sacrifice is not just about leaving the place, the place is left so new leaves could grip the surface and grow from where the dying ones previously grew.
This is a depiction of selflessness with a sprinkle of thoughtfulness. The moment selfish notions efface, the magnanimity of the heart prevails. The hand which is raised to feed oneself can also be raised to feed the others.

“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” 

This also reminds me of the story which I once caught a sight of.

A woman dies and wakes up after a while and sees herself in a beautiful place which she assumes to be a Paradise. But then she surmises that her past life had not been nice enough to have earned her this end. She sees that there is a huge table placed before her which is filled with innumerable dishes.
Every dish seemed scrumptious to no bounds and she felt that she would start drooling in a jiffy. However, she saw many other people by the table poised to enjoy the meal. Hence she seated herself on the chair and extended her hand to taste what rested before her.
To her surprise she realized that she could not bend her hands to drop the food in her mouth and the same was the case with all the others sitting along. Baffled they were!! Food was everywhere but they could not taste even a crumb. She requested God that this is Hell and she intends to experience paradise.

“The true paradises are the paradises that we have lost.”  ― Marcel Proust

However, God listened to her call and sent her to Paradise where she experienced the same thing. A table full of dishes and with people around it who could not bend their hands. What dumbfounded her was that in spite of this anomaly they were all satiated. For a moment she observed and discovered that people there instead of feeding oneself were actually feeding each other.

They had used the inflicted weakness at their advantage. Then she realized what was missing.

This world is a beautiful place, only if we try to change our perception and discard the sapling of selfishness within us, which is growing fast enough to entangle us in no time.

About the Author: Qazi M Zulqurnain ul Haq is an Orator, Active Parliamentary Debater. He is now pursuing his Business Studies from Institute of Business Management (IOBM), and tends to continue his Career in Human Resource.

ARY NEWS: The views expressed are solely of the author and do not represent the organizations policy.
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